6 Volt Regulator on Farmall A

MACE

Thanks for your help so far. I think I may have found the problem. 1st, I have a jumper that goes from the amp meter to the bat input (fuse) side of the switch. I don't think it should be there. 2nd. I am going to put that load wire on the bat input side of the switch to see what a difference that can make. I believe you may have just figured out what the problem is.

Thank you,

MACE

If you hook a wire to the LOAD terminal and it draws current UNLESS THE VR IS BAD?? it would still draw curent if placed over on the VR"s BAT terminal or the load side of the ammeter (place where loads are fed when using a 3 terminal VR, same ammeter terminal that wires to the VR"s BAT terminal) so you need to find the short or whats drawing current via that wire.

To change from a 3 terminal to a 4 terminal VR, simply connect allll loads like lights n ignition switches (often a feed wire to the switches BAT input terminal) to the VR"s LOAD terminal instead of the load (NOT to battery/starter) side of the ammeter. The Load side of the ammeter (3 or 4 wire VR) still wires to the BAT terminal on the VR regardless.

On many 4 terminal VR"s the 3 terminals together are BAT FLD LOAD while the ARM is often on one side or the bottom all by itself. Sure youre wired right?????

You need to find the cause of the current draw or short on that wire/circuit thats connected to the VR"s L terminal !!!!! !! The 4 terminal VR"s L terminal is SUPPOSED TO BE HOT you know to feed loads.

John T Nordhoff in Indiana

I measured the voltage on the load terminal. It showed 6 volts like you said. I then measured the resistance from the load wire to ground. It showed 4.2 ohms. When I connect the load wire to the resister on the bottom of the switch, I see the 2 amp load on the amp guage. I am assuming I have it wired correctly. I do not have a wiring diagram that shows where to connect a load wire to a switch. The operators manual shows that the field wire is to be connected to the resister on the bottom of the switch. Am I right?

MACE

The switch resistor you mentioned may be a resistor used for light dimming or the field control resistor I referred to above, but REGARDLESS THATS NOT WHERE THE VR'S LOAD TERMINAL SHOULD BE WIRED. The VR's LOAD terminal ought to be wired to the BAT input terminal on a switch, the terminal that is the main voltage INPUT. Then the switch switches that voltage to lights or ignition etc when turned oN.

I still am not convinced the VR is bad, I think youre NOT wiring the right circuit(s) to the VR;s L terminal. NO WIRE connected to it ought to cause any continuous current draw cuz it will run the battery down. If the L terminal feeds a switches BAT input supply terminal, then theres ONLY current draw when the lights or ignition are switched ON as it should be.

Maybe Bob M's wiring diagrams may help you?? but rememember its still possible to rewire that tractor (regardless if it originally had a cutout relay or a 3 or 4 wire VR) with your new 4 terminal VR and make it work fine.

AGAIN use the 4 wire VR's LOAD terminal to feed the BAT input terminal on a switch NOT ANY SWITCH RESISTOR OR TERMINAL THAT ALWAYS CAUSES A CURRENT DRAW or the battery will run down. On 3 pole VR's or Cutout Relay systems the BAT input terminal on switches was fed off the ammeters load side terminal (same terminal that wired to BAT on a VR or Cutout Relay)

John T

My load wire goes straight to the resister terminal on the bottom of the switch. Is this correct? I have a new switch on the way, it should be here tommorow. I am not quite sure I don't have a bad regulator.

MACE

John T