IH 560 diesel parasitic draw issue

[Robert Irwin]

Good evening,

I recently converted from 12v generator to 1 wire alternator on my IH 560. I was instructed to connect the field and Gen wires together on the “1 wire stud” on the alternator and then combine “field, Gen, batt & L” wires at the voltage regulator as it essentially acts as a junction block, which I did.
Tractor started fine and I tested voltage to the battery after new alternator was installed and was getting a good charge at about 14.5v. Ran the tractor a while and then it sat for about a month. Went to start it and nothing. Completely dead. Tried charging battery and it wouldn’t charge. Got new battery, kept negative cable off, put positive cable on battery and used multimeter to start unplugging components to try to find where the draw is coming from. I feel like I’ve disconnected everything more than once and can’t get multimeter to go to 0. The only time it will go to 0 is when I disconnect the grey wire at the voltage regulator” junction block”. The grey wire comes out of the ammeter which has power coming through key switch, push button switch, starter, then battery.
I’m really stumped on this one and not sure what to do next. Btw, tractor has new ammeter, new starter solenoid and even tried a replacement alternator.

Appreciate any feedback.

 

[Robert Irwin]

Btw, I also checked the fuse in the harness/dash and was good. The wiring harness is practically new and I checked continuity of the wires as well.

 

[rustred]

Good evening,

I recently converted from 12v generator to 1 wire alternator on my IH 560. I was instructed to connect the field and Gen wires together on the “1 wire stud” on the alternator and then combine “field, Gen, batt & L” wires at the voltage regulator as it essentially acts as a junction block, which I did.
Tractor started fine and I tested voltage to the battery after new alternator was installed and was getting a good charge at about 14.5v. Ran the tractor a while and then it sat for about a month. Went to start it and nothing. Completely dead. Tried charging battery and it wouldn’t charge. Got new battery, kept negative cable off, put positive cable on battery and used multimeter to start unplugging components to try to find where the draw is coming from. I feel like I’ve disconnected everything more than once and can’t get multimeter to go to 0. The only time it will go to 0 is when I disconnect the grey wire at the voltage regulator” junction block”. The grey wire comes out of the ammeter which has power coming through key switch, push button switch, starter, then battery.
I’m really stumped on this one and not sure what to do next. Btw, tractor has new ammeter, new starter solenoid and even tried a replacement alternator.

Appreciate any feedback.

Not sure what u got going on there , but the regulator is not required with an alt. And it gets wired in separately. But I need your old old generator. Getting short on generators.

 

[Robert Irwin]

Thanks Rustred,

Good news, I’ve got the one 12v and two 6 volt generators I can send to you.

Btw, how would you suggest I junction those four wires together?

 

[wore out]

Good evening,

I recently converted from 12v generator to 1 wire alternator on my IH 560. I was instructed to connect the field and Gen wires together on the “1 wire stud” on the alternator and then combine “field, Gen, batt & L” wires at the voltage regulator as it essentially acts as a junction block, which I did.
Tractor started fine and I tested voltage to the battery after new alternator was installed and was getting a good charge at about 14.5v. Ran the tractor a while and then it sat for about a month. Went to start it and nothing. Completely dead. Tried charging battery and it wouldn’t charge. Got new battery, kept negative cable off, put positive cable on battery and used multimeter to start unplugging components to try to find where the draw is coming from. I feel like I’ve disconnected everything more than once and can’t get multimeter to go to 0. The only time it will go to 0 is when I disconnect the grey wire at the voltage regulator” junction block”. The grey wire comes out of the ammeter which has power coming through key switch, push button switch, starter, then battery.
I’m really stumped on this one and not sure what to do next. Btw, tractor has new ammeter, new starter solenoid and even tried a replacement alternator.

Appreciate any feedback.

Which terminal on the VR did you use to join your wires?

 

[Robert Irwin]

Currently on L terminal. I originally had them split with a jumper wire between and have also tried them all on the gen terminal.

I tried a plain junction block that I picked up off Amazon as well.

 

[used red MN]

Of the wires that were running to the voltage regulator (VR) you need to connect the light blue that says GEN on the lug that ran to the “A” terminal on the generator and the gray wire on the VR BAT terminal that runs to the ammeter and the light green wire on the VR “L” terminal going to the light switch all 3 together. Use the junction terminal you bought if you want, stack all 3 on one terminal. Tape the yellow Field wire that went to the F lug on the VR and the F terminal on the genny back to the harness on both ends. Remove VR and now your good to go. All colors are per the attached diagram which I believe is all stock, make sure you are looking at the correct diagram if you reference it. Farmall 5/6/660 wiring

 

[wore out]

Currently on L terminal. I originally had them split with a jumper wire between and have also tried them all on the gen terminal.

