47Ford 8n starter switch wiring

[used red MN]

Okay we’ll give this a whirl, it will either make your tractor run or smoke the wires. You didn’t answer my question about front or side mount distributor, but by saying the red wire goes to the coil on top of the points that tells me you likely have a front mount. Can you tell where that black wire is going off your alternator? It should have a connection back to your ammeter. Whichever post it connects to on the ammeter your yellow wire coming from the battery post of the solenoid connects on the opposite terminal from that. This should be the only wire on that terminal of the ammeter. The opposite terminal on the ammeter that the alternator wire is on is where one terminal of your toggle switch will connect to. Also in your photo I circled two yellow wires in red. If the eyelets on them will reach the ammeter terminal that has the alternator wire on it take that bolt out of there throw away the short yellow wire with the bare end. Sand and clean up those eyes and put them on the ammeter terminal. The other wire off your toggle switch will go to one end of your new resistor and the red wire going to the coil will go on the opposite end of the resistor. I am not sure what the deal is with your red wire at the alternator, it is not even hooked up. Where the side terminal spades on the alternator ever hooked up? I know there is a lot of wires on the one side of the ammeter but that is correct. That gives the ammeter the ability to show the discharge of all current loads and the charge from the alternator all measured against the one wire that goes to the battery. Now let the smoking begin!! I would make a light quick touch of the battery terminal to the post when reconnecting to check for heavy sparking/shorting after you have made the connections just in case you have some hidden variation in your wiring that I couldn’t account for. Also for gosh sakes, don’t wrap bare stripped wires around the terminals and smash them under a nut. Spend a couple of your shinny nickels and get yourself some crimp on wire eyelets and a crimp pliers. Soldering them on the ends of the wires would be best but I know that is a moon shot. If you have to move a wire off a terminal that you claim doesn’t need touched, to wire it as I instructed.. DO IT! I am providing you info of how your tractor should be wired to make it reliable and correct. There is also the possibility that you need a 2nd resistor in you red wire to your coil to increase the life of your points and coil. We can discuss that after you get it running.

 

[Turkey 54]

The black wire off the alternator goes to the left side of the ammeter (backside) and theres a brown wire connected to the ,right side of the ammeter that gors to the hot sude of the solenoid. Yes its a front mount distributor. Im sending a new pic of that single yellow wire. What it actually was after I peeled back the harness skin and did away with that nut&bolt.That red wire at the alternator was once hooked up to those double leads. One question I dont think you told me where to hook up the single wire from the push button switch..& where to hook the other red wire co.ing from the small middle end of the solenoidI really appreciate your help. Im waiting on my new resistor to come in before I give it a try. I will put ends on the wires like you see on the yellow wire. Thats the toggle sw & green wires next to the ammeter. Thanks again.

 

[Turkey 54]

Used red MN: looks like they originally had that yellow wire going to one side of the key switch. And a black wire I take went to the push button switch. Anyway one of those red wires comes from the middle small hook up on the solenoid and one from the coil. And one from alternator. And the yellow comes from hot side of Solenoid.Brown is hooked up to right side of ammeter comes from hot side of solenoid as well.

 

[Turkey 54]

Used red MN: Thats a brown & yellow on that hot side of solenoid.

 

[Jim.ME]

Used red MN: Thats a brown & yellow on that hot side of solenoid.

Don't know how soon used red MN will see this, however I don't want you to make smoke, so I will throw this out to you. The original starter button by the shift lever provides a ground for the solenoid. If you have the correct solenoid the small terminal in the center of the solenoid (relay to some) is where the wire from the pushbutton attaches. If you hook the battery up and check that small terminal with a test light or voltmeter it should have power with no wires attached to it. That terminal will have power, if it is the correct solenoid. Put the tractor in neutral. Use a jumper wire to ground that small terminal and see if the solenoid works. If it works, it is the right solenoid. If it doesn't work try using the jumper wire to put power on the small terminal, if it works when power is applied it is a grounded base solenoid and is the wrong type of solenoid for your starter button. (Of course, the battery has to be hooked up to do these tests, unless you test by continuity.)

 

[used red MN]

Ya, busy with replacing an area of siding on my house for a painting project that expanded in scope. Probably won’t be able to reply in any depth until late this evening. I DID MAKE A LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS IN MY RESPONSE! In actuality if you could draw up diagram of the current connections then take a photo of it to post the outcome of this could probably end with far less uncertainty. Do you have a test light or test meter? Should add I trust Jim to give solid advice.

