1500D Modifications

[damammel]

Hi All,

New to the site although I've been reading the Yanmar posts for a while. I wanted to say hi and share a few modifications that I have done to my 1500D. I now have a 105 amp alternator on the tractor. This allows me to run the 55 watt off road bulbs that I have installed in the factory Yanmar headlights. I was able to do that with only a 5/8 washer in each light and a relay. I don't know if this has been done before but I had not seen it during all my other Yanmar searches.

I do have a VN recon tractor which I knew when I purchased it but there is not much else up in the New England area for Yanmars. I have hit some snags along the way with parts that don't match such as the fuel filter and the hub seals for the front wheels. I did find grease in the front end which was fun when I took it all apart.

Great site and always good info.

Derek

 

[284 International]

Those are interesting modifications to your machine. For those who may like to try this, is there any way you could post what make/model or part number you used for your alternator? What you did for a mounting bracket, what bulb number/source, the difficulty of mounting/aligning the alternator and so forth would be handy for those who may want to try it.

How do you compare the power of the lights? Is it an improvement? It's not exactly the same, but I've tried putting an aftermarket HID bulb into the headlight assembly of my KTM dirtbike. The reflector wasn't compatible with the luminous arc's shape, so my visibility was actually worse than with the stock bulb. I'm interested to hear how the headlights are after basically tripling their wattage.

Good job, and welcome to the forum. :thumbsup:

 

[Scotty Dive]

Cool....looks like you added an alternator and kept the Dynamo. I was thinking of doing that too. Did you run a one wire alternator? Part numbers would be helpful. I also have a vn and I am in CT. Where are you located?

 

[damammel]

Here's some of the info. I'll try to remember everything. I've put about 70 hours on the tractor since the modifications.

First the alternator. I used one from a 96 chevy suburban. The clocking of the alternator was correct and yes it is a single wire. The wire is from a chevy harness and runs to a LED with a resistor in it from Radio Shack. I probably could have uses a resistor only but now I have a charge lamp on the dash. Although the LED stays on dim while the alternator is charging. Can't see it during the day. My other wire is also from a Chevy harness. It is the OE wire the was used for the alternator and has the fusible link inline. I only shortened it and installed a new eyelet. The wire runs to the starter.

The install took some figuring. I used alternator brackets from a Saab and a VW because they were in the shop. Plus they have bushings built into the bracket. One was cut to length. The other was cut and welded to mount to the exhaust stud. I replaced the stud with a longer one. Don't remember the exact length. I also installed a idler pulley from tractor supply. It was the smallest flat pulley they had. I used round busing material from the local hardware store and longer 10.9 metric bolts. The bolts were not cheap but I did not want them to snap off inside the cover.

I hope this all makes sense. I had thought of making a kit to sell but I have not gotten around to it.

284: The lights have worked great. I was mistaken about the wattage. I think they are 55w. It is an improvement on the original and I can get them at any part store. I will take them apart today and show how the bulb is installed.

Scotty: I'm in sterling on the RI line.

I will post the lights next with some better pics.

 

[Neat 1500]

i have considered doing this type of mod, it looks like it fits there perfectly. i also have a 1500, i find my factory headlights work extremely well for small lamps. when i fit a rear light to mine then i will do the alternator but for now it just needs a new battery ( ahh winter, batteries just love the cold....not)

 

[Scotty Dive]

I have to admit I am a little confused.....So with your existing dynamo - is that still hooked up electrically and if so, do you have a dash light for that?

As for the alternator - I thought with a one wire, the charging wire went back to the battery. I was just wondering what is the correct way to do it. So you have a wire going to an LED...Does that glow bright when you have a charging issue?

 

[damammel]

i have considered doing this type of mod, it looks like it fits there perfectly. i also have a 1500, i find my factory headlights work extremely well for small lamps. when i fit a rear light to mine then i will do the alternator but for now it just needs a new battery ( ahh winter, batteries just love the cold....not)

Hi Neat 1500. I found my original lights worked ok but I had one low and one high beam out. At the time I decided that I wanted something that I could purchase locally. The front bulbs are actually 100w. I just recently installed a set of lights on the rear. They are great. I have them on a separate switch and use them when I'm loading the fire wood in the cart or scrapping the horse turnout late at night. Yea I know about keeping the batteries charged. I have a battery tender installed on the tractor and keep tenders on my motorcycle and mower.

 

[damammel]

I have to admit I am a little confused.....So with your existing dynamo - is that still hooked up electrically and if so, do you have a dash light for that?

As for the alternator - I thought with a one wire, the charging wire went back to the battery. I was just wondering what is the correct way to do it. So you have a wire going to an LED...Does that glow bright when you have a charging issue?

All the dynamo is now is a pulley for the fan. The wires are disconnected. I removed the original dash light long ago when the gauges were installed. The new light is now on the lower part of the dash (see pic).

Looking at the wiring schematics for the Suburban, the factory wire runs from the alternator to the starter. The light does glow bright when the alternator is not charging.

Key Off

Key on Engine off

 

[Car Doc]

Although the LED stays on dim while the alternator is charging.

A regular bulb wouldn't glow once the engine was running fwtw it wouldn't be as neat and clean though nice work btw! :thumbsup:

The one wire should be in the key on position from the ign switch and go thru the bulb and then to the alt. It is the sensing wire and does not require more than a volt to excite the alternator and once its "on" (you could pull the wire off it will still charge wont be regulated properly though) the alternator is self exciting until it quits rotating and there fore the bulb isn't in a path to ground thru the field coils and the voltage equals and thats why it goes out once the alt starts charging over battery voltage.

 

[damammel]

A regular bulb wouldn't glow once the engine was running fwtw it wouldn't be as neat and clean though nice work btw! :thumbsup:

Thanks Car Doc. Yep, that's why I used the LED. It made for a clean install and I have a charge light. It's so dim when the engine is running that I never notice it.