farmall h 6 or 12 v

so i got the rear end and trans back together on my h and was going to work on the wiring. need to rewire it. noticed the genny has a cutout switch on the top and not a regulator so got to checking on the genny and it"s a 6 volt. i jump 12 volt to the "F" terminal and it turned over (genny off tractor) and on the "gen" side it really spun over. so the genny is good. BUT with a cutoff switch it wont charge will it? dont i need a regulator on it? or should i just convert it to 12 volt. had a 12 volt battery in it (dead of cource but i heard it run). so is the starter 6 also and if you convert do you need to convert the starter?

Several issues are presented in your post:
The cutout relay is OK to use. If the tractor has lights it should have a 4 position light switch. If it has no lights, it won"t have a light switch.
If it is a voltage regulator (they look alike and the difference is critical) it will have a three position light switch.
To check which it has take the top off of it and look to see if it has only one relay coil and set of points, or two.
If one it is a cutout. The cutout connects and disconnects the generator from the battery so the battery will be charged when the gen is making voltage, and then disconnect when it is stopped or near stopped to prevent the battery from discharging through the generator. (It lets the smoke out when that happens, and discharges the battery)
The cutout is automatic in operation.
The charge rate of a cutout system with no lights is adjusted to a low charge setting by adjustment of gen output. Moving the third brush in the generator farther away or closer to the fixed brush changes output to the battery.
Usually this is about 5 total amps charge at about 7 volts (no lights on the tractor at all)
The cutout has a F terminal that allows the field to be grounded through a fixed resistor (single low charge rate)
If the tractor has lights, it will have a 4 position switch LHDB.
Low charge, High charge, Dim lights, and Bright lights.
The light switch has a separate switch that controls the charge rate. On L (full CCW on the switch knob) the generator field runs through a wire wound resistor on the light switch to ground through the switch housing. On all other settings the generator is set to full charge rate with straight grounding of the Field. The F terminal on the cutout is not used. A wire runs from the light switch to the F terminal on the gen.
I can give a lot more info if needed. Let us know what you have first. Jim

in general..genny that use a cutout only ( vs a vreg ) either have a 3rd brush or a tickle switch. yours likely has a tickle switch.

while you CAN find a 12v alt small enough or with bracket magic to stuff under the hood.. it is tight.

if your gen works.. I'd use it.

Simple test ground the field on the gen and if it charges the cut-out is bad or not grounded or the points need cleaning. Your system needs ground starting at the lite sw then gen and then cutout. so with a meter you do need to make sure all componets are grounded. Has the system ever charged.

i have the four position switch and just one coil under the cap of the genny. the only thing i dont like about the six volt is i cant jump start the tractor, but outside of that i dont care what i have. the tractor has lights and i have somewhat of a wiring diagrahm my son found on the web.
so you actually can adjust the output based on the positoin of the light switch?

Yes from low to high charge. (It is actually the voltage control switch connected to the light switch shaft. Separate. One way to allow the 12v jumping is to put the 12 volts on the starter motor only. Easy to do if the tractor has a push button starter motor switch (dash mount, or near the steering column. Just do not push the switch and jump to the frame with Positive, and the Starter motor terminal with the other lead, just firmly touching it to the terminal.
If it has a saddle mount switch on the starter with a pull rod to start, it is harder in that the starter motor lead in lug is under the switch.
To do that a battery isolation manual switch is needed in the lead going to the starter (an OK idea for safety around kids or theft anyway) the lead to the electrical system is attached to the battery side of the new switch, the jumper is then touched firmly to the starter side of the switch with the switch OFF. This allows the 6v battery to run the ignition, and the 12v to run the starter. When not jumping it the new isolator switch is turned on to allow regular 6v starts. Jim

for the cost of 6 volt parts and the difference with starting go with 12 volt you will never regret it, you can even use your 6 volt generator with a 12 volt regulator contrary to what some other's belief

The Hitachi alternator will fit under the hood nicely with about 1/2 inch to valve cover and 1/2 inch to the hood. I make the brackets and sell as a kit. This setup still use the original belt. My e-mail is open

how much do you charge for the kit for the brackets?

so i need two batteries? a 6 to run and a 12 to be able to start it?

I sent you an e-mail. Charlie

All farmall H and SH tractors with reasonable compression (not tractor pulling extreme) will start on 6v if the battery is good and of sufficient Capacity, the cables are O gauge or 00 gauge, the timing is set to TDC at cranking speeds, The carb and choke work, and the ignition system is providing that timed spark. If it isn't operating well, it is not tuned. I was giving you a way to get it started when (as you indicated) "I need to jump it." Jim

Get the kit from Charlie U, you will never regret it.

got it. thanks.

can you send that email to me at [email protected] else i wont get it till tomorrow, which is fine also.
thanks

Agree 200%. very pleased with Charlie"s kits on both my M and H.

Stumpy

I sent you an e-mail with pictures, did you receive it?

As he says. The cables for 6 volt need to be twice as big as for 12 volts. Do not skimp. Six volt the bigger the better. Jeffcat

I have Charlie's kit on a H, SW6, W450. I installed his kit on the SW6 2 summer's ago, best thing I ever did to the old 6. No more leaking 6 volt batteries, no more generator not charging, having to adjust the regulator, etc. The SW6 was always kept in tune. I had enough of it, converted it. The little Hitachi alternator is just fine for any letter series tractor. It hides real well under neath the hood.

got it. sent you an email this morn.
thanks

Charlie, I would like an email also, Thanks [email protected]

MY 1950 H starts real easy on 12 volts. It came to me like that. The previous owner had the generator converted to 12 volts.

The GM alternator will fit too if done right. I did my M and a friends H with the GM 3 wire. The H is kinda tight but it works. Cheaper than the Hitachi alt.

Rick