430 charging problem

Ray · Jun 11, 2014

I've got a 430 I restored a few years ago,had the generator rebuilt,new regulator,new gauges.Started it today and it won't charge unless I ground the generator field wire.I took the regulator and generator to a local repair shop.He said the armature was bad,installed a new one,but said the regulator looked like new.Put it back on polarized it and it does the same thing.
Think I should try a regulator while I'm throwing money away??

curtis larson · Jun 11, 2014

If your generator charged when you grounded the field wire. This tells you your gen was fine. I think your gen shop just tucked it to you. He put in a new armature and you still are having the same problem. Some times on a Delco gen system you need to run a wire from the regulator to the generator this completes the system. Your v. reg is mounted with three rubber insulators on the mounting screws. there for sometimes the reg is not grounded. I run a wire from one of the cover screws on the reg to a flat head screw on the out side of the gen[ there is already a screw there with a flat screw driver slot.

rvirgil_KS · Jun 11, 2014

If you ground the generator Field wire and it charges the problem is with the regulator side of the voltage regulator.

A regulator can look good and still not charge.

Make sure the generator and regulator ground (case to frame) connections are clean and tight.

If you can remove the regulator cover (disconnect battery ground cable first) you could try polishing the contact points with a folded dollar bill.

Seems like finding a reliable new regulator can be a frustrating experience.

Ray · Jun 11, 2014

I tried grounding the voltage regulator.It has a new battery also,i only get two or three years on a 6 volt battery mostly setting around.

John T · Jun 11, 2014

"Started it today and it won't charge unless I ground the generator field wire"

If that's the case the genny itself is fine so the problems are either:

1) The VR doesnt have a good ground, try a jumper from it to a good clean case/frame ground.

2) VR or Genny connections (especially FLD on VR to gennys FLD post) are bad/loose or that wire is
bad.

3) VR itself is bad or its field control relay contacts are bad or burned or carboned or stuck.

4) At a genny shop theres a chance it got polarized at Neg ground and if the tractor is Pos ground and if you didn't polarize the genny prior to start up, you may have damaged the VR.

5) Some VR's are specifically for Pos or Neg Ground, you have the right one??

Linked below is my Charging Troubleshooting Procedure, but it sounds like your genny is okay, you just need a good and well grounded VR suitable for your polarity and charging system (Class A or B).

John T
John Ts Charging Troubleshooting

buickanddeere · Jun 11, 2014

Generator shop either doesn't understand how generators work. Or they decided to pad the bill with unneeded parts.

Ray · Jun 12, 2014

problem solved,it needed a voltage regulator.The old one was only a year old.

430 charging problem

Ray

Well-known Member

curtis larson

Member

rvirgil_KS

Well-known Member

Ray

Well-known Member

John T

Well-known Member

buickanddeere

Well-known Member

Ray

Well-known Member

Similar threads