Over Charging

[rustred]

My Super C is 102 miles away down at the farm. I will be there this Saturday mid morning and will check out then!

get yourself one of these battery load testers. about 50.00 had this on forever and the best thing going , it will check charging, battery voltage and load test on the battery for 10 seconds and read your battery amps as in the second pic. first pic is battery voltage

 

[True Son]

OK, so went to the farm on Saturday and the b super C is showing 12.5 to 13 volts at the battery while running. The amp meter is showing pegged to the right or full overcharge. So what’s the problem?

 

[rustred]

probably nothing. why didnt u show us the amp guage ? that is not overcharging, your good for at least 14.5 volts charging and even 14.8 max.

 

[rustred]

probably nothing. why didnt u show us the amp guage ?

you needed to have the battery load tested as i said , a low battery will peg the gauge for a while then it will come down as the battery charges.

 

[wore out]

OK, so went to the farm on Saturday and the b super C is showing 12.5 to 13 volts at the battery while running. The amp meter is showing pegged to the right or full overcharge. So what’s the problem?

What is the battery voltage after it sits overnite?

Do you have another tractor or vehicle with a similar battery that you could swap into the tractor and then observe the Ammeter?

 

[caterpillar guy]

Our H will do the same thing till the battery gets charged back up after starting each time. Pegs the 20 amp meter in the light switch box .Comes back to about 10 amps pretty quick and then drops back from there over time. I use a 12volt sprayer on it a lot all summer so it gets a lot of charge and draw down while being used so keeps the needle over some like 5-10 amps for a bit longer time.

 

[Jim.ME]

OK, so went to the farm on Saturday and the b super C is showing 12.5 to 13 volts at the battery while running. The amp meter is showing pegged to the right or full overcharge. So what’s the problem?

12.5-13 volt answers the battery voltage question I asked, earlier in this thread.

I also asked what the range was on the ammeter. What is it? If it is a low scale, the alternator likely is delivering more amps than the gauge reads. A weak battery could make that condition more likely. As has been posted get the battery checked as well.

 

[True Son]

I have never posted pictures. The battery was new earlier this year. I’m going to take the battery out and check out the wiring to see if there’s not a dead short somewhere. At least I know it’s not cooking the battery! Amp meter may be shot?

 

[Janicholson]

I have never posted pictures. The battery was new earlier this year. I’m going to take the battery out and check out the wiring to see if there’s not a dead short somewhere. At least I know it’s not cooking the battery! Amp meter may be shot?

Amp meters have a carefully designed conducting link between the + and - terminals it is called a shunt. This calibrated link conducts 99.9% of the current flowing through the meter. The meter "movement" is connected in parallel (across) this shunt. It uses wires and magnetic windings that are very thin (like 50 gauge wire). If the shunt becomes oxidized over 50+ years, it does not conduct as well, and more of the current flows through the movement windings. this creates false, high, amp readings. Alternators produce over 2 times the current than the original generator could create. I would put a new 50 to 60 amp meter in place of the original. Jim

 

[True Son]

What is the battery voltage after it sits overnite?

Do you have another tractor or vehicle with a similar battery that you could swap into the tractor and then observe the Ammeter?

After it sits for a couple of weeks my meter was showing 12.5 volts at the battery. …then when I started it it was still showing 12.5 volts at the battery but the amp meter on the tractor was pegged to the right or over 20 amps.

 

[True Son]

you needed to have the battery load tested as i said , a low battery will peg the gauge for a while then it will come down as the battery charges.

Battery was new in April of this year.

 

[used red MN]

12.5-13 volt answers the battery voltage question I asked, earlier in this thread.

I also asked what the range was on the ammeter. What is it? If it is a low scale, the alternator likely is delivering more amps than the gauge reads. A weak battery could make that condition more likely. As has been posted get the battery checked as well.

More on Jim’s “low scale” If a battery is low on charge and your ammeter shows 0-30 on the charge scale a 60 amp alternator can easily “peg” that ammeter full scale. Testing the battery is a very good idea. The first few times you used it and it worked fine how long did you let it set between times of use? If now you have let it set a longer time, say several weeks you may be experiencing the following. Is this a “one wire” alternator? If so they often have a low discharging drain on the battery. So after leaving it set for some time the battery still has enough voltage to crank the engine and start it. When started the voltage regulator reads the low voltage and tells the alternator to provide nearly full charge capacity, the ammeter then responds as you report.

 

[rustred]

Battery was new in April of this year.

Don’t matter how new u need to know it’s state of charge. That’s why I was asking to see what amp meter u have , as it might be only a 20 amp guage as that’s all these old tractors had. Putting an alt on requires a higher amp guage. Pegging the guage … u didn’t say what the needle goes to, nor do we know what gauge u have , all important details.

 

[True Son]

Don’t matter how new u need to know it’s state of charge. That’s why I was asking to see what amp meter u have , as it might be only a 20 amp guage as that’s all these old tractors had. Putting an alt on requires a higher amp guage. Pegging the guage … u didn’t say what the needle goes to, nor do we know what gauge u have , all important details.

It’s go to 20 amps….but needle is beyond that like when I buried the speedometer on my ‘67 Plymouth Fury!

 

[Jim.ME]

It’s go to 20 amps….but needle is beyond that like when I buried the speedometer on my ‘67 Plymouth Fury!

And your alternator is likely putting out in excess of 40 amps with a battery that is down on charge, that is why it pegs the needle. The voltage numbers you posted indicate it is working correctly. An ammeter with a 60-0-60 scale will most likely fix that problem, if you feel the need.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

If I read that right there is no voltage increase at the battery after startup? By the time you get your probes back on the battery terminals after starting it should be above 13 volts. What’s the charging path from alternator to battery and is there a fuse that needed to be bigger? Mine was converted years ago before I owned it. It does go through batteries pretty quick but not when being used something isn’t right there is there a loose connection at the battery or ??? Amp meter is telling the story here but I can’t recall ever needing to know if it’s pulling 50 amps 20 pegged out was sufficient to know it’s pulling some juice. It shouldn’t be there much if everything’s ok anyway.

Check voltage at the alternator while running as well to compare to battery. If it’s 12.5 up front there’s a problem be it belt fell off or alternator prematurely gave up.