Dual alternators?

[V509]

Proud new owner of a 3010 diesel which appears to have been made in 1961. It has a loader on it and was restored 10+ years ago.

My question is, someone has added a second alternator to it. The loader would have absolutely no extra draw on it. Was this a common addition and what purpose did it serve obviously charging batteries, faster but beyond that.

 

[Roger in Iowa]

24 volt system? Using one 12v alternator for each 12 volt battery?

 

[Scott 730]

Pictures??

 

[buickanddeere]

24 volt system? Using one 12v alternator for each 12 volt battery?

if still -12V & +12volt 24V . one of the alternators would be a rare positive chassis/ground alternator

 

[Fixingfarmer]

Picture would be really cool never seen that before. I’ve seen dual alternators on modern stuff they are 12 volt essentially charging the same batteries together. While it works for high amp requirements instead of a big alternator honestly they seem to go out just as frequently if not more and often by the time the customer calls both need replaced.

Oddly enough the smaller terragators had 2 the big ones had one bigger alternator totaling less amps but I wondered if the dual was more a reliability attempt that failed. I believe alternator trouble was the most frequent failure in the small 6 cylinder. I think reliability would have improved with 2 big ones then you could have lost one and kept the rig running. The big agco 7 cylinders didn’t run long enough to need to replace an alternator. Or change the oil.

 

[V509]

The 2nd alternator sticks out a bit not bad
I took the pictures this morning, but did not have my voltmeter with me nor did I take any sheet metal off to follow wires

 

[buickanddeere]

Belt to pulley contract surface area is minimal

 

[used red MN]

Belt to pulley contract surface area is minimal

Since it’s only charging one battery each and it doesn’t have a cab, A/C, heater and wipers that will probably be sufficient if the belts are kept reasonably tensioned it will be fine. Disclaimer, I can only guess that it doesn’t have a cab.

 

[V509]

From what I am told, this has worked for over 10 years
New to me
When the engine is running a slow idle, it is about 12 or 1300 RPMs anyway the tech is showing well above the actual RPMs today I learned the difference between red needle, tachometer and white needle tachometer

 

[random_farmhick]

if still -12V & +12volt 24V . one of the alternators would be a rare positive chassis/ground alternator

I know he showed pictures and it doesn't look like they are isolated. Although, when I worked at the deere dealer, they had a 50 that had the normal generator on it, and then they had a regular negative ground alternator ran off of the belt pulley so they could charge equipment on the lot when the batteries were dead. They had the alternator case insulated from ground to frame, and just ran wires, one from the case of the alternator to the negative on the battery, and the positive/charge on the alternator to tractor frame. Then they just had a switch on the clutch linkage to energize the alternator.