Amp gauge discharge

[Maritimer]

On my cub, it shows that it is charging, not much but it is charging. When I turn on my lites, the gauge goes way off to the discharge side. When I turn them off it shows the slight charge again. Is this normal? Whenever you turn on your lites does it show a discharge? The tractor is running at this time.

[Rudi]

Mike:

Sounds backwards to me. By any chance is your Cub a positive ground? Could be that it was once converted to negative ground and when converted back to positive the ammeter connections were not changed.

Sounds like a common problem BigDog has commented on frequently and one that Ellie had wrong with her... hope I explained that right....

[Jim Becker]

Where is the needle with everything off? In other words, have you allowed for the fact the ammeter may not be centered at zero? If so, it sounds like the generator is set permanently at low charge.

Do you have the older cut-out system with the 4 position switch? If so, low output can be caused by a poor ground for the switch. Try using a jumper to directly ground the generator F terminal and see what happens.

[Maritimer]

Rudi, Yes my cub is a positive ground. I had just changed it from 12v back to 6v with the positive ground. You could be right with the wires being backwards on the gauge.
Jim,
With everything off, the needle is just barely on the charging side. I don't have the 4 position switch but I do have the cutout. I was talking to a gentleman from the area(Dale Mackay) who say's it will work fine with the 3 position as long as I don't use it for 8 hours a day. This way it won't overcharge. if I DO NOTICE IT OVERCHARGING , JUST TURN ON THE LIGHTS WHILE i run it for a while.(SORRY FOR THE CAPITALS) printing error. Anyway guy's does this sound right? Do I leave the wire grounded permently from the f terminal on the generator? This is hooked up to the cut out now. I know it is supposed to go to the field resistor on the light switch on the 4 position one. I was told if I use the 3 position just to hook the f terminal on the cutout to the f terminal on the generator.

[Jim Becker]

The F terminal of the cutout is grounded through a resistor. Thus it is EXACTLY THE SAME as setting a 4 position switch on the low setting. So if you see any deflection of the needle to the charge side when the engine is at speed, your generator is working exactly as expected. You will get the equivalent of the high charge position by grounding the generator directly to the generator frame. Unless you use your tractor heavily, it won't cause any problem. If you do use it heavily, you can run the lights. You can also readjust the third brush of the generator to reduce the output, but that gets into another story.

[Rudi]

Mike:

Don't forget to polarize the genny

[Maritimer]

Ok so there won't be anything hooked up to the F terminal on the cut out? I would rather have it on high charge than low charge.

[Jim Becker]

You've got it. The cut-out F terminal is just for decoration.

[Maritimer]

You are a great source of info. Thank you.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

You've got it. The cut-out F terminal is just for decoration.

The Ftermial has a resister of aprroximately tha same value as the one on the light switch for low charge. If the light switch resister goes bad you can run a jumper to the Fterm of the cutout form the gen to replace it.