I tried a plain junction block that I picked up off Amazon as well.

The BATTery terminal on the VR would be the best choice if retaining it to use as a junction point.

The "GEN" terminal, for sure would cause a current drain.

 

[Robert Irwin]

Thank you much. I’ll give that a try tonight. Does the junction block I got need to be grounded if I use it as the screw holes are plastic?
Can the old VR still be used to connect those three wires together? If so, would it matter what terminal to connect them?

 

[Robert Irwin]

The BATTery terminal on the VR would be the best choice if retaining it to use as a junction point.

The "GEN" terminal, for sure would cause a current drain.

Thank you Wore Out

 

[used red MN]

Thank you much. I’ll give that a try tonight. Does the junction block I got need to be grounded if I use it as the screw holes are plastic?
Can the old VR still be used to connect those three wires together? If so, would it matter what terminal to connect them?

No, do not ground them. They need to be on an insulated terminal. The BAT terminal on the VR would work I just prefer to remove it. I guess I should add the light blue wire that connected to the “A” armature lug on the genny needs to go on the alternator terminal BAT terminal.

 

[Robert Irwin]

Thanks so much for the info. I’ll let you know how it goes.

 

[Robert Irwin]

Hi Used Red MN, unfortunately it didn’t work. I taped back the yellow wire at both ends, connected just blue to alternator and then connected grey, blue and green together at the junction block. Still showing 11.95v on the multimeter. Pictures attached.
Any other ideas?

 

[used red MN]

Hi Used Red MN, unfortunately it didn’t work. I taped back the yellow wire at both ends, connected just blue to alternator and then connected grey, blue and green together at the junction block. Still showing 11.95v on the multimeter. Pictures attached.
Any other ideas?

Where/what are you measuring the 11.95v?

 

[Robert Irwin]

Ok, well I’m still stumped. I went at it again tonight and have more info for you. I first disconnected the green wire at the junction block and still read 11.95v on the multimeter. Put it back on the block and pulled off the blue wire that runs to the alternator. Bang, multimeter went to 0. I put blue wire back on junction block and disconnected at the alternator. Again 0. So, this is a second new alternator. I don’t understand why the alternators seem to be the point of 11.95v drain.
By the way I have wire brushed the bolt on points for the alternator bracket to bare metal for good ground connections.

 

[Robert Irwin]

For measuring the voltage, I have the ground cable disconnected from the battery, connected the positive battery cable to the positive battery terminal. Then connect multimeter negative to ground cable and use the positive multimeter tip to touch the negative battery terminal while having the different components disconnected.

 

[used red MN]

Ok, well I’m still stumped. I went at it again tonight and have more info for you. I first disconnected the green wire at the junction block and still read 11.95v on the multimeter. Put it back on the block and pulled off the blue wire that runs to the alternator. Bang, multimeter went to 0. I put blue wire back on junction block and disconnected at the alternator. Again 0. So, this is a second new alternator. I don’t understand why the alternators seem to be the point of 11.95v drain.
By the way I have wire brushed the bolt on points for the alternator bracket to bare metal for good ground connections.

If you are going to have the tractor setting unused for a month or longer you may just have to resort to buying a battery disconnect. Batt disconnect
It only takes milliamperes to make a meter read a voltage like that. Do you have a test light with an incandescent bulb not an LED? If so connect that across there. If it lights very dimly the battery should last at least a couple weeks. It is just an inherent draw from the alternator. Probably from the self excite circuit in the internal regulator to make it a one wire alternator. In recent days there is a Thread going on the Tractor and Farm Talk forum about this draw or lack of it on Delco 10SI alternators with regulators that convert them to one wire. It contains pretty high level electrical terminology.
Edit to add: The wiring as I stated it is correct, the problem is as per above. Did it charge?

 

[Robert Irwin]

Thank you much for the feedback. Btw, I did get a battery disconnect switch. I think I’ll go ahead and install it.

 

[used red MN]

You’re welcome! Just FYI, in the future I would suggest posting “repair” questions on either the Tractor and Farm Talk forum or the Farmall and IH forum or whatever brand it is. This “Restoration” forum is the road less traveled here on YT.

 

[Robert Irwin]

I wondered when I first posted if I was using the right forum. Thank you much