Alternator

[8N Ren]

What a day!
Tractor wouldn't start, had no spark, turns out the coil was shot. Get a new one, bang off she goes running like a champ once again.

After about a half an hour of snow plowing I turned the lights on. As it was getting darker I noticed that the charging indicater light (instead of using a resistor) was very dimly lit. Is the regulator in the alternator done?

I did a 12 volt conversion about 3 years ago.
Sidemount, 3 wire alt.

 

[Dell (WA)]

awe yes, the good ol' idiot lite conundrum. It gott yer attention, eh? First thing I'd check is the tightness of the fan belt turning the alternator. Iff'n that don't help, taker into autoparts store fer "free" check out. Simple, eh?........the amazed Dell

 

[RM-MN]

Maybe you need to blow a wad of money on a unit like this so you will know exactly what your alternator is doing.
LED voltmeter

 

[8N Ren]

Thanks guys, I was kinda thinking that I should check the belt.

I totally forgot to mention that this was only happening with the lights on, so belt tension makes sense

 

[Ken(Ark)]

(quoted from post at 06:24:53 12/11/16) Maybe you need to blow a wad of money on a unit like this so you will know exactly what your alternator is doing.
LED voltmeter

I install those a lot on battery powered residential gate operators and also just goofing around the shop . They say 0 - 30 volts but usually will not read a 1.5v battery , they start reading around 3 volts . They are fairly fragile and the wires break off easily .


If you live on the wild side and can splurge $11 including shipping ,
http://www.ebay.com/itm/52mm-2-Car-...item4657429ef0:g:-uwAAOSwiYFXGYiA&vxp=mtr

 

[Hobo,NC]

Damm what a good ID I have a customer that keeps two bats so he can swap them out on his gate opener. The gate is a long ways off and in the shade a solar charger at best can not keep up with it.

Who would have tunk'it t to check the voltage with a voltmeter when a amp meter is so damm reliable. All you need is to tote a amp meter lubbe's hand book and use your best wild arse guess...

 

[R Geiger]

(quoted from post at 10:12:39 12/11/16)
Damm what a good ID I have a customer that keeps two bats so he can swap them out on his gate opener. The gate is a long ways off and in the shade a solar charger at best can not keep up with it.

Who would have tunk'it t to check the voltage with a voltmeter when a amp meter is so damm reliable. All you need is to tote a amp meter lubbe's hand book and use your best wild arse guess...

Give it break old man.

 

[Hobo,NC]

(quoted from post at 22:30:25 12/11/16)

(quoted from post at 10:12:39 12/11/16)
Damm what a good ID I have a customer that keeps two bats so he can swap them out on his gate opener. The gate is a long ways off and in the shade a solar charger at best can not keep up with it.

Who would have tunk'it t to check the voltage with a voltmeter when a amp meter is so damm reliable. All you need is to tote a amp meter lubbe's hand book and use your best wild arse guess...

Give it break old man.

What addition of the amp meter lubber's hand book do you have, I have all three additions

 

[8N Ren]

Battery tested good, alternator tested good (puts out 60 amps).

Lite is still dimly lit.

Would I be correct to assume if there is a crack in one of the wires it would cause the light to stay on.

 

[8N Ren]

Battery tested good, alternator tested good (puts out 60 amps).

Lite is still dimly lit.

Would I be correct to assume if there is a crack in one of the wires it would cause the light to stay on.

 

[8N Ren]

Battery tested good, alternator tested good (puts out 60 amps).

Lite is still dimly lit.

Would I be correct to assume if there is a crack in one of the wires it would cause the light to stay on.

 

[8N Ren]

Battery tested good, alternator tested good (puts out 60 amps).

Lite is still dimly lit.

Would I be correct to assume if there is a crack in one of the wires it would cause the light to stay on.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 12:12:39 12/30/16)
Battery tested good, alternator tested good (puts out 60 amps).

Lite is still dimly lit.

Would I be correct to assume if there is a crack in one of the wires it would cause the light to stay on.

ou need to tell us what alternator you are using

 

[8N Ren]

Bosch if I'm not mistaken, it came with the 12 volt conversion kit I bought a few years back. It hooks up the same way as the delco 10SI.

 

[JMOR]

The Bosch schematic I'm looking at shows the same 6 diode bridge rectifier arrangement along with the "diode trio" that is used in the Delco 10SI. The idiot light sees the "trio" output on one terminal and the battery-via-ign switch (essentially the alt output) on bulb's other terminal. When those voltages are not equal, the light illuminates. Why not equal? Too much loss in wiring or ign sw, loss of any one or more of the 6 diodes or one of the 'trio's 3. When dimly lit, it is usually one or more of the 9 diodes & alt still has output.