C-160 Battery/Electrical Question

[BrianK 58]

Hello gentlemen, just a quick question for you experienced Wheel Horse wranglers.  Is it normal for my 76' C-160 to require a battery to run? Before I bought my tractor battery today I was running off a car battery but every time I pulled the cables it dies. I know my K341 has a stator, and I checked the voltage at the rectifier pigtail and rectifiers dc output/battery. The stator is putting out around 21volts ac at the lowest idle and quickly rises with the slightest jump in RPM's. DC voltage at the battery is about 12.5 before running and 13.4ish while running. Should my AC output be higher? It does take a minute or two before the DC charging voltage to hit and level off about 13.4 VDC. Is my stator and or rectifier starting to tucker out on me?  Does it need a constant 12VDC to run? Feels like im missing something.  Thanks.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,488]

Yes it needs a 12VDC supply to run the battery powered ignition.

 

The regulator also needs a power supply to turn it on so to speak before it can regulate the current produced by the stator. The regulator then monitors the battery voltage and regulates the stator current to maintain the designed parameters that are somewhere between 12v and 14v. If it is not there the regulator will run wild looking for it and probably destroy it's self along with other sensitive components.

 

Some models had a decal on them warning about running without a battery installed. Became even more important when they went to magneto ignitions that would run without a battery.

 

Garry

[BrianK 58]

Exactly what I needed! 

Edited December 29, 2016 by BrianK

[Sarge 3,462]

One thing that really causes the system to go erratic is grounding - the base of that rectifier needs to be well grounded . On my units , I run a separate ground wire directly off the chassis at the main cable grounding point and use an internal tooth lock washer under the wire terminal on one of the rectifier's mounting bolts/screws . It allows the unit to better read/regulate the battery voltage and react to a load much quicker .

Same deal with starter generator's and their housing/mounting brackets - internal or external tooth lock washers and a solid ground directly to the engine block .

 

If you've ever worked on an older Ford pickup , you'll understand where all that comes from....lol .

 

Sarge

[BrianK 58]

11 hours ago, Sarge said:

One thing that really causes the system to go erratic is grounding - the base of that rectifier needs to be well grounded . On my units , I run a separate ground wire directly off the chassis at the main cable grounding point and use an internal tooth lock washer under the wire terminal on one of the rectifier's mounting bolts/screws . It allows the unit to better read/regulate the battery voltage and react to a load much quicker .

Same deal with starter generator's and their housing/mounting brackets - internal or external tooth lock washers and a solid ground directly to the engine block .

 

If you've ever worked on an older Ford pickup , you'll understand where all that comes from....lol .

 

Sarge

 

Good idea on the extra cables....and YESSIR!, my dad was a ford guy haha.

[squonk 38,846]

On 12/29/2016 at 0:16 PM, Sarge said:

One thing that really causes the system to go erratic is grounding - the base of that rectifier needs to be well grounded . On my units , I run a separate ground wire directly off the chassis at the main cable grounding point and use an internal tooth lock washer under the wire terminal on one of the rectifier's mounting bolts/screws . It allows the unit to better read/regulate the battery voltage and react to a load much quicker .

Same deal with starter generator's and their housing/mounting brackets - internal or external tooth lock washers and a solid ground directly to the engine block .

 

If you've ever worked on an older Ford pickup , you'll understand where all that comes from....lol .

 

Sarge

I remember Ford cars and trucks driving by my house in the early 60's. If the tv was on, the picture would get all screwy when it drove by. 

Edited December 31, 2016 by squonk

[rmaynard 14,865]

16 minutes ago, squonk said:

I remember Ford cars and trucks driving by my house in the early 60's. If the tv was on, the picture would get all screwy when it drove by. 

Ha ha. I remember that. My dad drove a Ford and I could always tell when he was pulling in the driveway.

[Sarge 3,462]

That emi issue from the ignitions was the least of their problems . It was just the way they wired them , and the trucks were the worst . Too bad , but easily fixed and some of the toughest trucks ever produced .

Sarge