 

[Jim.ME]

That's two of us now that have asked for a sketch of your wiring. It is much less confusing if you sketch what you have and post a photo of the sketch compared to trying to describe it over and over.

 

[used red MN]

How close is this? Sorry I am a crappy draftsman. I am asking if the two yellow wires that originally had the bolt through them are drawn to correct locations , one to light switch, one to I don’t know solenoid maybe?? Where are the red wires you are holding in the picture going? You have to say one on the left goes to X, one in the middle goes to y etc.
Will answer about the diode/dash bulb in next reply.

 

[Turkey 54]

Jim. ME. I thought I did explain above. One red comes from the top of the front mount coil, one from the alternator ( not hooked up) and one from( the middle)small end of the solenoid . The Yellow wire comes from the hot side of the solenoid.
Then they have a brown wire also coming from the hot side of the solenoid going to the right side of the ammeter. They have a black wire coming from left side of ammeter going to ground on alternator. I also explained after removing the harness skin & removing the bolt in the yellow wire theres only one yellow wire. ( comes from hot side of solenoid. ) So in summary I have the 3 red wires above to hook up, 1 yellow wire described above and 1 push button starter wire and my two toggle sw wires. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[Turkey 54]

Forgot one: They also have a brown wire comes from hot side of Solenoid pictured above & goes to the right side of the ammeter.

 

[Turkey 54]

 

[Turkey 54]

That's two of us now that have asked for a sketch of your wiring. It is much less confusing if you sketch what you have and post a photo of the sketch compared to trying to describe it over and over.

 

[Turkey 54]

Don't know how soon used red MN will see this, however I don't want you to make smoke, so I will throw this out to you. The original starter button by the shift lever provides a ground for the solenoid. If you have the correct solenoid the small terminal in the center of the solenoid (relay to some) is where the wire from the pushbutton attaches. If you hook the battery up and check that small terminal with a test light or voltmeter it should have power with no wires attached to it. That terminal will have power, if it is the correct solenoid. Put the tractor in neutral. Use a jumper wire to ground that small terminal and see if the solenoid works. If it works, it is the right solenoid. If it doesn't work try using the jumper wire to put power on the small terminal, if it works when power is applied it is a grounded base solenoid and is the wrong type of solenoid for your starter button. (Of course, the battery has to be hooked up to do these tests, unless you test by continuity.)

Yes Jim that jumper wire does turn the starter over when jumping from the ground to the small middle contact of the solenoid with tractor in neutral.

 

[Jim.ME]

I have marked up the sketch you posted to show where the wires, as I understand what you have, need to go. I think it fairly well mirrors what used red MN gave you in his sketch. The wire from the + side of the solenoid to the ammeter and the wire from the ammeter to the alternator output stud terminal (not ground as you posted earlier) should be 10- or 12-gauge wire. 14 gauge will work for the other wires. If you want a fuse, circuit breaker or fusible link it should go in the wire between the solenoid and the ammeter (I would use a 30 to 40 amp rating). Since you say the starter engaged when you used a jumper wire from the center terminal to ground, it should work with the safety starter button, as long as the button is adjusted and works. As I noted you will need a diode or indicator (incandescent) light in the excitation wire from the switch to the #1 spade terminal of the alternator. And you need a short jumper wire from the #2 spade to the alternator output terminal to let the regulator sense system voltage. You were describing more wires than needed.

If someone see something I got wrong, hopefully they will correct my info.

 

[used red MN]

I have marked up the sketch you posted to show where the wires, as I understand what you have, need to go. I think it fairly well mirrors what used red MN gave you in his sketch. The wire from the + side of the solenoid to the ammeter and the wire from the ammeter to the alternator output stud terminal (not ground as you posted earlier) should be 10- or 12-gauge wire. 14 gauge will work for the other wires. If you want a fuse, circuit breaker or fusible link it should go in the wire between the solenoid and the ammeter (I would use a 30 to 40 amp rating). Since you say the starter engaged when you used a jumper wire from the center terminal to ground, it should work with the safety starter button, as long as the button is adjusted and works. As I noted you will need a diode or indicator (incandescent) light in the excitation wire from the switch to the #1 spade terminal of the alternator. And you need a short jumper wire from the #2 spade to the alternator output terminal to let the regulator sense system voltage. You were describing more wires than needed.

If someone see something I got wrong, hopefully they will correct my info.

