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[Dr. CHIP]

Well dam, you pack a lot of info in one post. I really appreciate it. I will switch over to the modern view, Didnt know that little quirk. I will have to study your post more to make anymore comments.
I can tell you that Im a retired large and small animal veterinarian. Ive always been interested in hotrods and old "classics". Started several old projects over the years and never had the time to finish and get discouraged and sell them. I did some stockcar racing- talk about time consuming. I still had the bug to build a hotrod myself and stumbled on to a stock 35 Ford tudor .I was getting close to retirement and started collecting parts as money permitted and stored them in my closet. I finally did get the 35 finished and did everything myself except putting the motor together and the interior. I learned a ton during that build and swore Id never due another project. Well a few years later I saw a ton and a half 48 studebaker truck and fell in love. It was an old burial vault truck and had super patina.I rebuilt all the mechanics and didnt touch the exterior. Coolest ride I ever owned. But it wasnt fun to drive and I sold it. Well I did a car and a truck so why not a tractor. I always liked the old cases. The first tractor I remember my grandpa having was a Case and as a teenager I worked for a bean farmer and disked for cover crop with a D. If I was gonna do a tractor thats what I wanted. Took a few years but I finally came across one and rest is history. Well probably more info than you expected but you asked lol.

This post was edited by Dr. CHIP on 04/08/2023 at 03:02 pm.

 

[Dr. CHIP]

Thanks Dunner, Im gonna try the 12v regulator first and see what happens.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 07:34:18 04/08/23) I've never seen a 6v negative ground but I'm not familiar with Case, not many around here. I keep my COOPs 6v and they start fine. Early 12v
systems were also positive ground. I'm not sure about a 6v generator being able to produce the 13-14 volts needed to charge a 12.

h, they will make the 13-14 volts.......for awhile......until the field coils burn up from twice rated current and resulting 4 times rated power/heat. Who on here can state the difference between a pos gnd VR and a neg gnd VR? as well as why they are or are not interchangeable?

 

[Duner Wi]

Jmor, The cutout points are made of different materials. So if negative ground you want the correct material on one side and just the opposite if positive ground. This is the way it was when regulates were rebuilt. Nowadays
I would not guarantee different materials are used for positive and negative ground points.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 19:52:21 04/08/23) Jmor, The cutout points are made of different materials. So if negative ground you want the correct material on one side and just the opposite if positive ground. This is the way it was when regulates were rebuilt. Nowadays
I would not guarantee different materials are used for positive and negative ground points.

ery good! Not the whole world knows that. Wrong one still works, just not as long a time. There are a few exceptions to my last statement, as some Chrysler/Autolite VRs used early "diodes" in them and obviously couldn't tolerate reversed polarity.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

(quoted from post at 06:23:40 04/08/23) Yea Im just not sure what all to change. I just read where someone claimed the gen. puts out enough that changing the regulator is all that is needed, but darn if I can find it now. There is an old wire running from the regulator to other side of tractor in the switch area but its broke off. I just want to get it so battery will charge.

Some do. Some don't. It's a crap shoot.

The only sure way is to go through component by component, make sure it's wired correctly, make sure the generator is 12V, make sure the regulator is 12V, make sure everything is good and working. Figure on having to go through everything every few years if you use the tractor regularly.

OR

Install a 12V alternator, switch to negative ground, and never touch it again.

 

[J Hamilton]

I am curious to know the difference. I was told by a starter/alternator/generator rebuilder they could be used as pos or neg ground as long as it was polarized correctly. I have never tried this, as I always bought the correct ones that were labeled for the application I was using it for.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 22:28:05 04/08/23) I am curious to know the difference. I was told by a starter/alternator/generator rebuilder they could be used as pos or neg ground as long as it was polarized correctly. I have never tried this, as I always bought the correct ones that were labeled for the application I was using it for.

ee above...Dunner WI

 

[wore out]

Above is a scan from a Delco electrical equipment manual showing what they did ''back in the day''.

I'd ASSUME other high-quality manufacturers did the same.

Whether that holds true in any of the generic VR's being pawned off on the public nowadays, or if they use less $$$ metals (which would explain why many sold today don't last very long) who knows?

 

[J Hamilton]

Thank you for that info.

