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Posted by Karl Townsend on March 24, 2009, 10:02 am
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My 1976 Ford tractor had a complete wire harness meltdown. I untaped the
harness and can see the large diameter wire from the alternator to the
Ammeter and then on to the battery got REALLY HOT. Ultimately the insulation
melted off, gave the unit a hard ground and then burnt the wire in two.
I can't see the initial cause. One possible is the alternator stuck on full
amps. So, how can I check if the alternator and separate regulator are good?
Karl
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Posted by Pete C. on March 24, 2009, 10:11 am
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Karl Townsend wrote:
>
> My 1976 Ford tractor had a complete wire harness meltdown. I untaped the
> harness and can see the large diameter wire from the alternator to the
> Ammeter and then on to the battery got REALLY HOT. Ultimately the insulation
> melted off, gave the unit a hard ground and then burnt the wire in two.
>
> I can't see the initial cause. One possible is the alternator stuck on full
> amps. So, how can I check if the alternator and separate regulator are good?
>
> Karl
I'd suggest that it's not worth the effort. Just replace the old
alternator and regulator with a modern "one wire" alternator and be done
with it. I did similar on my old Deere backhoe to replace an old POS
Motorola alternator and regulator.
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Posted by Tim Wescott on March 24, 2009, 10:28 am
Please log in for more thread options On Tue, 24 Mar 2009 09:11:34 -0500, Pete C. wrote:
> Karl Townsend wrote:
>>
>> My 1976 Ford tractor had a complete wire harness meltdown. I untaped
>> the harness and can see the large diameter wire from the alternator to
>> the Ammeter and then on to the battery got REALLY HOT. Ultimately the
>> insulation melted off, gave the unit a hard ground and then burnt the
>> wire in two.
>>
>> I can't see the initial cause. One possible is the alternator stuck on
>> full amps. So, how can I check if the alternator and separate regulator
>> are good?
>>
>> Karl
>
> I'd suggest that it's not worth the effort. Just replace the old
> alternator and regulator with a modern "one wire" alternator and be done
> with it. I did similar on my old Deere backhoe to replace an old POS
> Motorola alternator and regulator.
What? And ruin the value of his tractor as an untouched antique? Do
that and some restorer will be seriously torqued 50 years from now.
Karl: bury it in a concrete-lined pit filled with desiccant, for future
generations. Then go by some new Japanese thing.
--
http://www.wescottdesign.com
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Posted by Tim Wescott on March 24, 2009, 10:12 am
Please log in for more thread options On Tue, 24 Mar 2009 09:02:12 -0500, Karl Townsend wrote:
> My 1976 Ford tractor had a complete wire harness meltdown. I untaped the
> harness and can see the large diameter wire from the alternator to the
> Ammeter and then on to the battery got REALLY HOT. Ultimately the
> insulation melted off, gave the unit a hard ground and then burnt the
> wire in two.
>
> I can't see the initial cause. One possible is the alternator stuck on
> full amps. So, how can I check if the alternator and separate regulator
> are good?
>
> Karl
It seems more likely that the connection shorted to ground and the
current flowed from battery to alternator. If so you may find the
alternator still shorted, or you may see signs on the connection between
alternator and wire.
I think that an alternator repair shop should be able to check this for
you if you bring the parts in. Absent that you should be able to check
the regulator operation if you have a variable-voltage supply -- but do
you have such a well stocked electronics bench?
--
http://www.wescottdesign.com
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Posted by Bruce In Bangkok on March 24, 2009, 10:45 am
Please log in for more thread options On Tue, 24 Mar 2009 09:02:12 -0500, "Karl Townsend"
>My 1976 Ford tractor had a complete wire harness meltdown. I untaped the
>harness and can see the large diameter wire from the alternator to the
>Ammeter and then on to the battery got REALLY HOT. Ultimately the insulation
>melted off, gave the unit a hard ground and then burnt the wire in two.
>
>I can't see the initial cause. One possible is the alternator stuck on full
>amps. So, how can I check if the alternator and separate regulator are good?
>
>Karl
Output from an alternator depends on rpm and excition. A repair shop
would test the alternator by running it at low speed and substituting
a rheostat for the regulator in order to have manual control over the
excition and gradually increasing rpm and excition until rated output
was reached or something got hot.
If the wire from the alternator to the battery was correctly sized for
the alternator it is doubtful if the alternator could have put out so
much amperage as to overheat the wire. However, if one or more of the
diodes in the alternator had shorted the battery could have been
connected directly to ground through the alternator case and in that
case the battery certainly could have put out enough current to damage
the wire.
I would suggest checking the diodes in the alternator first.
Cheers,
Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)
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> My 1976 Ford tractor had a complete wire harness meltdown. I untaped the
> harness and can see the large diameter wire from the alternator to the
> Ammeter and then on to the battery got REALLY HOT. Ultimately the insulation
> melted off, gave the unit a hard ground and then burnt the wire in two.
>
> I can't see the initial cause. One possible is the alternator stuck on full
> amps. So, how can I check if the alternator and separate regulator are good?
>
> Karl