H farmall generator problem

I cannot get my generator to charge the battery on my "H". I rebuilt the generator and it works on my "C". When I try to polarize the generator on the "H" amp meter bottoms out on discharge. The cut-out has stuck down and I had to pull it apart as it got real hot. The wires are all new and appear to be correct according to the schematic I have. I put new #1 cables from battery to ground and also to starter switch. I do not see any wires touching the frame. I tried another switch and does the same. Any ideas?

Check the archives. This is the most common question asked on the board. There is a great trouble shooting guide there.by John T

Gordo

Sounds like you might have the gen & bat wires reversed on the regulator. Check to be sure.

John T wrote the trouble shooting guide in the context of green tractors but it all works on red ones, too. He's shared it many times here.

You might also check out BobM's wiring diagrams just to double-check yourself
John Ts Valuable Guide

BobMs Most Excellent Wiring Diagrams

When you polarize a genny on the cutout relay system, youre basically by pass jumping around the relay and applying hot battery voltage to the gennys Armature terminal and Id expect a current discharge out of the battery. You just flash that momentarily to get a spark then youre done polarizing.

A working (i.e. NOT stuck closed) Cutout Relay should normally be an open connection between its BAT and GEN terminals and only latch closed once the gennys voltage exceeds the battery voltage. It requires a good frame ground (usually via the genny) to work properly. If the relays contacts have burned/welded/carboned closed they can easily stick again as once the bright shiny silvery coating is gone they dont last long. Sure yours is wired BAT side to the ammeter and GEN side to the gennys ARM post and it has a good ground??

If the genny is okay and polarized !!! and works on one tractor but NOT another, I suspect a light switch (LHBD) problem or the switch isnt well grounded or the wires bad from FLD on genny up to the switch.

In my procedure below (Para 5) it will tell alot to see if she charges when you dead ground the gennys field ??? If so but NOT otherwise, then again its a bad light switch or its not grounded etc.

http://www.ytmag.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=farmall&th=665110

John T
John Ts Troubleshooting

You must have just beat me to the draw Scotty lol. We need to add my friend Bob M's "Non Charging Flow Chart" to your URL list as that coupled with his wiring diagrams and my long winded procedure SHOULD ANSWER MOST QUESTIONS

John T

I cleaned the switch box and seem to get some charging. If I turn the switch to high charge it shows a small charge on the amp meter. At low chaarge it shows nothing. If I turn on the lights I show a discharge and it doesn't come back to a charge after running for several minutes. If I slowly turn the lights from dim to high and back to dim I show a good charge half way between. I do not get 7 volts at the battery however. I took off the gen bracket and cleaned the block and gen bracket to make sure I have a good ground there also. It is a new battery so maybe it won't show a charge on low but it should with the lights on shouldn't it?