charging issue (beat that dead horse!)

[Hengy]

I think I recall you saying you had a cutout relay... that is the kind that I have and just worked through the "non charging" issue. What mine ended up being was the brushes in the genny getting glazed over from running without charging for so long. I took the genny off the tractor and opened up the dust cover at the aft end of the starter. There should be two or three brushes in there. I just made sure that mine were seated and put a SMALL amount of pressure on them. Then I turned my genny pulley by hand. That got them seated and took any glazing off of the brushes. When I reinstalled and repolarzied, it CHARGED like it was supposed to!

The other thing it could be is your cut out failing to pull in when the tractor is running. If it doesn't pull in, you won't get a charge on the generator... Have you taken the top off the cutout and looked inside? What did you see?

Mike in La Crosse, WI

[Bigdog]

Jamie - take a wire and ground the F terminal on the generator. That will ground the generator field which will cause the generator to go to full output and it bypasses the voltage regulator or cutout. If the ammeter now shows a charge condition, the generator is good and you have a problem with the voltage regulator or cutout.
By the way, do you have an early system with a cutout and 4 position switch or is it a later version with voltage regulator and 3 position light switch?

[jamieg74]

Big Dog,

I have a 4 position switch and a cutout. I will try what you said with the f terminal.

Mike,

Thanks for the info. I am going to give your suggestion a try as well.

Jamie

[Hengy]

Mike,

Thanks for the info. I am going to give your suggestion a try as well.

Jamie

Just be gentle... don't press them too hard... just want to take the glaze off of them if it is glazed...

BigDog...I couldn't remember which terminal (A or F) to ground... now it makes perfect sense!! Thanks for jogging my memory (incidentally, the only JOGGING I have done today!)

Mike in La Crosse, WI

[jamieg74]

Big Dog,

OK I must be an idiot. My F terminal on my generator is connected to a green wire running to my light switch. Do you want me to ground it with that wire still connected? Is that wire even supposed to go there? My lights work just fine.

Jamie

[Bigdog]

Jamie - the wire is connected to the light switch because the generator field grounds through the light switch. Either through the wire wound resistor on the back of the light switch or directly to ground through the light switch. That's how the charge rate is controlled. (either high or low) Leave the wire connected. If the generator starts charging that tells you the generator is working so the problem is either in the circuit with the green wire (light switch or resistor open) Or, the cutout is not pulling in.

[Jim Becker]

If the generator starts charging that tells you the generator is working so the problem is either in the circuit with the green wire (light switch or resistor open).

Or the light switch isn't grounded.

[jamieg74]

Gents,

I grounded the field wire and there was no indication of a charge. When the cub is off the battery shows about 6.7 volts, with the cub on it is about 9.5 volts. It doesn't matter if my light switch is in low or high rate. As soon as I turn the lights on there is about a 5 amp discharge. When I shut the tractor off and try to restart it the battery will go dead after about 3 or 4 seconds of cranking if it doesn't start right away. Maybe the P.O. had delusions of grandeur about how new the battery really was. Could an old, weak battery cause the "no charge" indication on the ammeter?

Can advance auto or autozone test a 6 volt battey?

I hate electrons.

Jamie

[deputy jailer]

If it is showing 9.5v with the F terianl grounded the genny is ok. I am leaning towards the cutout being the culprit. Or as Jim said the switch not grounded well enough. You may try pulling the cover off the cutout and cleaning the points but dont use anythiong real abbrasive just slighty shine them up. If all looks ok I would say i is the cutout that is causing you the problem.

[Jim Becker]

Are you measuring 9.5 volts AT THE BATTERY when it is running? If so, it is charging. I suspect a wiring problem, like maybe the wire from the cut-out "BAT" is to the wrong side of the ammeter. Check your wiring against the diagram on the Cub FAQ.

[flyawa]

Everything you need to know about electricity:

1. All those little wires actually contain smoke.

2. If you touch the wrong place the smoke escapes.

3. You're screwed.


Seriously, you guys are a lot of help. I've just charged the battery a couple of times a year and not worried about it.

I may follow some of this advice and get it charging. That would raise a whole new set of issues. Oilstretcher's wiring has lots of spots that look like the smoke has already leaked out. May have to make a new harness.

I've got so many projects lined up I'll have to retire soon to start on them

[Bigdog]

This type of problem makes for a good cubfest project.