Mechanic put a one wire alternator on my '65 3000.............

[fatheroftwo]

Am I going to have an issue with a dead battery because of the drain from the alt.? My tachometer also
no longer works. Is it normal for the conversion to disable the tach.? I've also read that the rpm's need to be
pretty high to "excite" the alt. Any advise?

Thank you
F O T

 

[JMOR]

Am I going to have an issue with a dead battery because of the drain from the alt.? My tachometer also
no longer works. Is it normal for the conversion to disable the tach.? I've also read that the rpm's need to be
pretty high to "excite" the alt. Any advise?

Thank you
F O T

Drain is so small that unless you let it set unused for a few years, that will not be a problem. As for the tach, it depends on how the tach operates.

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley RIP]

Am I going to have an issue with a dead battery because of the drain from the alt.? My tachometer also
no longer works. Is it normal for the conversion to disable the tach.? I've also read that the rpm's need to be
pretty high to "excite" the alt. Any advise?

Thank you
F O T

You will get a dead battery from not keeping it charged at 100% with a float charger when tractor is not in use. Incorrect wiring wiring also accounts for 99.98% of all non-starting/running issues. The Proofmeter (w/TACH) is not an electrical device; they are mechanical, at least on the older FORD, 50-64. I don't know about the later models, perhaps the Thousand Series gurus like Sean, JMOR, or Ultradog will chime in here. I only know that in 1959 FORD introduced 12V NEG GRN system but only on the diesel models. It still used a GENERATOR and a VOLTAGE REGULATOR though. I do not know for sure when/if they changed over to an ALTERNATOR. From what I see on the sketches no separate TACH was ever installed on FORDs. I suggest you get an I&T F0-20 or F0-22 Service Manual and review these chapters. An ALT installation needs come coaching at first start up to get it up from what I've read. Again, refer to the experts here. Always use a belt tensioning bracket.

Tim Daley (MI)

 

[wp6529]

I'm pretty sure you lost the mechanical tach drive due to the removal of the old generator which had the tach drive port on the back. As far as exciting the one-wire alt, my experience is that after you start the engine you just have to rev it up for a second to get the alternator to start charging, it does not need to be high RPM all the time.

 

[Brown David]

So very easy to properly wire the alternator with three wires.

I see no logical advantage to the one wire setup. It will work yes, but not as originally designed, voltage sensing is not as accurate.

As said above, most require at least a small bump in RPM to start charging, some installations require a more serious bump in RPM. Not recommended on a cold engine IMO.

There are thousands out there running one wire setups, I know. I've used them in the past when I worked as an operator/mechanic at a sod farm years ago. Converted many pieces of equipment from generators to alternators.

Quality may be improved now, I can't say for sure, but back then a one wire alternator voltage regulator would not last a season. I'm talking mid '80's to mid '90's.

Switched to the three wire setup and charging problems were few and far between from that point onward.

All of my own equipment has been changed to three wire alternators. Trouble free when done right.

I wonder why GM didn't use a one wire system? They would have saved a lot of money by using less wire, lamps and sockets per vehicle. There must be a reason.

 

[sotxbill]

the 5000 had a generator tach drive, so yes, if he put on a one wire, you lost the tach. The later 5600 had moved the tach drive to the oil pump feed. And the diodes in the alternator do have a very very very very small reverse current drain, so that if not started once a year or so, the battery will/might go dead. Installing a very small solar charger would prevent this problem, or a battery maintainer, or driving it every year. THERE is a alternator KIT that can be installed that HAS a tach drive that works wonderfully well on the 1000 series tractors that could have been installed. IT is about the same price as replacing the generator and voltage regulator. (NOPE.. ITS doubled in price due to current economics. USed to be $157 last year).. If you fill you need your tach back..( I would). It even comes with a kit to make the idiot light work as well, witch is nice to have all the warning light work correctly. I find the tach extremely useful for pto work and setting up plowing speeds..

https://www.amazon.com/6X10300ALTH-Alternator-Conversion-Fits-Ford/dp/B08BGBBVZK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2MDSYXJ4IWQ4Z&keywords=ford+5000+alternator&qid=1707402603&sprefix=ford+5000+alternator%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

[Sean in PA]

I have no personal experience, but from what others have said, the alternators with the tach drive are not accurate in terms of the tach reading the proper rpms. I assume that could be corrected by calculating the correct the pulley size and swapping out the pulley, but I leave that exercise up to the reader.