Cub generator

grandpa Love · Nov 12, 2020

On a tractor with an alternator you can pop the battery cable off and if alternator is charging the tractor stays running. I know you shouldn't.....but..... My question is does a 6 volt generator work the same way?

Richard G. · Nov 12, 2020

Pretty sure it does not Kevin.
Richard

Charlie M · Nov 12, 2020

I think I heard somewhere that is a simple test to find out if the generator is working - remove the battery cable and if tractor stops the generator is not working.

Nat · Nov 12, 2020

yes, if generator is charging it will continue to run whether it is a magneto or a coil
If a mag then pushing in the switch grounds out the ignition and on a generator equipped one ,pushing in the switch cuts power going to the coil. If you remove the battery on a cub with a properly charging cub it will continue to run because 6 volts is 6 volts whether it is comeing from a battery or a generator
. If anyone disagrees they can test it simply enough by spinning a good generator. It will produce electrical current even without have a supply to excite it

47fivewindow · Nov 12, 2020

The best test is to hook a volt meter to the battery and start it. The voltage should go up. If not gen, regulator,ampmeter. or wiring could be at fault. I checked on alternator at autozone yesterday. 41 bucks with a core.

grandpa Love · Nov 12, 2020

6.5 volts not running. Meter jumps around a lot running but showed 6.9 several times. But tractor died when I pulled battery cable off. Distributor on this on.

47fivewindow · Nov 12, 2020

Are the brushes arcing?

Steve@Advance · Nov 12, 2020

It will continue running as long as the engine is revved up enough to get a good charge going.

If the volts are jumping, could be the brushes are worn or dirty, could be the regulator points need cleaning.

grandpa Love · Nov 12, 2020

Didn't notice that they were

Jim.ME · Nov 12, 2020

I have always understood it is not recommended to disconnect a battery cable on a unit with an alternator as a test. Alternator voltage can spike very high when that is done as they go full field, and in the case of units with electronics, those can be fried. Lifting a cable is a carry over from systems with generators, which was common. If a generator was good, a pull start would start them charging, due to the residual magnetism in the generator, providing power for the electrical system and they would run without a battery at all.

Also lifting a cable off a battery terminal, you risk making a spark and causing an explosion if the battery is gassing.

Gene Davis (Ga.) · Nov 12, 2020

Kevin,if this generator is on the Cub you just brought home, did you polarize the regulator and generator when you installed the battery before starting it up ? Also many times the commutator bars will need to be lightly cleaned for brushes to make good contact after having sat unused for a while.
Gene Davis Tennille, Ga.

Donva · Nov 12, 2020

Kevin I found trying to check the generator voltage with a new digital meter wont work when the engine is running. you need to use an analog meter.

David G · Nov 12, 2020

I would think you could do with either if loaded, leave lights on.

47fivewindow · Nov 12, 2020

I stole this from farmallcub.com
try this

rustred · Nov 12, 2020

the answer is yes, if you pop the cable off and on and its charging tractor will keep running.

old · Nov 12, 2020

Yes that will work.

But pulling a battery cable off when you have an alternator can also kill you if you get your self in to it in such a way the current goes threw you. When you pull the cable off the V.R. sees a dead battery and put out max amp and max volts and can put out more then 90 volts and more the 35 amp which is enough to kill you

JMOR · Nov 12, 2020

(quoted from post at 12:13:12 11/12/20) Yes that will work.

But pulling a battery cable off when you have an alternator can also kill you if you get your self in to it in such a way the current goes threw you. When you pull the cable off the V.R. sees a dead battery and put out max amp and max volts and can put out more then 90 volts and more the 35 amp which is enough to kill you

hat is not universal....it depends on which alt and even within the 10SI family, which VR is installed. Blanket one size fits all statements are almost never accurate.

David G · Nov 12, 2020

That is not true.

An alternator/generator needs a load to regulate, that load does not have to be a battery and can easily be lights. I do not recommend disconnecting a battery, as an arc could cause the battery to explode, but as far as the generating source is concerned it does not care. We do this all the time with home generators, we hook and unhook loads by switching breakers.

I do not understand this old wives tale, and should be debunked.

David G · Nov 12, 2020

It should also be known that an electronic regulator in an alternator has much less chance over/under voltaging due to changes in load, as it continually adjusts the field. A mechanical regulator is either full charge or no charge, which by varying the duty cycle will vary the effective voltage. This is how PWM controls work on electronic throttles.

old · Nov 12, 2020

Wrong seen and test this in the past and had 90 plus volts on the cable

Crazy Horse · Nov 12, 2020

First time I have ever seen that mentioned Don. I have experienced the same thing but could never figure it out. Always end up using my old analog meter like you do. I wonder why that happens?

Donva · Nov 12, 2020

Mr. Horse
I believe with the new meters there is more transistor and Ic circuits. also the old analog meters are better shielded for use with noisy ignitions. Just my opinion. but I have always had to use an analog meter on my old tractors.

old · Nov 12, 2020

Depends on the VOM. I have 2 that work just fine but I have seen some that will not work well

Crazy Horse · Nov 12, 2020

Don ..... I just had a good long laugh ..... Mr. Horse ..... I've been called a lot of things, some of them pretty different but never Mr. Horse. You break me up !!!!!

rustred · Nov 12, 2020

and i agree also! i have changed battery's in our vehicles may times with them running. talking like a 30 second interval . i like to see the proof with a voltmeter hooked to the system also. i do believe on battery explosions though and have see them. and actually i have an old 74 olds here with a good engine that i start every couple years. think in the spring time i will start it and remove the battery and hook a voltmeter up and see what happens. boy with all the vehicles in the world i am sure we are not the only 2 people to remove battery's from an alternator. i guess the former D.T.pm has everyone brain washed also, humm, i should have sent this to myth busters. at the worst i think it will hurt the alternator not you. so that means the alternator wont alternate so how can you get that high of voltage???

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