View attachment 86035

Looks good to me Jim!
Turkey, as Jim mentioned that terminal is not a ground, look at your alternator closer, that terminal on the back should have "Bat" by it. see pic.
What happened or where in your explanations are the two yellow wires that had the bolt through them? One is on the diagram as "To the pos. side of the solenoid" needs a connection?? Are there lights on this tractor? Did one of those wires go to the light switch?

 

[used red MN]

Looks good to me Jim!
Turkey, as Jim mentioned that terminal is not a ground, look at your alternator closer, that terminal on the back should have "Bat" by it. see pic.
What happened or where in your explanations are the two yellow wires that had the bolt through them? One is on the diagram as "To the pos. side of the solenoid" needs a connection?? Are there lights on this tractor? Did one of those wires go to the light switch?
View attachment 86054

Per the white box with the red text and arrow on Jim's diagram, go to NAPA or any auto parts store and get one of these bulb sockets and a 168 mini bulb. Example Indicator light Wire it in to the red wire going to terminal 1 spade on the alternator up under the dash where you connect it to the ignition toggle switch. Tape it up to the wires so the bulb hangs down so water can't collect in the socket.

 

[Turkey 54]

I have marked up the sketch you posted to show where the wires, as I understand what you have, need to go. I think it fairly well mirrors what used red MN gave you in his sketch. The wire from the + side of the solenoid to the ammeter and the wire from the ammeter to the alternator output stud terminal (not ground as you posted earlier) should be 10- or 12-gauge wire. 14 gauge will work for the other wires. If you want a fuse, circuit breaker or fusible link it should go in the wire between the solenoid and the ammeter (I would use a 30 to 40 amp rating). Since you say the starter engaged when you used a jumper wire from the center terminal to ground, it should work with the safety starter button, as long as the button is adjusted and works. As I noted you will need a diode or indicator (incandescent) light in the excitation wire from the switch to the #1 spade terminal of the alternator. And you need a short jumper wire from the #2 spade to the alternator output terminal to let the regulator sense system voltage. You were describing more wires than needed.

If someone see something I got wrong, hopefully they will correct my info.

View attachment 86035

Thank you Jim ME! I will let you know how it goes once I get my resistor.

 

[Turkey 54]

Ju

Ya, busy with replacing an area of siding on my house for a painting project that expanded in scope. Probably won’t be able to reply in any depth until late this evening. I DID MAKE A LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS IN MY RESPONSE! In actuality if you could draw up diagram of the current connections then take a photo of it to post the outcome of this could probably end with far less uncertainty. Do you have a test light or test meter? Should add I trust Jim to give solid advice.

JUst finished drying in our cabin w log siding. I can relate! Thanks for your help!

 

[Turkey 54]

Looks good to me Jim!
Turkey, as Jim mentioned that terminal is not a ground, look at your alternator closer, that terminal on the back should have "Bat" by it. see pic.
What happened or where in your explanations are the two yellow wires that had the bolt through them? One is on the diagram as "To the pos. side of the solenoid" needs a connection?? Are there lights on this tractor? Did one of those wires go to the light switch?
View attachment 86054

Thanks for your help as well. Turned out to be only one yellow wire . Looks like they had just used that bolt rig to tie in a smaller wire that ran to the original key switch which is no longer in use. They had a brown wire coming from the same hot side of solenoid running to right side of the ammeter. I went ahead and ran that single yellow wire to the right side of ammeter ( it had a better connector end) And and disconnected the brown wire there and thought I might use it for poer to the light bar switch.

 

[Turkey 54]

I have marked up the sketch you posted to show where the wires, as I understand what you have, need to go. I think it fairly well mirrors what used red MN gave you in his sketch. The wire from the + side of the solenoid to the ammeter and the wire from the ammeter to the alternator output stud terminal (not ground as you posted earlier) should be 10- or 12-gauge wire. 14 gauge will work for the other wires. If you want a fuse, circuit breaker or fusible link it should go in the wire between the solenoid and the ammeter (I would use a 30 to 40 amp rating). Since you say the starter engaged when you used a jumper wire from the center terminal to ground, it should work with the safety starter button, as long as the button is adjusted and works. As I noted you will need a diode or indicator (incandescent) light in the excitation wire from the switch to the #1 spade terminal of the alternator. And you need a short jumper wire from the #2 spade to the alternator output terminal to let the regulator sense system voltage. You were describing more wires than needed.

If someone see something I got wrong, hopefully they will correct my info.

View attachment 86035

Jim this may sound stupid but what is that indicator light telling me ? That the alternator is working?