Appreciate the feedback.
I am not close to the tractor right now. I understand today starting out battery showed around 12.8 not running. At 1800 RPM showing around 16.5. After hours of bush hogging light came on. Little later when back around volt meter with charge light on and tractor running meter showed 12.4. That tells me at that time it wasn’t charging.
I believe there is both a regulator and a generator and the generator handles the charging. I believe the other light, oil pressure, also came on and began to flicker at idle.
Any of this point to anything or still possibly a ground connection issue?
OK. Well, that's new info you and yes it does change things. Glad you were able to get that measurement. 12.4 volts tells us that the battery is probably good and that it hasn't been getting the charge it was expecting. The fact that it happened after some use and heat is good info - but I'm not sure quite what to do with it until we have a bit more information.
There are two possible culprits that are real heat sensitive and both are in the generator or alternator (which one do you have?) they are NOT in the Voltage Regulator. I'm going there because what you are describing makes me think generator/alternator instead of voltage regulator.
If your old Ford has a generator, then heat after a few hours causes the pick up brushes in the generator to begin to bounce on the commutator which results in a lower voltage with an AC component. That type electricity won't charge the battery.
If your old Ford has an alternator, same problem, but in an alternator it is likely that heat affects the diode plate and causes a diode to pass current both ways.That also lets an AC signal through instead of converting it to DC. The battery cannot use AC for charging.
Both of these are relatively easy fixes if you want to keep the tractor near stock. This is when I'd take the generator or alternator down to the auto electric shop for a test and a rebuild. Rebuild your good old one. It is far better to rebuild the old one than than to buy some cheap chinese rebuilt one.
However, a workable alternative is to just scrap the old generator and voltage regulator both and replace them with any one of a dozen new one-wire combination alternator with VR built in. You simply choose one that will bolt up to your esisting mount and drive with your existing fan belt. Size it roughly the same. The single output wire goes to your battery. And you are done.
Ive heard that Datsun and Toyota single wire one-wire alternators are good ones and inexpensive. Sorry I don't have a part number. Maybe someone else has done this to their Ford.
Or just rebuild the old one. It has experience..... Oh, on the grounding. Probably not the problem, but anyone with good sense stays on top on grounding issues. They are always the number 1 culprit.
luck,
rScotty
