battery overcharging

[StanS 0]

Blair,
Assuming your volt and amp meters are correct, you are overvoltage 1 to 2 volts. Adjust regulator. A charge current of 20-30 amps is fine if your battery has a capacity of about 250 amp hours AND your battery needs that much recharge. A minute after starting should have the charge current much lower if it was a normal easy start. Could be a dead cell in the battery, else, adjust regulator. 7 volts at 25 amps being pumped into a 6 (6.3) volt 250 amp hour battery is equalivent to 14 volts at 12.5 amps being pumped into a 12 (12.6) volt 250 amp hour battery, normal stuff. Best charging is done at about 1/10 capacity. Don't worry about the generator overcharging. At high idle the generator is delivering about all the juice it's ever going to and can never put out too much. If anything is wrong with the generator it's output will be deminished. It's the regulators job to keep the voltage and amperage DOWN to an acceptable level. Adjusting a regulator can be tricky even when you know to do it. Like dlc says let the guy downtown do it, it's how you keep from going bald.

Stan

[StanS 0]

Wait a minute guys..does this thing have a voltage regulator?
Some of the older generators had only a cutout relay to keep
the battery from discharging back through the regulator and
the generator had a 3rd brush (shunt winding) which
did the regulating. And if it had a VR? Who's got
an AVR (Sun Machine) for adjusting it? Just thought I'd ask.

[Guest]

Ford 8n tractor, battery is overcharging and I dont know if the problem is the regulator or generator. Battery charging at about 8-9volts but ammeter shows 20-30amps. Therfore battery is leaking. How do I check for problem?

[Fred 1]

Get rid of Ford,get an A.C. instead!Just kidding, sounds like voltage regulator is defective/sticking allowing generator to put 'full out' voltage.If your not familiar with diagnosing charging sys. take the generator and regulator to an Auto-Electric shop and for a small fee they will test it for you. Good luck with it! dlc

[tej 1]

You might also check your battery if it has any age to it. If battery is dying you can sink all kinds of amps to it and the battery simpily won't take it and all that energy is being spent on a bad battery.

[tej 1]

What should the ammeter read on my ford 8n. The person who owned the tractor before just had a voltmeter there? What should it read at a low idle and high idle.

Thanks.

[tej 1]

My guess (strictly a guess) that you won't get much more than 1-2 amps at idle if that. It all has to do with cut in RPM on generator. For that you need a manual or a repair shop. Also 25 amp (High side) seems too be in the ball park for a 6 volt unit. Most manufactuers did not use full sweep of gauge as it would then on full charge amps peg the meter and then ruin it.

[JBLACK 0]

Once the battery is charged up the ammeter should read about 2 - 3 amps

[BobG 0]

I am not sure what you mean? The ammeter reads 2-3amps where, at low or high idle. Also do you think a defective battery would cause the ammeter to show such a high current draw and also cause the battery to boil out. The tractor always starts good or seems to have plenty of juice in the battery for starting. Thanks for your reply.

Blair