Battery installed backwards

Principal use by him these past 5 years has been brushhogging his 5 acre weedpatch.

This subject is just like the "What oil should I use in my engine thing", the doorway which is marked "Employees Only" or the sign that says "Don't Walk On The Grass".

These are human imposed limitations and are not necessarily reality based. :>)

Allan

I bought a Farmall 140, when new a 6 volt positive ground. When I bought it previous owner had not been able to get it going in the 10 years he owned it. I understand several mechanices of questionable qualifications had worked on tractor so I have no way of knowing what tractors electrical system had been through. What I found on this 140 was battery in backwards, battery was toast, generator was toast, regulator was toast. I even had to replace ampmeter before tractor would run.

If your tractor is starting well, running well and charging now, there is a good chance nothing is damaged. My point being that if someone installed a battery backwards in any vehicle, your probably not sure what else he may have done. He probably is not sure himself.

And, if it has been running for 5 years that way, chances are that the battery probably has taken a reverse charge and there is not a thing wrong with it.

Dunno,

Allan

A do agree if it works and charges one could leave it as is, but if shes NOT charging it needs to be fixed. I would still correct any coil polarity mis wiring and, of course, wire the ammeter corect so it reads right.

Yall have a good day, best wishes n God Bless

John T

That battery is an inert object, doesn't have an "absolute electrical polarity" and couldn't give a fig which way it is charged.

You really haven't ever seen a battery charged in reverse?

Allan

If it were mine I would simply install the battery in correct,,,,, ,then re polarize the Generator,,,,, ,,,then give her a try n see what happens, see if it charges and ESPECIALLY see if when you shut her off (or even before you fire her up) the ammeter dont swing to high discharge and stay there and the Generator get hot!! IF SO (could happen) the cutout relay IS STUCK/BURNED CLOSED and needs replaced, thats so regardless if its a full fledged Voltage Regulator or a 2 wire Cutout Relay. They are SUPPOSED to stay open but only close after the generators voltage exceeds the batterys so it can charge it but then open otherwise (when tractors off) so it dont reverse discharge the battery through the generator.

Hook her up n polarize the Generator and give her a try, BUT keep a close watch that the Cutout Relay or the Voltage Regulators cutout relay isnt stuck closed, which would discharge the battery quickly. If when you hook her up theres a heavy current draw, the relay is likely the cause cuz its stuck closed. Theres still a decent chance it wasnt harmed, as it shouldnt have ever closed and gotten stuck in the first place if wired reverse polarity!!!!!

The coil will still fire in reverse but its not as efficient and may have run a tad warmer, but theres a good chance its okay.

John T Nordhoff in Indiana, retired electrical engineer