charging system problem on a 1056

[poodle 0]

I have a 1056 that doesn't seem to be charging.I found out the hard way of course after I added my headlights. i don't think its the stater/gen because when the battery is charged the starter works just fine. My neighbor used to be a mechanic and he said its probably the voltage regulator. It is a stock three pin regulator he said there's a way to zap it off the positive side of the battery to excite the fields but he hasn't done is so long he can't remember exactly how to do it. Dose any one have any advice? I want to get it charging so I can test it's output and find what throttle position it needs to be at to charge enough to run the head lights and charge the battery.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

To make a long reply as short as possible, a starter/generator NORMALLY does not need to be polarized since power is applied to it during the starter function.

You can test the output capability by shorting the field terminal on the S/G to ground. If it makes power at the armature terminal while the fields are grounded, the generator is fine and the regulator is the problem.

My suggestion is to locate an older automotive electrical shop in your area and take it there for testing. Some of the newer shops might not even know what a generator is!

As far as what RPM to run the engine to make adequate power goes - anything from 3/4 to wide open. Small engines are designed to run at full throttle under the protection of the governor. That is where they run coolest and make the most power.

[Buzz 502]

Chapter 8 in the Kohler manual has info on how to test the charging system. You have checked it with a voltmeter to see whether is or isn't charging haven't you? Here's the manual. Some light reading on these cool nights...

http://www.kohlerengines.com/common/resources/tp_2379.pdf

[qd-16 14]

I had problems with my 856 starter/generator once. I knew the generator was good because I had it rebuilt. The regulator was fairly new also, still my battery wasn't getting charged. To make a long story short, the regulator needed to be "turned up" so it would put out more volts to the battery. I didn't know voltage regulators could be adjusted but it works good now. Al.

[fordsonmajortom 1]

I understand that the only time you had to polarise a dynamo/generator was when you changed the battery earth from posative to negative earth or visa versa,you're going back a long time to posative earth charging systems.I think there is less electrical corrosion on negative earth systems.I can't remember how to do it now.

[poodle 0]

I had problems with my 856 starter/generator once. I knew the generator was good because I had it rebuilt. The regulator was fairly new also, still my battery wasn't getting charged. To make a long story short, the regulator needed to be "turned up" so it would put out more volts to the battery. I didn't know voltage regulators could be adjusted but it works good now. Al.

turned up? Mine is a three prong and looks to be the original if I can how do I adjust it ?

[qd-16 14]

I don't know how to adjust them. The guy that did the rebuild on the generator "turned up" the regulator for me. I should of asked him how he done it. Its one of the regulators with the three tabs, middle one goes to the battery.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

Here's some friendly advice:

If you don't know what you're doing under the cover of a mechanical voltage regulator, don't touch it.

You can clean the contacts with fine sandpaper, but disconnect the battery first! One wrong move and the starter motor will be energized, the points will burn together, and it will continue to turn the engine over until wires melt, the battery goes dead, or the tractor runs into a wall because you had it in gear!

There is absolutely no reason to be inside the voltage regulator until you have tested the output of the generator. You can clean and adjust the contacts until your fingers bleed, but if the generator isn't capable of making power you will get nowhere.

We have offered our suggestions, but what you choose to do is entirely up to you.

Having a S/G rebuilt is around $60 to $150 - depending on who does it and what needs replaced, and a new voltage regulator is anywhere from $40 to $100. Listening to people who have worked on them many, many times is priceless.

[sorekiwi 761]

I understand that the only time you had to polarise a dynamo/generator was when you changed the battery earth from posative to negative earth or visa versa,you're going back a long time to posative earth charging systems.I think there is less electrical corrosion on negative earth systems.I can't remember how to do it now.

Hey, I remember doing that on a Morris Minor once! That dates me, huh? And it was so long ago, I'd even forgotten I'd done it till your post Michael!

[linen beige 14]

Excellent advice TT. You can also get the regulator set just high enough to cause the battery to boil dry or even explode. If you've ever seen that happen you DO NOT want to see it again!

qd-16/ Al, Say you had a "mechanic" rebuild a generator and then he still had to tweak your regulator? I hope I'm wrong but it sounds like he didn't test things through first. It was a fairly new regulator? Chances are the old regulator went bad (Probably corroded points) and was replaced with a new one that either was not the right one to start with, was not set right at the factory or had the points knocked out of adjustment during transit. A bad generator shouldn't harm a regulator unless it is turning so fast it overtaxes it. Then "turning it up" won't fix it. Not to mention what the overspeed needed for that would likely do to your engine.

[qd-16 14]

If I remember correctly, I had the generator rebuilt and put a new regulator on the tractor at the same time. the new setup was putting out power but wasn't enough to charge the battery. Thats when I took the generator and voltage regulator back to the mechanic and he tested both systems to determine what the problem was. This is when he adjusted the regulator.

I took the cover off of a regulator ONCE to mess with it....hard lesson learned :thumbs:

[poodle 0]

I'm an electrician so I know how to use and read a meter I have tested the s/g post's were the wire's connect to the back.After getting zip i tried each pin off the regulator to ground and still zip,but the battery only has 7 volts I think that might be why the fields won't energize.After reading the link buzz posted I'm gona retest hopefully with better luck. It's been below zero here for the past couple of days and according to the weather there's no sign of it letting.With no garage or shelter from the cold I'm gona try and fit it in the shed to get out of the wind.Lets see what I come up with thanks for the help guys I'll keep you posted with the results good or bad they may bee

PS: it's a pain to have to pull start your plow machine

[Buzz 502]

7 volts? The first thing you want to do is put a trickle charger on it and get it fully charged. Be very, very careful. At that low voltage it could freeze and if you try to charge it too fast it could explode If at all possible take it out of the tractor and bring it inside before you charge it.

[linen beige 14]

Bring the battery inside and let it come to room temp.

After it has warmed up check the voltage. It may surprise you. These type batteries loose somewhere on the order of 50 percent of their capacity each ten degrees below 50. When the weather gets down close to zero there isn't much left.

You should also do a load test on it if you can. It may have a dead cell. But the first thing I would check, since that's when the problem showed up, is whether there is some type of draw or other problem from the headlights you installed.

[poodle 0]

well guys I read up on the manual post from buzz and from what I grabbed from that is it should be putting out 12.5 volts and if not the regulator is bad.Well I charged the battery up and the tested like they said to and I only was getting 12v so I think it's probably the regulator. I'm gona reread the manual and see if I messed any thing up but so far I think that I found the problem.Linen beige I had it load tested before it got cold at the local pepboys and it tested out fine but I should probably have it redone now that its been out in the could with a low charge, and I did check for parasitic draw and found none.Well you guys listed some prices for the regulator and I hope it's not to bad on my wallet.I was wondering thou it is delco remy and the old Chevy's used to use those all the time you think the local napa would have something like this?

Thanks for the help guys I just hope she keep's running good for the rest of the winter were getting another storm tomorrow and she'll be plowing again.