Lawn Rov'r Charging Issue

[BrianX128 107]

So I have this old Lawn Rov'r [yeah that's the brand] made by heilman enterprises in indiana way back.

 

Original engine started chewing oil so now it has an older say late 80's early 90's 11.5 / 12hp briggs engine. Runs great just doesn't appear to charge. Has this one red wire coming from the stator and it has amperage coming through it.

 

I'm getting a digital multimeter tonight because I have no idea how to read this old mechanical swing one that has no useful numbers on it and I'm sick of having no idea what I'm looking at with it.

 

Anyways I tried jumping this wire to the positive battery terminal and it does nothing. I know it's not ac for the lights as they work with the mower off. Since it's not the original motor I'm wondering if there was a regulator of some sort mounted elsewhere but I'm not sure what it would be doing since I'm fairly certain its dc voltage and not ac. It reads both ways on this stupid old multimeter I despise. I'll post back what the actual numbers from it are tomorrow once I get a better meter tonight. 

 

I also didn't notice a diode anywhere in the wiring. Maybe it's just horrible low amp charging but I couldn't even get the wire to arc on the battery terminal so something seems amiss..

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,045]

These manuals should help you identify the charging system

Garry

 

[BrianX128 107]

Thanks! So I want to say mine is f on that chart, 2-4 amp dc unregulated. I should be able to just run it to the key on portion of the ignition correct? My new multimeter read 3.5 amps at wide open throttle on the wire from the stator.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,045]

You have magneto ignition which is self-powered. The ignition switch simply grounds the ignition wire to shut the engine off using the M terminal on an ignition switch.

What ever you do do not allow any power into that ignition wire. Magic smoke releaser.

You could hook the charging wire to the circuit that powers the light switch.

 

Garry

[BrianX128 107]

Hmm. Before the wire went to an ammeter and then to some terminal on the ignition switch. I thought it was to the "run" post. I'll try and go from the ammeter to the always powered side of the headlight switch. Headlights don't work unless the key is on run so that should work. 

 

I'm now wondering if the ammeter is bad and wasn't letting the current through and maybe that's why I couldn't get the wire that was coming out of it to arc before on the positive battery terminal..

[BrianX128 107]

 

Good call on the wiring. Did what you suggested and it sits at about 13v running. 13.5 if I turn the key off [key doesn't shut it off] so my two gauges that are key on must draw that much. That oil temp gauge is shoved in some fins by the exhaust. If it goes past 280 when it's hot out over summer I've learned this thing doesn't like that. Some of these mods were done in high school so don't judge too much there but they work haha.

 

Interestingly enough.. if I shut the key off my ammeter says 5 amps on the first line while it runs at wide open throttle but if I leave the key on its 2.5 and if I turn on the headlights its 0. This is odd to me as every other mower I own the amps go up when I turn things on. My old 52 case vac will go off the charts past 20amps when you turn all the lights on it, but it has a 60amp truck alternator on it.. maybe I'm misunderstanding what's happening since this thing only makes 4 amps but I'd think it would make 4 whether there is a draw on it or not?