24v ground ? on JD 4020

[wendelin]

question on 24v 4020.
My frame is not grounded.
Can I run the ground from the frame to the battery there the neg and pos are hocked together?
The other neg and pos run up to the starter.
thanks for the help
wendal

 

[msb]

Run a wire from the frame to either of the two cables that are not connected to the starter. The original ground had a slow blow fuse on it and was connected to the rear battery post on the left side of the tractor. All the ground wire does is split out the 24 volts for the gauges and lights.

 

[buickanddeere]

Yes. It's a good idea as previously stated to install a 10-15amp slow blow fuse in the line.
Plus a simple on-off switch for when the tractor is parked for any period of time.The switch will reduce the chances of fires, battery discharge & etc.

 

[wendelin]

can I get a slow blow fuse at the auto parts store?
what is the best order? tractor frame, switch, fuse battery? can the switch be out in the elements? or does it need to be inside?
I want to rewire my lights. I probably should add a fuse their too.
How many amps per light? 5 amp per light?
What about a radio?
My fuel gauge does not work. I hope the ground problem with fix that but might be a bad sending unit.
Is their a problem with fire? battery running them selves down?

 

[tim s]

The best advice is to change it over to 12 volt neg. grd. and live happily ever after....

 

[wendelin]

yes I agree,but do not have the funds for that.

 

[David G]

There should be a wire attached to the left battery terminal that grounds them both.

I think it may be a grey wire.

 

[Bob]

Rather than a fuse, pick up a length of 18-GA fusible link wire.

Crimp a 5/16" eyelet terminal to one end and a 3/8" to the other.

Connect it between a bolt on the appropriate battery cable terminal and chassis ground.

The eliminates poor connections between the slo-blow fuse and it's holder in the tough environment of the battery box area.

 

[thurlow]

I think mine's a blue wire; 'course, it's been burned off umpteen times.........in the 44 years we've had it.

 

[61-4010]

I"m going to go against the grain here - - so to speak. Lots of people convert these 24v tractors to 12v. As for me, I love my 24v on my 4010D and won"t convert. I keep the electrical system in good shape by making sure all connections are tight, no bare wires, fuses and breakers operational and where they need to be and the starter, generator and regulator in great condition.

I"ll take a 24v cranking system any day over a 12v system.

 

[wendelin]

I ordered the parts form JD today. fuse and fuse holder. slow blow.
tonight I ran new wire for the lights. I have 2 lights in each fender. I hocked them together. I ran a little jumper wire from the battery to the frame and nothing. I still have to hold a ground wire on the back of the light to get them to work, but only the lights on the side of the tractor where I hold the ground to the back of the light work. If I go to the other side of the tractor and hold the ground to the back of that light then they work.
what am I doing wrong????????
Is my ground just no good enough to get them all to work together???
thanks for the help
wendelin

 

[Anonymous-0]

Either the fender has a poor(rust or paint) ground to the tractor frame or the light itself has a poor ground to the fender or possibly a poor connection in both places.

 

[wendelin]

the washer that the lights set in were rusted. I wire wheeled them off. I also put a thin coat of grease on both sides of the washer.
i have never had this much trouble with a ground before. Probably over looking something simple.
anyway thanks

 

[buickanddeere]

1/2 of the 12V electrics are powered + to chassis. The other 1/2 of the 12V electrics are (-) to chassis.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Did you check the connection between the fender and the frame of the tractor? Take a jumper wire from a bright spot on the fender to a bright spot on the frame and see if the light works when you turn it on. Also, do you have good connections on both ends of your fused wire?

 

[willie in mn]

Key words for any electrical connections- Clean, Bright, & Tight.
Putting grease on the mount washers before assembling can cause bad contact. Assemble your clean mounting parts first. When you have everything working, a small coating of grease over the outside can seal out the moisture that causes rust & poor connections.
Actually paint seals just as well & looks better, not so messy.
My opinion, & I'm sticking to it.
Willie

 

[Bob]

Didn't like the less-troublesome fusible link idea, eh?

 

[wendelin]

what would happen if a person did not uses the slow blow fuse? use just light wire?
I got everything working today. Had to ground one fender to the tractor. so far everything else is working good. knock on wood.
thanks for all the help
wendelin

 

[Bob]

That was my suggestion. A fusible link IS a length of special wire the "blows" reliably at a certain current and has (more or less) fireproof insulation.

Auto parts stores stock replacement lengths of it.