Farmall B lights/genney

[jakey756]

Hey guys
Well i'm in charge of tractor drive in day this year (woohoo!!!) And am probably gonna run the B in it. My question is, the lights are fairly dim when i have the generator hooked up correctly. So in the interest of safety i would like to know if it would be safe to ground out the generator so it puts out its max. When i do this the lights get nice and bright. So would i be hurting anythign else in the electrical system to do that?
Jake

 

[ScottyHOMeY]

As long as you burn your lights or run some other load you should be alright. I'd double-check the electrolyte in the battery before and after and, if it was charging okay otherwise, and were mine, move the ground wire back after the ride.

 

[John T]

Dead grounding the gennys Field post makes it charge at its max capacity subject to any third brush adjustemnt n the gennys condition if its a 3 brush genny. However, if you have the lights on I doubt its gonna pump enough left over (after ignition if a coil system n lights) amps into the battery to overcharge it and/or outgas excessive or boil over acid in a period of up to a few hours or so. Its long times at fast RPM with no lights that a dead field grounded genny might possibly overcharge the battery and/or boil it over or outgas too badly.

If you have the LHBD light switch n 2 wire cutout relay system make sure the gennys FLD post is wired correct up to a good switch n that the switch is well grounded in the event she charges fine when dead grounded but NOT otherwise. However if you have a full fledged Voltage Regulator n it charges ONLY when you dead ground the field, the VR may be bad or its not grounded good or the wires bad from FLD on VR to gennys FLD post.

John

 

[Anonymous-0]

What is the output voltage at the different settings of the "light switch"? Do you have the correct bulbs in the lights? Is this a 6 or 12 volt system? Your lights should be plenty bright without any rewiring going on. Dave.

 

[Anonymous-0]

You need to check the ground to the lights including the "spring" that grounds the reflector to the case of the light. Dave

 

[Jim Becker]

The original system on a B was a cut-out type system. If everything is correct and working, when the lights are on the system will be in the high charge setting. In the high charge setting, the generator field is grounded (through the light switch but none the less a direct ground). Grounding it with a jumper at the generator simply hard wires it to high charge. If the rest of the system is working, you shouldn't see a difference in the head lights. It won't hurt anything if you are running with the lights on, and probably wouldn't with them off. Monitor the battery for signs of overcharging as John T described.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Sound like you arent getting ground somewnere in the system. You need the reg grounded to the gen and the gen must be grounded to the reactor and the lite sw and control box all need to have a good ground must have new paint or rust stopping connections to ground causr when you ground the field it charges that should be telling you something.

 

[jakey756]

Well it charges when i have it hooked up correctly just not that much and with the lights on the ammeter goes into the negitive area. i belive it has to do with the wiring being less than steller. there are plenty of spots for there not to be a good connection. However for "tractor drive in day" its nice to have decent lights so this is a one-in-only time i will be doing this. i just dont have the time to replace the wireing before next thursday.
Jake