9N- Not charging

Remounted but still the same as before. Put multimeter on the external wire lead off generator. At full throttle shows barely 1/2 volt. I'm I testing voltage output correctly ?

Any ideas ?

Disconnect the tractor wiring from the genny. If you get the same voltage that you got from a bench test (and how did you do your bench test?) then your 1/2 volt is probably the result of a bad roundcan cut-off relay (internal short) and your genny body oughtta get hot to touch.

If you're saying that the genny outputed 1/2 volt with NO WIRING CONNECTED, then there is something wrong with your genny and your bench test..... ...respectfully, Dell

Thanks for your reply, but the plot thickens. After reading your reply, I went back out to look at things. ( Earlier, had ran the tractor no more than 2 minutes when I was checking the output, or at least I thought I was checking it ). Regardless, it was 1.5 hours since it ran. Generator was so hot you could not keep your hand on it. Immediately disconnected the battery.

What I had not mentioned earlier, is that a week or two ago, when I saw no charge on the ammeter, and the battery failed to take a charge, I assumed the battery had gone bad as it was 4 years old. This am, stuck the new battery in. When the ammeter showed "0", I then put the multimeter on the generator and got the low reading. At that point, I posted my original post here. So, new battery, alternator shows low output, and now I have one very warm alternator.

Naturally, the genny MUST connect to the battery via the cut-off relay in order to charge the battery. Which I believe was your original complaint and you assumed it was a problem of your 4 yo battery. (well maybe)

You do realize your 9N 6 volt battery is suppost to be "positive grounded" don't you? And that your cut-off relay has to be "polarized" to whatever or however your battery is grounded. All it takes is to briefly arc/spark across the 2-terminals of the roundcan cut-off. (with say the metal handles of a pair pliers)

And you polarize with engine OFF, and can do it as many times as you want. (briefly arc/spark the 2-terminals)

DON'T confuse the 9N's roundcan cut-off relay with the 9N's roundcan starter switch. (hint: starter switch has BIG as your thumb wires and one goes to the battery and other BIG WIRE goes to the starter motor terminal) Jumping the starter terminals will give you lesson in arc-welding (grin)

And don't forget your cut-off relay could have been the problem all along..... ..... Dell

Got another question: If all I did was remove the generator and replaced only a bad ( nearly broken ) wire, and subsqeuently put in a new battery, would this then require to "re-polarize" the cut off relay ?

I bought the tractor in 1998 and have used it extensively since then, but on an infequent basis. When I purchased it in 1998, this cut-off relay looked relatively new then. Can these relays go bad and if so, would this cause the reverse current flow , which made for a toasty generator ?

Thanks Again Guys !

As I said, you can polarize your cut-off relay as many times you feel the need, and every time you remove your generator or your battery, its good practice to re-polarize..... ...Dell

Thanks again and again !