Charging is this right?

[chad from michigan]

Hey I finaly got the Super A charging. I put a different generator on it and things started working. Anyway when the LHDB switch is on low it charges just over "0" I mean just over but if I switch it to high charge the amp meter shows about 12 volts.
Is this right?
Now we have an 8 volt battery on it and I ran the trator with the gen wire un-hooked off the cutout and checked the voltage at the battery while running it showed 8.40 volts then I ran it on high and low charge and it only went up to 8.5 volts on the battery with everything hooked up.
does it sound right?

 

[John T]

If the GEN wire on the cutout relay isnt connected, the gennys output cant get to the battery to charge it......BAT terminal wires to load side of ammeter while the ARM/GEN terminal wires to the gennys ARM post.......The gennys FLD post wires to the LHBD switch

A good 8 volt battery should read around 8.4 volts when the tractors not running but when running at RPM ifffffffff the charging system is working, the battery voltage should rise to the maybe around 8.6 to 9 volts or a lil over depending on the battery n genny condition and RPm and other things

You keep saying volts when I think you mean amps if youre referring to an ammeter that is

John T
Troubleshooting

 

[chad from michigan]

I know it wont show a charge with that gen/arm wire un-hooked but I wanted to show what the tractor was at when it was pulling a discharge to run. I then hooked it back up to take readings at the battery. it was at 8.4 non running and at 8.50-8.6 running.
Yes I am confused at the amp gage that is reading amps. What should that be at compared to volts? if the tractor is running with low charge rate what should the amps be? If it shows 10-12 amps at high charge that is ok? If it was volts it would over load the battery then I am sorry I was getting myself confused. I am sorry for all the questions.

 

[Bob M]

Chad - Your ammeter readings for both the Low and High charge switch settings are right where they should be. So it sounds like your generator is working fine.

Your running battery voltage readings (if accurate) sound a bit low however. In the High setting and with the ammeter showing a charge of 10-12 amps, battery voltage should be around 9.5, give or take a few tenths.

Question: What kind of voltmeter are you using? If it's digital, good chance electrical noise from the generator is messing it up and you are not getting an accurate voltage measurement.

 

[chad from michigan]

yes I am using a digital multimeter the best one Craftsmen at sears sold at the time.
Thanks Bob.
Bob on my other tractors I am working on what is the proper way to see if the gen is putting out a charge with out any wires hooked up just the belt from the motor. I ask this becasue I touched the meter to the A and the F on the Gen and it shows 10.5 volts. but with wires hooked up nothing even if feild is grounded.
Thanks bob I will also re-check my voltage out puts at the battery.

 

[Bob M]

Find an old guy (like me or John T) that still owns a Simpson 260 analog multimeter. Borrow it to check your voltage readings. I'll bet you'll find the charging voltage is right on.

Open circuit testing a spinning generator won't tell you much except whether a generator is completely DOA. However if you ground the F terminal then measure the voltage at the A terminal, at governed RPM good generator may show anywhere between approx 20 and 35+ volts.