IH 300 Utility 12V Conversion

Hi - new guy here - I've had enough of trying to start my 6 Volt '56 300 utility in cold weather. Its hit and miss in any weather - I get a couple of shotst at it before I have to recharge the battery (new last year) and try again, but generally its no go in the cold. Can anyone recommend a good 12v conversion kit and a source for it?

Thanks

Mark

I bought a 12V conversion kit for my H from Charlie Uhtke ([email protected]). It fit perfectly, and worked perfectly. I suggest you email him and see if his kit will work on your tractor. I fought the 6V design for way too long...Charlie made my day.

Good luck

Optima makes a 6 volt battery that will solve most of your problems. It may be cheaper than a 12 volt conversion, and it even fits inside your battery box.
Since it's dry , no more rot issues, and it can be shipped straight to your door.

Optima Batteries
8010-044
6v
Battery Type:AGM
Cranking Amps at 0 Degrees F:800 amps
Cranking Amps at 32 Degrees F:980 amps
Reserve Capacity:110 minutes
Length (in):10.000 in.
Width (in):3.562 in.
Height (in):7.812 in.
Weight:19.000 lbs.

Who needs a kit it is pretty simple to wire up. Generator bracket flip over then a piece of all tread to hold an alternator on an then the 2 wire plug and a diode and a couple wires and that is about it. I can almost do it in my sleep

Agree, he has the best kit.

Depends if you want it for work or show.
If show I rebuilt my generator with 12 volt every thing and went to electronic ignition with hot coil & wires. works perfect and is 12 volt but looks original.
Need to change voltage reg. and light seal beams but every thing looks the same accept for the thunder volt coil.
Tony

Yep, CharlieU, he the man.

Hey there Paul, I am considering the same thing. I know the tractor was built with 6 volt system but is seems to be a serious pain with everything produced today in 12 volt. If you could pass on any info u find would be greatly appreciated. I dont know much about electrical so it all seems a bit complicated and I am worried about damaging something when I wire it up wrong.

If using a Hitachi model 14231 (nice and small) the process requires one 10ga wire, one 12 ga wire, and a 6" piece of 12ga wire a few connectors and a light bulb from a marker light, or a 3 amp diode and you are good to go. Replace the bulbs in the lighting and dash illumination. reverse the coil leads so negative goes to the distributor.
Put the word Hitachi 14231 in the search box and you will reap all things related. This is very easy and simple. Reversing the amp meter (wires from one side to the other) and connecting the wires as shown, and mounting the Alt. Jim

Updike's kit contains the Hitachi, wish this site resold them.

wrong last name, but starts with U.

The electrical could not be any LESS complicated. It can be done with the existing wiring.

On a 300, or any tractor with a remotely-mounted voltage regulator:
1. Disconnect the 6V battery.
2. Swap all the wires on the ammeter.
3. Mark the "A" wire on the generator.
4. Remove the generator.
5. Install the alternator.
6. Connect the "A" wire to the alternator's BAT terminal.
7. Connect a short wire from the alternator's BAT terminal to the #2 terminal on the alternator.
8. At the voltage regulator, disconnect the wire from the GEN terminal and connect it to the BAT terminal so there are now two wires connected there.
9. Disconnect both small wires from the coil.
10. Connect the short coil wire from the distributor to the - terminal on the coil.
11. Mount a ballast resistor in a convenient location near the coil.
12. Connect the long coil wire from the ignition switch to one end of the ballast resistor. This is the "12V" end.
13. Make up a new short wire to connect the other end of the ballast resistor to the + on the coil.
14. Connect a wire from the 12V end of the ballast resistor to the "arrow end" of a large diode obtained from Radio Shack.
15. Connect the "line end" of the diode to the #1 terminal on the alternator.

DONE.

We had a 300 u when I was a kid. Cold natured hard
starting pos! Kept a log chain with it at all
times. Rugged little tractor once started and
warmed up, convert it to 12 volt you will have no
regrets.

You got that straight!! Nice and powerful battery and not that bad in the about 160.oo range last I know. Put one in my dads pickup that had a type one six volt .

Hi, Mark.

I converted my 350 Utility to 12 volt 3-wire about three years ago and haven't had a lick of trouble. I used a Delco alternator which JUST fits; as others have pointed out, you may want to go with the Hitachi alternator.

My email is open; let me know if you'd like a copy of the schematic I used.

Mark W. in MI

Mite want to get the starter refreshed and check batt cables mite be cheaper that a new 12v batt and alt.

My 300u has 7500hrs on it,origional starter,and I can make the battery last 6 or 7 years. It does crank slow in cold weather,but will fire up after 1 or 2 revolutions.The main thing is to have good,heavy battery cables,00 guage. When they get corroded, I clean or make new ones. 00 guage is big around as your biggest finger. 12 volts does not require large cables,but it won't hurt! Mark PS Periodically,I may charge the battery if not ran for long times when operating it.

Thanks for all the info - great folks on this site. I've got a note out Charlie U to see if his kit will work, otherwise I'll piece one together. I wrestled a long time re keeping it original vs the 12 V conversion, but I waste so much time getting it started I will become a "convert".