Voltage Regulator

On a 1950 Ford tractor does anyone know how to wire up a Voltage Regulator, i also converted it to a 12 volt alt. Or do i need to use the Voltage Regulator....?

Ah, NO.. you should not need it any longer if you are switching to alt. (unless your alt. requires one.. Highly unlikely)

Brad

im new at the whole tractor thing but i thought that Voltage Regulator is what controls all of your gages..

You don"t need a voltage regulator as long as your alternator has a voltage regulator internally.

The gauges in a 1950 ford should be rine, you might have to reverse the leads on the Ampmeter if it was positive ground.

And if it was 6 volts (I expect so ) you will need to put a ballast resistor on the positive lead on the ignition coil.

Corey,

On a tractor of the age you mentioned, the gauges should be mechanical (I believe you said it was a 1950 model year, right?)

The way I would wire it is such:

Switch batt. for - ground

wire from alternator (BATT) to wherever your + batt cable hooks (starter, solenoid.. )

Wire from location of Batt cable to + ammeter

Wire from - ammeter to ign. switch

wire from opposite side of switch to + side of 12v ign coil (may need a ballast resistor in line to coil)

You would want to hook light switch, start switch (if tractor has solenoid) etc on same side as coil so that when switch is off so are lights, etc.

If I read your other post correctly, you bought your kit from THIS SITE and depending on the kit, it looks like it should be self- exciting alternator, and that a wiring diagram was included.

Don't worry about being new to tractors, we all were new once.. I bought my first one 14 years ago.. Was still in high school, and barely driving a car.. so I've had to learn just as you are doing.. Have 8 tractors now.

I hope you can get it figured out.. Wiring is hard to describe sometimes..

Brad

Think about the name. Voltage regulator which say it controls or regulate the voltage and in this case if was made to regulate the volt out of the generator so as to keep the battery charged at 6 volts but with the 1 wire alternator you have put on the voltage regulator is built in to it so no need for that old one

Corey, to make SURE we're "all on the same page" here, go to John Smith's excellent site linked below and identify your tractor, FOR SURE.

If it is REALLY a 1950 model, (8N) the only electric gauge will be the ammeter which will work for 12 Volts, just switch the lead(s) 'cause of going from (+) to (-) ground.

Get an alternator for a mid-70's Chevy pickup with no AC, as it will have an INTERNAL voltage regulator.

<img src = "http://www.gondtc.com/~blweltin/Bob/AlternatorHarness3.jpg">

If you don't want to use the diode and would rather have an "idiot light", simply replace the diode with the light. Use a #194 bulb (or one with equivalent current draw).

If the tractor is REALLY 1950 8N, it could have either a front-mount or side mount distributor.

Post back with that info for some information on how to deal with the ignition part of the 12 Volt conversion.

(Front mount, probably the best way is to buy an new (so called) 12 Volt coil and KEEP the dashboard mounted ballast resistor that was used with the (so called) 6 Volt coil. If a sidemount distributor, the easiest solution is to get a REAL 12 Volt coil such as a NAPA IC14SB.
Identify a Ford

If your layout is the same as this , I can give you diagram for an alternator with and without an inbuilt regulator.

Corey, since you bought the "conversion kit", it should have everything you need with it, including diagram and/or instructions.

If you didn't get the diagram/instructions, you need to contact the seller and ask for them.