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Jim
04-25-2003 14:46:38
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Re: 18.5 Briggs Straton not charging in reply to Russ, 04-21-2003 19:19:49
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If it's anything like my 1974 "DUAL CIRCUIT EQUIPPED" 13hp B&S engine, one wire is rectified DC for charging the battery and the other wire is unrectified AC for lights. Both are unregulated, meaning the voltage will change with engine speed, and are designed to output the rated current and voltage at full speed, which works out OK because that's how mowers and tractors are usually used.
When you say you put a voltmeter on the wires and have current, that is confounding. Voltmeters measure voltage, ammeters measure current (amps). A multimeter can measure either, but not at the same time and not with the same hookup. DC voltage requires a different meter setting than AC voltage, and most can't measure AC current, only DC.
If the two wires are as I described above, figure out which one goes to the battery for charging, and use the DC functions on your meter to diagnose. To measure the current, if any, flowing into the battery, you have to insert your ammeter into the circuit so that current flows from engine, through meter, to battery, plus side on wire from engine, negative side to battery. Max. current should be no more than a few amps - you'll probably have to use the 10A setting on a multimeter. If you see zero current, the battery voltage is higher than the generator voltage, meaning either the battery if fully charged (unlikely), or the generator or rectifier diode is faulty, or there is an open in the circuit somewhere. There ain't much in the circuit, maybe a built-in ammeter on the dash, maybe a fuse, and a few connection points. A wiring diagram for a gardent tractor is trivial - you should be able to find everything just by visual inspection and tracing the few wires there are. The trickiest part is the rectifier - Briggs used a number of different styles and it may be hidden under the flywheel shroud. See if your local library has a copy of Pat Dempsey's book "Small Gas Engine Repair", TAB Books.
Let me know if you need some more help.
-Jim
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