12 volt battery 6 volt system?
- Thread starter Justin
- Start date
staninlowerAL
501 Club
Welcome to the FORUM. Manuals are available at the top of this page: PDF MANUALS. Some things to check: Alternator or generator/VR? If generator/VR, the 6v OEM tag will be black letters vs red letters for 12v. '48 would have originally had a magneto, does yours have one or has it been changed to battery/distributor/external coil? If magneto, does it have the original type internal coil or external coil conversion? Is there a ballast type resistor in the ignition circuit? A picture of the right side of the engine would help.
Hi,
Welcome to the website. Here is a page from the 1949 Cub owner's manual showing the electrical system on the right side of the engine. This shows what was originally there. A 1948 Cub was the same in the pic that is showed there.
They were 6 volts, positive ground.
Like Stan said above, they originally came with a magneto, the Battery Ignition Unit came out in 1950, and some Cubs made before then were changed to that.
The whole owner's manual is below that, it is a good idea to read it if you never have before.
It has much info about operation, lubrication, and maintenance.
It has a table of contents on page 1, that makes it easier to use on the internet.
Click on the pics makes them bigger. Looks like you are in Wa. too.
http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... age-33.jpg
http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... index.html
Welcome to the website. Here is a page from the 1949 Cub owner's manual showing the electrical system on the right side of the engine. This shows what was originally there. A 1948 Cub was the same in the pic that is showed there.
They were 6 volts, positive ground.
Like Stan said above, they originally came with a magneto, the Battery Ignition Unit came out in 1950, and some Cubs made before then were changed to that.
The whole owner's manual is below that, it is a good idea to read it if you never have before.
It has much info about operation, lubrication, and maintenance.
It has a table of contents on page 1, that makes it easier to use on the internet.
Click on the pics makes them bigger. Looks like you are in Wa. too.
http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... age-33.jpg
http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... index.html
Hi,
The electrical parts in your pic are newer than 1948. The Cub has the voltage regulator on the side, which came out in 1950. It has Battery Ignition too, which came out then, but could have been added later.
Have you checked the tractor serial number, it looks like the plate is painted over in your pic.
The number is stamped in the plate, it is probably 6 numbers. Use a light and look at the right angle and you might be able to read it. Then we can tell what year the Cub is.
The hood is a 1947 - 1954 style.
Here is a page from a 1955 Cub owner's manual showing the electrical parts.
It looks like the rod and starter switch lever are gone on your Cub, unless the pic is not showing them. There is supposed to be a rod so you can start the engine while sitting in the seat. It shows them in the pic below.
http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... age-39.jpg
The electrical parts in your pic are newer than 1948. The Cub has the voltage regulator on the side, which came out in 1950. It has Battery Ignition too, which came out then, but could have been added later.
Have you checked the tractor serial number, it looks like the plate is painted over in your pic.
The number is stamped in the plate, it is probably 6 numbers. Use a light and look at the right angle and you might be able to read it. Then we can tell what year the Cub is.
The hood is a 1947 - 1954 style.
Here is a page from a 1955 Cub owner's manual showing the electrical parts.
It looks like the rod and starter switch lever are gone on your Cub, unless the pic is not showing them. There is supposed to be a rod so you can start the engine while sitting in the seat. It shows them in the pic below.
http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... age-39.jpg
Thanks glen. The rod and starter switch is there it was cut out of the photo. I looked up the serial number and as far as I can tell it is an early 1948 model. So it sounds like it is still a 6v system. That has been upgraded by a few years. So do I need to make any more upgrades? I would like to keep it 6v. It needs new lights as far as I can tell also do I need to put a 6v battery in for them to work thanks again to all that have helped. I am trying to learn about these reactors as it is my first one thank you all again
Hi,
It is probably still 6 volts, but without being there, it is hard to tell.
Do you see 6 numbers in the serial number, or 5. I think you are probably not seeing the 1 at the beginning of the number. Seeing 5 numbers when there is 6 could make it look like a 1948 Cub.
Here is info from TM Tractor about the date codes, they help identify when a Cub was made.
It needs a 6 volt battery if it is still a 6 volt system.
You might have to remove the hood and look at the plate on the generator to be sure it is 6 volts. I can tell from the model number on the plate if it is original. The original generators had a plate that looked like the plate on the starter.
