Ford 3000 Not Charging Battery

[morekick]

Fellas, you've always helped me before with newbie questions and I sure appreciate it.

My 1966 Ford 3000 diesel does pretty much everything right, except charge the battery. When running the red light stays on (lower left hand corner of instrument panel).

I'm looking for guidance on approaching this troubleshooting. I have a spare voltage regulator and generator in the shed and can manage a VOM. I'd like to make up a checklist of tests/checks to make in first/next order to resolve this condition.

I run the tractor about every 4 weeks in the summer when I get up to our place in North FL. I mowed last weekend and will go up again in a month -- anything you can do to prepare me beforehand will be heartily appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
John

 

[morekick]

Hey, I think I found what I needed in other posts -- I'll try with those instructions in a month or so, and will try to remember to post back.

Thanks,
John

 

[aircrue]

My Generator failed on mine. It was much cheaper to swap with an alternator, and the added performance is a bonus.

 

[morekick]

Thanks -- this may be a way I'd go.

If you have a minute, could you outline how you did the conversion, what I'll need?

 

[Sean in PA]

(quoted from post at 14:46:18 06/16/21) Thanks -- this may be a way I'd go.

If you have a minute, could you outline how you did the conversion, what I'll need?

Our hosts here at Yesterdays Tractors sell a kit to do the alternator conversion that includes an alternator with the tach drive:

[u:2bef243040]Link to alternator conversion it for Ford 3000 on yesterday's Tractors[/u:2bef243040]

It's a bit pricey, but it includes everything needed.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 16:14:27 06/16/21)

(quoted from post at 14:46:18 06/16/21) Thanks -- this may be a way I'd go.

If you have a minute, could you outline how you did the conversion, what I'll need?

Our hosts here at Yesterdays Tractors sell a kit to do the alternator conversion that includes an alternator with the tach drive:

[u:f222b5077b]Link to alternator conversion it for Ford 3000 on yesterday's Tractors[/u:f222b5077b]

It's a bit pricey, but it includes everything needed.

it[/b:f222b5077b] pricey". Now, that is an understatement!

This post was edited by JMOR on 06/16/2021 at 02:30 pm.

 

[jimtrs]

(quoted from post at 15:25:03 06/15/21) ......I have a spare voltage regulator and generator in the shed ..... and will go up again in a month -- anything you can do to prepare me beforehand will be heartily appreciated.

Bring necessary tools to disconnect, clean, and reattached all wires and grounds in the charging system. Do one at a time. Bring a known good battery too, as a junk battery won't take a charge.

Could be the generator is not putting out a charge, but [b:252538d9be][i:252538d9be]If[/i:252538d9be][/b:252538d9be] there is a faulty component, more likely than not, it would be the VR. There are [i:252538d9be][u:252538d9be]many[/u:252538d9be][/i:252538d9be] threads in the archive on how to test these components. Study up before you go.

If it were me, I'd bring the spare generator and regulator to a rebuild shop, and have it tested and/or rebuilt. Then bring that set up too.