electrical system overdone

[SteveS]

I have a TO-30 that I bought this winter. The electrical system was changed to 12V by the previous owner (an electrician). It is done very neatly but has some features I don't like. Now I just finished converting my 8N to 12 volt and understand the process pretty well but a few things must be attended to with the Fergy. First to excite toe alternator you must turn the switch to the spring loaded start position. This works fine if I remember to do it. There does not seem to be a functioning Acc position on the switch so I can swap out the switch to fix it I think. The problem is there seems to be a generator cut out in the system. A wire goes to relay type box with two terminals and two spade terminals (four in all). Only the one wire goes to it and it is always hot. The alt is the typical 3 wire GM but is not wired like my 8. My thinking is to replace the switch and wire it like the Ford and remove the cut out. Also I would like to remove the cigar lighter (after market) and the light relay which I am guessing was not original. Can I have permission to do that? The next problem is that there is a starter button. The starter switch shown in the book that attaches ahead of the steering column has been replaced by a rather stout terminal block. Is that maybe from a later tractor? It is hot all the. Wired to the hot side of the solenoid. I really think the shifter start function would be safer and correct. Any thoughts?

 

[Jerry/MT]

I won"t comment on the alternator hook up because I don"t know what kind of set up you have. I have a Delco 10Si with two wires coming off it and running to my ignition switch and I"m in the process of figuring out how it works because it was installed by the previous owner, but that"s another story.

I will say that I think that the transmission lever actuated starter switch is a very good safety device and is relable as well as straight foward to understand. I would advise anyone not to change out this safety switch for a solenoid and in your case, I"d advise you to take off the solenoid and go back to the mechanical switch. Nothing worse than starting your tractor from the ground and having it run over. Can"t happen with the OEM switch and that"s why Harry and the boys put it there.

 

[Joe Ferguson]

Hi

I installed a solenoid which is activated by the
safety shifter switch. This way the safety switch passes a very low current it will last for ever...the high current passes through the solenoid.

My 2¢

Joe Ferguson

 

[motorv8N]

I'm sort of in the same boat with my TEA 20. Just replaced the cracked safety switch on the clutch housing but still have all the other add ons the previous, previous owners did to it to bypass the busted safety. Solenoid, spring-loaded ignition key, etc. I was wondering about making the new old safety switch a low voltage trigger for the solenoid as well.

 

[SteveS]

I guess what I think is a terminal block must be the actual top of the original starter switch and there was no solenoid at all. Hopefully I'm starting to see the light. The starter switch looks new, maybe this will be easy to fix. Man , the guy that did this worked hard to complicate a fine machine.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Some folks don"t let well enough alone. the top of the OEM startr switch has two terminals with a plastic divider between them. The battery cable comes in from above and the starter cable goes directly to the starter. The shift lever pushes on a shift rail that actuates the switch to close the starter circuit.

 

[Jerry/MT]

I suppose you can do whatever you want to your tractor but what"s wrong with the original design?
You add another component(the solenoid) that now has two failure modes(the solenoid coil and the contacts). Not only that, the solenoid probably costs more than the OEM switch (~$10.00) and you still need the original switch. You can argue that the OEM switch only carries th solenoid current but the solenoid contacts carry the same load as the OEM switch. What do you gain but complexity and possibly less reliability????

 

[SteveS]

Thank you. I did not know what I was looking at. I can now at least straighten out the starter switch part of the mess tomorrow.

 

[Irv ( Ia)]

So will the original start switch. The contacts on it are as big as an electric solenoid. I agree with Jerry, it's hard to beat.
Irv*

 

[motorv8N]

(quoted from post at 22:33:18 03/13/08) Some folks don"t let well enough alone. the top of the OEM startr switch has two terminals with a plastic divider between them. The battery cable comes in from above and the starter cable goes directly to the starter. The shift lever pushes on a shift rail that actuates the switch to close the starter circuit.

So...was there ever supposed to be an on/off key switch for these tractors? If you have the patience to walk me through the wiring I'd like to set it up right.

You mention one wire coming down from the battery. I assume the negative from the battery goes to ground. Anything else? Is the starter grounded by virtue of being mated to the housing?

What are the options if one wanted to keep a key switch? There are young uns around that haven't yet aquired the skill to hotwire something...