801 6v pos ground problems

[Scott-IA]

the 'new to me' 851 is giving me issues in the charging department, and I need some advice.

When I got her, she was pretty abused. The 6v genny sounded pretty rough and didn't work (light stayed on), so I go to NAPA and get a new regulator. Presto, she works now! 2 hours run time later, the light comes on. Pull the genny, back to the repair shop, and sure enough it's bad. Turns out it burned up the windings. Over $200 later, I've got a fully rebuilt genny. Got a new regulator from one of the better known tractor parts places, because I wasn't going to put the NAPA one on again.

Put the new regulator on, and it's charging....at 8.2 - 8.5 volts. Decided to drive it 6 blocks to get gas and back, and now the light on the dash is very dimly lit. I shut her off at that point, and don't quite know what to think about it. Don't want to burn up another genny or cook a battery.

Any advice?

 

[Jeff Hamilton]

Scott - I installed a new new regulator in my 860 (from this site) and it was way overcharging. My tractor reads amps, not volts, but it was pegging the meter. After 5 minutes the regulator burnt up - junk. After reading a lot of posts, it appeared that there are a lot of "not so good" regulators out there. I bought a Standard Blue Streak regulator from O'Reilly's and it worked 100% . It was about 2X the money. Still good 2+ years later.

 

[Ozlander]

I had the same problem of finding a good 6v regulator.
After two regulators, my solution was an alternator.

 

[Scott-IA]

Well, I tried to adjust it, and only got down to 8 volts. Looks like the spring is too long and too strong to get it any further down. Plan on returning it and get another.

 

[Jim L WA]

Well, I tried to adjust it, and only got down to 8 volts. Looks like the spring is too long and too strong to get it any further down. Plan on returning it and get another.

and another and another and another.

 

[Scott-IA]

and another and another and another.

If I go with another, it'll be a Standard. I'm going to try adjusting the point gap first to see if I can get down another half volt

 

[JMOR]

Too short? rather than long. unless different to any I have seen, short & strong equals higher voltage. smaller gap=lower voltage. Actually, I'm talking coil springs , not the flat strap type.

 

[Scott-IA]

Too short? rather than long. unless different to any I have seen, short & strong equals higher voltage. smaller gap=lower voltage. Actually, I'm talking coil springs , not the flat strap type.

Yup, taking weight off the spring takes all weight off. I can't take enough weight off without loosing all tension. They're not stretched enough to adjust lighter.

 

[JMOR]

Yup, taking weight off the spring takes all weight off. I can't take enough weight off without loosing all tension. They're not stretched enough to adjust lighter.

I would guess that you are adjusting, by bending the tab that spring is anchored to?

 

[Scott-IA]

I would guess that you are adjusting, by bending the tab that spring is anchored to?

yup

 

[JMOR]

yup

And you do know that voltage may be affected by temperature & magnetic fields, so cover needs to be re-installed when measuring voltage?

 

[Scott-IA]

tested before taking off, and after. Both the same, so I just went with off measurement

 

[560Dennis]

regulator is positive ground

 

[Welding man]

We went through this a couple of years ago on 2 or 3 tractors, bad regulator after bad regulator. That is when we started building 6 volt positive ground alternators. Have installed several since then and have never had a problem.

 

[Scott-IA]

One Standard regulator from Orileys, and she's charging at 6.9 volts. Good to go. Thanks for the advice Jeff!