6601 electrical box

[Bob seND]

I just mounted the electrical control box for my new to me 6601 in the cab of my 4020. It has three wires coming out of it that appear to be all meant to hook to the tractor. One yellow, one Black, and one green. I assume these may not be the original wires. The owner"s manual does not show how to hook it to the tractor power. I plan to take power off the switched side of the key, and obviously ground one. Any ideas about the wire colors, third wire, etc?
Bob seND

 

[Bob]

Can't help you any with the wire colors but noticed your comment "I plan to take power off the switched side of the key" and have to comment on that.

Either get power right from the battery cable or through a relay/solenoid operated by the key switch. Fuse appropriately.

It's NOT a good idea to make the tractor ignition switch pass the current needed to operate the combine controls.

Newer tractors would have a cab/accessory relay, yours MAY.

As far as figuring out what the wires are for... open up the control box and see where the switches connect to a common point for power. Check if any wire is grounded to the box.

It been a LONG time since I've dealt with one of these and this may be WAY out of the ballpark, but is it possible one of the wires is for "field lights" and one is for the warning flasher or don't the lighting wires pass through the control box?

 

[Jon Hagen]

Just to add to Bob's post, and it's been a long time since I worked on the electrics of a 6601 JD or 914 IH. ( the ND areas belly button pull type combines.
In most cases, those control boxes had three wires 12V power, Ground and the wire for the straw walker plug up warning horn, mounted in the cab.

I hope your tractor is a 69 or later factory 12V or a well done 12V conversion on an older 24v machine, as the stock 24V machines do not do well supporting the 12V electrical load of a PT combine.

Also be careful to connect the proper Battery polarity. Those control boxes have voltage spike protection diodes or capacitors that are set up for a specific polarity, usually negative ground. Those big magnetic clutches on the feeder and unload put out a heck of a voltage spike when you turn them off, so the spike protectors must remain in place and work.

 

[Bob seND]

Bob, thanks for the tip, I pulled power off the side of a relay under the dash cover. The black was ground, and the green from the chopper horn.
I didn"t want to hook it directly to the battery as I remember well the several dead batteries I had on the 4020 as a kid when I would forget to unplug the combine from the tractor overnight. Mine is a 1972 4020 synchro, wish it were a PS. In line fuses are in place. Fired it up and all works great!!

 

[Scott 730]

That's great. Any chance of seeing a picture of your machines?