 

[Dr. CHIP]

Some do. Some don't. It's a crap shoot.

The only sure way is to go through component by component, make sure it's wired correctly, make sure the generator is 12V, make sure the regulator is 12V, make sure everything is good and working. Figure on having to go through everything every few years if you use the tractor regularly.

OR

Install a 12V alternator, switch to negative ground, and never touch it again.

well this was over a year ago but your comment on 12v alternator has been stuck in my head. Im ready to do just that. Ive tried searching that conversion but Ive only found info on other tractor brands and its confusing to my old brain. Could you give me the basics I need to do the conversion? I did switch to neg ground last year but still have a generator that doesnt work. thank you

 

[Geo-TH,In]

i recently bought a case d that had a 12 volt battery pos ground with a resistor ahead of the coil. It starts good but the battery wont charge. Ive ordered a 12 volt regulator to use with the original generator. Do I need a new generator? I read some where that all I need to change is a regulator(6 to12 volt).

Dr
Do you know any auto store will check your generator or Alternator for FREE?
And it isn't rocket science to replace a 12v generator with a 12v one wire Alternator.

 

[Dr. CHIP]

Dr
Do you know any auto store will check your generator or Alternator for FREE?
And it isn't rocket science to replace a 12v generator with a 12v one wire Alternator.

Dr
Do you know any auto store will check your generator or Alternator for FREE?
And it isn't rocket science to replace a 12v generator with a 12v one wire Alternator.

I've heard so many comments about the alternator being better than the generator I didnt get any diagnostic testing done. I just figured while I have the hood off for a new temp. gauge it would be a good time to switch to alternator. My 76 year old brain doesnt work as well as it used to and I get confused about polarity etc.. Besides buying a one wire alternator what else needs to be changed? I assume different brackets but what about voltage regulator, coil , stuff like that. Its not gonna be a show tractor so Im not concerned about originality . thank you.

 

[used red MN]

I've heard so many comments about the alternator being better than the generator I didnt get any diagnostic testing done. I just figured while I have the hood off for a new temp. gauge it would be a good time to switch to alternator. My 76 year old brain doesnt work as well as it used to and I get confused about polarity etc.. Besides buying a one wire alternator what else needs to be changed? I assume different brackets but what about voltage regulator, coil , stuff like that. Its not gonna be a show tractor so Im not concerned about originality . thank you.

i don’t know Case wiring, but If the D is wired as this SC in this YT post I inked here is, all I see that is needed is as follows. YT post with diagram The one wire that feeds your generator can connect to the terminal on your one wire alternator. Providing it looks like a 10 gauge. The wires on your ammeter need changed to the opposite sides. Connect your battery negative ground, don’t connect your alternator if this has not been done. You say you already have a resistor in the ignition feed to the coil, so all you have to do there is switch the lead from the distributor to the negative side of the coil and the ignition feed side from the resistor to the positive side. Hopefully, you don’t have problems with your one wire draining the battery. Also often they need revved high to start charging.

 

[Dr. CHIP]

Thank you thank you! I dont see a voltage regulator. Where would that go? Or is one not needed with alternator? Thanks again

 

[used red MN]

Thank you thank you! I dont see a voltage regulator. Where would that go? Or is one not needed with alternator? Thanks again

Sorry, forgot to address this. It is internal to the one wire alternator! This is why you see them referred to as “internally regulated” Often you can drill the generator bracket out to 3/8” most were 5/16” then get a long bolt or all-thread to mount it and make pipe bushings to align it. Not sure of the configuration on a Case but on Farmalls the bottom bracket is flipped over to make everything align better. If the Case has a wide belt you will need to swap the generator pulley onto the alt. or acquire one the correct width. Use an impact to loosen it and when tightening it back a short squeeze of the trigger on a 1/2” impact is tight enough.

 

[Dr. CHIP]

Thanks so much. You've been a great help

 

[Dr. CHIP]

I think I will have generator checked mostly because of saving money Plus Im lazy lol

 

[used red MN]

Do as you wish, it is of course your tractor. Current day voltage regulators for generators are a crap shoot. If you spend enough money and are lucky you will get one that will last a while.

 

[Dr. CHIP]

Back to alternator thinking now. Took off vr and wire into generator broke off. I'll get ' er done yet thanks to all the help on here.