Charging problems

9Ns and 2Ns have cutouts, 8Ns have voltage regulators. which N do you have? The wiring is slightly different. Still get a 6 volt batter as Deel says and start from there. If you post back with more questions we will need to know more about you trctor.

Unfortunately, due to the way the 6-volt 8N's genny is designed, you can't gitt 10-volts outta it. Some claim you can "jimmie" the contacts in the squarecan voltage regulator to charge an 8-volt battery, NOT SO.

Yes, there are some tractors out there that very successfully charge 8-volt battery, but the 8N-genny won't and can't.

Your battery dealer is semi-correct, yer genny ain't puttin' out enuff VOLTS, not amps; but the results are just the same. Yer runnin' round on a discharged 8-volt battery.

Me? I'd gitta good 6-volt TRACTOR BATTERY. I recommend the 6-volt batterys sold by (byte my tongue) John Deere dealer. They are heavier duty than Die-Hards (which die eazy) And re-polarize for POSITIVE GROUND. (iff'n you don't know how to re-polarize, ask)

And then I'd fixx yer rusty old electrical system. Brand NEW one-ought (1/0) thick as yer thumb battery cable down to the starter solenoid. Then a NEW 11-in flatbraid ground cable bolted to one of yer steering box tranny bolts.

And finally, un-screw yer 8in starter bolts about 1/4" gap and wirebrush between the starter plate and the tranny mounting hole. Understand? Your 6-volt starter motor will ZING.

Then iff'n you still have starting problems, ask..... ...Dell, yer nitely battery lecturer

Joel, That is not normal even if the white wire is on the other side of the Cut-out (battery Side). Your not charging is because the Resistor is between the Battery & the Generator output (Cut out) I am surprised you are not Smoking your Coil's because you would have FULL Generator Output when running, are you sure you don't have an additional resistor in the ignition circuit?

The 6 volt battery will not correct your wiring error and/or charging. The previous owner obviously thought he needed to drop the voltage to the generator Cut-out, NOT.

"This corresponds to all known wiring Diagrams"
Your White wire from the top of the Coil must go directly to one side of the OEM Ballast Resistor. (NO other wires are connected to that side of the Resistor). The other side (terminal) of the Ballast Resistor has a wire that goes to the Ignition Switch. (No other wires are connected to that terminal) The other wire from the ignition switch is connected to the lower middle terminal on the Dist Block. This terminal is Battery voltage and has 2 other wires connected to it. 1) The wire from the Generator Cut-out (Battery Side). 2) A wire that goes to the ammeter, and battery Source.

If you want to RUN with an 8 volt battery its "best" to add a .5 ohm (Dell's) in series with the OEM ballast Resistor. This reduces the coil current to 3 amps.

You would adjust the 3rd brush for the desired charging current. It is "best" to do the adjustment when the battery is fully charged.

Hope this Helps,

All this info would have helpe dout alot when we were first trying to diagnose this issue.

Got a pic of that genny?

Soundguy

I flunked mind reading, just ask my ex-wife. Now as to yer current genny description, the backplate having an "adjustment" screw is a 3rd-brush type genny. They come in 2-versions; 1-wire for 9N's & 2N's using a 2-terminal roundcan "CUT-OUT" relay mounted on the steering column under the battery tray. And a 3-wire version for EARLY 8N's using a 4-wire squarecan voltage regulator under yer oilpressure gauge. (the mounting holes are there, trust me)

Unlike the 3-wire 2-brush & rare 3rd-brush 8N-gennys, the 3rd-brush 1-wire genny is semi-capable at MAX CHARGE of charging an 8-volt battery. The cut-out has nuttin to do with charging, its the manual adjust 3rd-brush.

tip: check yer tranny, 9N's & 2N's have 3-speed trannys, ONLY 8N's have 4-speed trannys. Since all N-Engines are interchangeable, it is entirely possible to have a replacement 8N-engine installed in a 3-speed 2N chassis.

Final comment on batterys. Batterys don't live forever, specially in bouncing tractor service. 8-volt batterys are NOT COMMON. Yes, you can get them. What I said about John Deere batterys still apply to 8-volts batterys, they just sell a better battery..... ....Dell, a 12-volt advocate for the right reasons and a 6-volt believer

There is a good farm parts store here in town and I can pick up a regulator too, if needed.

Sorry my initial description was so lame and incomplete....just didn't know what specifics were needed. Joel

If you can't decide.. post a pic...

I'm not sure what you mean by wire going from genny to coil?

Soundguy

Yer 6-volt 8N has a squarecan voltage regulator underneath yer oil pressure gauge above yer right kneesie. (hint: follow yer genny wires)..... ..Dell

I usually clean and inspect battery cables and the attendant connections whenever I replace a battery. If you do so, you may not notice any improvement right away, but there will be a long-term increase in reliability.

Your voltage regulator may be problematic. Many 6 volt regulators were apparently tweaked when an 8-volt battery was installed.

I don't think yours was, which is why the battery was always flat. But I would check the voltage across the battery terminals just to be sure. You want about 7 1/2 volts.

One final note, not really mechanical; while Parkinson's patients do run a disproportionate risk of Alzheimer's disease, more than half of them exhibit no deterioration in memory and reasoning skills DIRECTLY attributable to Parkinsons.

In other words, unless you know or suspect the owner also has Alzheimer's don't be afraid to ask questions like, "Did you tweak the voltage regulator?" He can probably provide reliable answers.

On the other hand, be careful about taking an Alzheimer's patient's word about such questions at face value. They mean well, but the information they offer is often (but not always) unreliable.

(Obviously, I unfortunately have extensive personal experience with both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's patients.)