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Farmall & IHC Tractors Discussion Forum
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Farmall B - crisped wire

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Dave H (MI)

11-18-2007 12:19:58




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Went to put my wires on for my lights today and saw something that took me back a step. Tried to upload to photobucket all day without luck so I will describe it. One of the wires that runs from my new ignition switch goes to the right side post on the ameter (Same post as the wire from the alternator big rear post). This wire from switch to ammeter is black as coal and burned right in two. It fried the paint on the light switch box where it lay on it. I never saw, smelled, or felt anything unusual. Was this something that happened in the electrical system while the tractor was running OR was this an old wire that shorted through the insulation while the tractor was sitting and it just heated up? Battery still reads twelve on the Simpson meter. Tractor has been slow to start and run but I made that out to the cold weather. Can anyone point me in a direction that makes sense? FYI, 12v converted tractor.

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Hugh MacKay

11-18-2007 16:20:21




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 Re: Farmall B - crisped wire in reply to Dave H (MI), 11-18-2007 12:19:58  
Dave: Just before I moved to Ontario from Nova Scotia, my 130 had a batery that would loose charge after a few days. The battery had a few years on it so I decided to replace it just so hauler wouldn't have problems. Well, he drove 1,300 miles with switch on. It fried the battery, wiring harness, alternator, amp gauge and of course points. I agree battery probably should have gone dead, but here was a new battery that wouldn't even take a charge.

Hindsight is great, looking back I now believe that wiring harness had been causing me grief for some time. When I took the harness off the tractor, it was stiff as a board, brittle, and all wires welded together. I have two factors here, first I believe the old harness was slowly draining battery. With the switch on it created a dead short. Very likely the problem got progressively worse as he drove, couple the effects of a minor short, new 720 cranking amp battery, old wire covering probably melted along the way, making the problem even worse.

These wiring harnesses are getting old, many have been saturated with gas, oil, anti-freeze, etc, at various times over the years. Not a bad idea to unhook harness at both ends, using test light one can tell if power is transfering from one wire to the next within the harness. Maybe we should just replace all this old original wiring. I have done it on my 130 and 140, my SA is yet to do, and maybe very soon.

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Dave H (MI)

11-18-2007 16:51:28




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 Re: Farmall B - crisped wire in reply to Hugh MacKay, 11-18-2007 16:20:21  
Hugh, I would like to tell you this tractor has anything even close to a nice wiring harness on it. Closer to a bunch of Radio Shack cut-to-length quick fixes running hither and yon. The stuff I have already replaced is pretty slick with good quality connections, etc. I am not nearly as intimidated by electrical stuff as I am by plumbing. I rebuilt a 1953 Seeburg about ten years back so I could listen to Sinatra and Bennett the way they are s'posed to sound. Guess time is here to replace those few last wires!

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Janicholson

11-18-2007 13:00:45




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 Re: Farmall B - crisped wire in reply to Dave H (MI), 11-18-2007 12:19:58  
Dear Dave,
That wire should be the supply wire from the amp meter (battery supply) to the load of the electrical system. If it grounded to the box side, it would fry. if it was less than 12 gauge wire it would fry. if it had a massive short down stream from the switch it connects to it would fry. I would put an inline fuse holder in that 12 gauge new wire so I could protect the wiring. It should have a 15 amp fuse in it. 15 amps should operate all ignition related accessories and components. JimN

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Dave H (MI)

11-18-2007 14:22:31




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 Re: Farmall B - crisped wire in reply to Janicholson, 11-18-2007 13:00:45  
OK...mildly confused. I was looking at the wiring schematic someone sent me ages ago when we were just trying to get it running and the wire in question (gauge to ignition switch) is listed as a 16 gauge wire and that is about what it looked like on the tractor. The schematic shows a 10 gauge wire running off the same post of the gauge that goes to the LIGHT switch but that is not hooked up on this tractor yet. Now their is a place for a fuse inside the box but I think it relates to lights and NOT the wire I fried. So, I guess if you are talking about a fuse for the wire from the gauge to the IGN switch then this si something I must add? Something along the lines of the in-line fuses that came with the old under dash stereos and CB's we all had in the '70's? Or do I need to go get a cold one and then come back and read this again? What about that 16 gauge wire in the schematic? Is that wrong?

Can't get the schematic to post here but it is the familiar 12v conversion for Super M one that is often posted. A fella has them on a website somewhere but I have forgotten the link.

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Janicholson

11-18-2007 14:58:14




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 Re: Farmall B - crisped wire in reply to Dave H (MI), 11-18-2007 14:22:31  
The wire in question (I am thinking about the one that goes from the Amp gauge to the ignition switch) (if stock, it is a push pull little button with a mushroom shape on the operator side) if not stock, and has any other switch, it is going to the input to that switch. That wire is usually 14 gauge(I recommend heavier 12 gauge there). The fuse I am recommending is just like the ones used in stereos, but able to handle 30 amps with a 30 amp fuse. This will be a new addition to the system. The reason for it is to prevent melt downs and fires!. A spare can be placed in the box, or kept in a plastic case in the tool box.
I also recommend a fusable link in the system placed in the 10 gauge wire going to the starter motor switch (battery cable side) from the amp gauge. This should be rated at a little over the rating of the alternator. This is also an item never mentioned in tractor discussions, and prevents meltdowns and fires. The fuse link is available at NAPA, and can be spliced into that wire near the starter switch. I do things to old tractors that modern tractors (and all automobiles) now have as standard because they prevent fire or harsh failure. JimN

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Dave H (MI)

11-18-2007 16:56:17




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 Re: Farmall B - crisped wire in reply to Janicholson, 11-18-2007 14:58:14  
OK, OK.....I get it. Yes, I have the mushroom switch. I replaced the temporary house wall switch about three weeks ago with a brand new switch. Switch WAS off. I have a couple of those old stereo power lines from the good old days and can probably scare up the right size fuse too. Dang wires are even red and should be about the right size too...but I'll check. I see I need a fuse in that there lighting circuit also but have NO idea what size. Maybe the manual has the specs on that. Thanks again!

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Janicholson

11-18-2007 19:53:09




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 Re: Farmall B - crisped wire in reply to Dave H (MI), 11-18-2007 16:56:17  
15 amp JimN



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