Re: Alternator for positive ground?

Posted by RKS on May 25, 1999 at 15:12:02 from (171.212.77.210):

In Reply to: Alternator for positive ground? posted by Paul on May 25, 1999 at 07:58:45:

Paul, I was in a hurry both posts today. After reading your post once more, I think this is what happened - - or better still, let me tell you what happened to me, and bet you'll say uh-huh!!

Couple months back, found an H in the local trade rag. Went to see it. Couldn't believe how lucky I was to find it. Except for needing paint, there was no significant rust, and the tires were serviceable. It cranked and ran like a jewel. Guy wanted $900 - offered $800 and he took it. As I was looking it over, he said "just converted it to an alternator," and showed me the bracket and the alternator. (BTW - when you mount yours, the hood won't close, so put something on the side of the alternator to insulate it and just let the hood rest against it, with the other 3 hood clips fastened, and turn the front clip outside the sheet metal so it won't get into the vanes of the alternator) Didn't get my attention at the time, since it was a reasonable thing to expect. My 1956 Ford 600 was also converted when I bought it. The ammeter face was busted, so I didn't think about not being able to see the "charge." What did get my attention is that I kept having to trickle charge the battery. I kept thinking it was just the drag on the battery from so many starts and not enough run time to charge the battery. So, one day after fully charging the battery, I hauled all the neighborhood kids around the block several times - and the battery was dead!! The alternator was a Delco-Remy and one wire ran from the "BAT" terminal to the positive terminal of the battery - that was it. So what?, said I, - - my Ford alternator was also internally regulated, so no big deal. But the more I thought about it, the more I questioned, so I contacted Sherll@ "63 Alternator Service," a sponsor or YT, and gave him all the numbers on the alternator. It was a neg ground "like most all" and it was not internally regulated. The former owner had attempted a conversion, but failed since he was "grounding" all the output of the alternator, and didn't know he needed a voltage regulator. Sherll recommended I try an electronic VR for a "chrysler product - late 60's," and in fact the VR I used was I think for a dodge dart. Since the alternator was designed as a neg ground, it could not be used in a pos ground system. So, I "reversed" the battery in the tray and mounted the alternator and belt. I cranked the tractor without the alt wired up and it ran fine (reversing the current in the armature and field circuits of the starter allows it to spin the same direction). The polarity markings on the coil are meaningless. You could put a picture of Bozo the Clown on it and it wouldn't matter. If you want to be "consistent" with a neg ground system, the dist-coil low voltage line should connect to the neg coil terminal. Then I wired the alternator and VR, and reversed the leads to the ammeter (really just installed a new one) and bingo, everything is fine and charging. Your prior owner bought the alt and tried to convert, -- failed (he was tired of recharging the battery) - gave up, put it up for sale, and you bought it. good luck. RKS

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