Farmall H dead battery

[davidmaxwell's RJ-59 0]

I have a 1947 farmall h that every time I let sit for the day drains the battery, any ideas on what i should do?

[SousaKerry 501]

Couple of things I can think of, this is assuming that it is all original and no one has converted the electrical system over to 12 volts. Check that you do indeed have a 6V battery and that it is hooked up properly as + is ground. Next the rotary switch below the volt meter has several positions IIRC all the way left is charging off, one click clockwise is charge, then headlights, can't remeber 4th position maybe rear light.

Of coarse you could always disconnect the battery once you get it running as it will still run without.

[perry 82]

with everything in the off position take the positive cable off the battery and hook a test light up to the cable and touch the + side of battery. if you get a dim light then you have a draw. start unplugging things ( plug right back in as you go}untill the light go's out. that will give you a idea whats shorting.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

the rotary switch below the volt meter has several positions IIRC all the way left is charging off, one click clockwise is charge, then headlights, can't remeber 4th position maybe rear light.

Of coarse you could always disconnect the battery once you get it running as it will still run without.

The four-position switch is LHDB (low charge / high charge / dim lights / bright lights ~ 3 terminal voltage regulator) Used with magneto ignition.

The three position switch is ODB (off / dim / bright ~ 4 terminal voltage regulator) Used with battery ignition.

By the way......... if it has battery ignition, it won't run with the battery unhooked.

I'd be looking closely at the voltage regulator. Probably a stuck contact.

[shorts 182]

I vote on the voltage regulator, IIRC if the contact that energizes the generator sticks it will turn the gen into a motor that tries to turn the engine over like the old style belt drive gen/starters on the early Kohlers.

[Clarkbug 0]

Another quick note... You dont want to run a tractor that has the generator connected without a battery. So you can disconnect it while it sits so you dont get the drain down, but dont disconnect it with the machine running.