Batt gauge reads low on 518h but I have 13.5 to 14.2 at full power

[artfull dodger 329]

The battery gauge on my 518 rears in the top edge of the yellow area all the time. I have just over 13vt at idle and high 13's to low 14vt at full throttle, so she is charging. There is only one wire hooked to the gauge, so I am guessing its grounding thru the case. There is a black wire that is broke off from somewhere near that gauge. If I touch it to the terminal that has no wire, it pegs the gauge past full charging. Cant find where this wire goes, if it went to the gauge somewhere or to something else. Anybody got a 518 that can look and see if there are 2 wires going to thier battery charging gauge or take a pic of that general area? Thanks Mike

[artfull dodger 329]

Never mind, when I kept the meter on for a longer period, the VR was cutting in and our. I replaced the VR with a good one, charging good and solid now, watched it for 5 min solid, 14.75 at full power, 13.2 at idle, but gauge still reads low, must be a gauge issue. Mike

[Save Old Iron 1,564]

Good find Mike. The last two gauges I checked from 500 series tractor were off by as much as 1.5 volts low at the upper scale. The only place the gauges agreed with the multimeter was in the 10 - 12 volt range.

Now, what about that loose wire? What's to be done with that ?

[artfull dodger 329]

Its a ground wire according to my multimeter, probably for the battery gauge, doesnt make any differance when I hook it up. I need to find some light bulb sockets as I want to back light the gauges, I will replace the faulty battery gauge. Mike