Or if you can read the number with a light and a mirror somehow, that would be easier than removing the hood.
http://www.tmtractor.com/id/castdate_loc.htm
http://www.tmtractor.com/id/id_004.htm
It is probably still 6 volts, but without being there, it is hard to tell.
Do you see 6 numbers in the serial number, or 5. I think you are probably not seeing the 1 at the beginning of the number. Seeing 5 numbers when there is 6 could make it look like a 1948 Cub.
Here is info from TM Tractor about the date codes, they help identify when a Cub was made.
It needs a 6 volt battery if it is still a 6 volt system.
You might have to remove the hood and look at the plate on the generator to be sure it is 6 volts. I can tell from the model number on the plate if it is original. The original generators had a plate that looked like the plate on the starter.
Or if you can read the number with a light and a mirror somehow, that would be easier than removing the hood.
http://www.tmtractor.com/id/castdate_loc.htm
http://www.tmtractor.com/id/id_004.htm
The model number on the tractor is 118539 the cast number on the block is 8-16-T that's shows 1950?the generator looks original I will have to pull the hood to see the tag on it I plan on doing that this weekend. I didn't know if there is a way to use a multimeter on the regulator to check the voltage or not thoughts ? Thanks again glen
Hi,
Tim, Raymond Durban's data base shows that IH changed to the voltage regulator at serial number 115403, Justin's Cub was made a little after that, so would have had the regulator as it is in his pic above.
The database says Battery Ignition became available at 115403, and it says they used the 3 position light switch starting at 115403 also.
Glad you figured out the number. That is the serial number, Justin, not model number.
The database says 118539 would have been built in November 1950.
I don't remember seeing on here where anyone was able to figure out the voltage using a meter like you asked, Justin. Maybe someone will write about it.
Tim, Raymond Durban's data base shows that IH changed to the voltage regulator at serial number 115403, Justin's Cub was made a little after that, so would have had the regulator as it is in his pic above.
The database says Battery Ignition became available at 115403, and it says they used the 3 position light switch starting at 115403 also.
Glad you figured out the number. That is the serial number, Justin, not model number.
The database says 118539 would have been built in November 1950.
I don't remember seeing on here where anyone was able to figure out the voltage using a meter like you asked, Justin. Maybe someone will write about it.
Thank you for all the help the information you guys have found is very helpful and much appreciated. Looks like I need to get the correct 6v battery in there so I can get the lights working and not damage the electrical system looks like I have some work to do this weekend Thanks again
So upon doing some maintenance on the cub this weekend I pulled the good and it is a 6v generator so looks like I will be outing in a 6v battery. Also changed all the gear lube had water in them. To 80-90wt just have to do the finals looks like you have to drop the final pans to do this?
Hi,
Glad you figured out the voltage.
Yes, you remove the final drive pans to change the oil, the owner's manual tells about it, and other maintenance things. The pans have gaskets, they might tear, or need replacing if you remove the pans. Here is a listing for new gaskets at TM Tractor.
Below that is a 1950 owner's manual, if you don't have one.
The info for the final drives is on page 21.
The manual has a table of contents on page 1, makes it easier to use on the internet. The lube section is on pages 18 - 21.
They had not updated the manual yet, evidently, it does not show the newer voltage regulator, or Battery Ignition Unit, like your Cub has. They are in the 1955 owner's manual, the link I posted in a post above is from there. That manual shows how to replace points in a Battery Ignition Unit. Here is the link for it below too.
http://www.tmtractor.com/new/fr/125fp.htm
http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... index.html
http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... index.html
Glad you figured out the voltage.
Yes, you remove the final drive pans to change the oil, the owner's manual tells about it, and other maintenance things. The pans have gaskets, they might tear, or need replacing if you remove the pans. Here is a listing for new gaskets at TM Tractor.
Below that is a 1950 owner's manual, if you don't have one.
The info for the final drives is on page 21.
The manual has a table of contents on page 1, makes it easier to use on the internet. The lube section is on pages 18 - 21.
They had not updated the manual yet, evidently, it does not show the newer voltage regulator, or Battery Ignition Unit, like your Cub has. They are in the 1955 owner's manual, the link I posted in a post above is from there. That manual shows how to replace points in a Battery Ignition Unit. Here is the link for it below too.
http://www.tmtractor.com/new/fr/125fp.htm
http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... index.html
http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... index.html