Adding lights to a JD 4010

[Frontranger]

Somewhat new user here....just regeistered! A 1962 JD 4010 Diesel I bought about 2 weeks back has an electrical system that has been converted from 24 V to 12 V for the starter, and seems to start up just fine. However, the gas guage is inoperable....the needle bounces but does not register correctly. Other guages (eng.temp/tach), idiot lights seem to work. Also, this thing has an older aftermarket "Meade MFG" cab on it and the lights all seem to be kablooie. There is also a top-of-the-headliner radio and 2 squirelcage blowers (just fresh air/no heat or cooling) that are FUBAR too. The wiring is definately spotty (insulation missing kinda allover) but the main wiring harness seems to be intact. I'm looking to restore the headlights at a minimum, and I do have 2 wiring diagrams I got off this site last week. One that a YT user had apparently drawn up himself, and one out of a manual for a JD 4010 Diesel. Both are pretty clean/good, but do not speak to the 24V-12V conversion.[u:71e0a29d23] My questions would be[/u:71e0a29d23]: Where can I bring a hot wire from and still have it in the starting/on-off switch circut, and will the new(er) alternator setup be up to powering a pair of tail lights, flashers, and maybe a backup/rear facing/cargo light too? Least obtrusive/most collective location for fuses would be where/what size? And/or other things (radio) within reason. That's probably enough for this post. Thankin' you in advance.....JW

 

[Anonymous-0]

A good spot would be to run the wire off the key switch. Then connect that short wire to you light switch. Then now the other terminal runs a wire back to your lights. Remember but a fuse between the key switch and your light switch.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Some Deere fuel gauges were polarity sensitive and seems like they were on the positive grounded 12 side of the 24 volt system. That way the same gauge may have worked for the gas 4020 that was also positive grounded. I have a gas 4020 that I've switched polarity when adding an alternator. My gas gauge mostly works, but its main problem was that the wiper on the rheostat in the sender was worn out.

Its hard to know how the light wiring was cobbled in the change. In theory with the original having a +12 and a -12 circuit where the lights needed to be matched to keep the two loads balanced, as far as the lights and accessories were concerned it was only necessary to connect the two power input leads (to the ignition and light switch) together and to the remaining +12 volts terminal on the starter solenoid. But that means keeping those original switches with two independent circuits switched simultaneously.

The original generator was only rated at 10 amps, likely it took at least half a day to charge the batteries after a start and that's without running any lights. The alternator should be more like 50 amps and handle a significant number of added lights. Though if there's airconditioning for the cab that clutch and fan motor will consume 15 to 20 amps.

A circuit diagram should be very similar to that of the gas 4010 or early 4020 without the ignition stuff and with a negative ground.

Light power would come from the battery terminal on the starter solenoid through a self resetting circuit breaker mounted on the kick panel near the "ignition" switch. It would go to the auxiliary input on that switch and that auxiliary output would feed the light switch. Since it was a 24 volt diesel there were two such circuits originally, one positive and one negative with respect to ground.

Gerald J.

 

[R. John Johnson]

The other posters have both mentioned the positive ground issue on the fuel gage. I have read here that it may be necessary to replace both sender and gage to make it function correctly. Do a search in the archives here for Jim in AK. he went through the whole rigamarole and posted the correct JD part numbers .

As for the lights, get a multimeter and check the terminals on the light switch. If they are putting out 12 volts in the correct position, them just connect a new, longer wire to a good portion of the existing harness.

As to powering the accessories in the cab I would use a Bosch style relay. To clean up the wiring I would look for a fuse block also. These parts should be available at a good automotive parts store. I would try to mount them on some sheet metal in the cab on the front left side. The relay should have a wiring diagram on it.

Wire the relay as follows. Run a heavy wire, say 10 ga. between the + cable on the starter and the power in wire on the relay. Run another heavy wire from the normally open output terminal of the relay to the input of the fuse block. One of the two other two terminals on the relay needs a wire to ground. The final wire must be hooked to a wire or terminal that has 12 volts only when the key switch is on. Make sure that any wires that have to go through sheet metal openings have extra protection such as flexible loom. You could also drill a hole and use a rubber grommet. The idea is to prevent the insulation from wearing out and causing a short.

Run wires from the fuse block to the various cab accessories. Hopefully with a good 12 Volt source they will work again.

Good Luck

John

 

[Anonymous-0]

The sender is not at all polarity sensitive. A gauge of different polarity may require a sender with a different resistance range. Mine works after changing the polarity and bending the slider of the sender to make contact again. The failure of the gauge to work was independent of the polarity switch, just a worn out sender.

The relay and sturdy will will make the cab stuff work like it never has before.

Gerald J.

 

[Frontranger]

Hey Gerald J.: Thanks for the input everyone, I"ve studied up a bit on the relay business, weather resistant fuse blocks/buss bars and such, and am going to try to identify exactly what kind of alternator I've got so I might be able to nail down the output it provides. Are we talking a single 5 blade bosch type relay in the circut between the starter solenoid and the lights here, or something more? But, "sturdy"??? what the heck is that...a typo? It"s a new term to me. Also, checked into the spiderweb/cobweb infested box under the steering column and plan to disconnect the batteries and give that a good goin" over. But "sturdy"?? Lookin' forward to havin' some lights at 5:00 AM, yuhknow?

 

[R. John Johnson]

In my post the relay was for cab accessories. If you want you could run another relay (yes the 5 pin type).You would have to connect the signal wire to a terminal on the light switch instead of finding a source of keyed 12 volts.

John