'52 8N- Previous owners bad 12 volt conversion is biting me bad.

[ben2go]

I'm considering making a video about this and how I rectified it. I bought my tractor with the 12 volt conversion already done. I took a quick look, and at first glance, it seemed ok. The wiring has been patched and cut back a lot, but that's nothing I can't repair. The tractor was running like a champ until this past Thursday. I went to start it up, to move it, and the battery was flat. Charged it up, it popped right off and purred. I noticed the brand new ammeter was at zero. I bumped the throttle up, nothing. Bumped it all the way up to max rpm, still nothing. I yanked the alternator off. I took it across town to a fellow I know that does auto and equipment electrical work. He checked the alternator and it wasn't a true one wire alternator. The PO had put on a three wire and plugged off the place where the two wire connector goes on the side. One of those wires is the field wire to start the alternator charging. Bruce popped in a true one wire regulator and tested it. Bingo! 14.7 volts. He tested it three times to be sure. When I got back home, I looked at the tractor better. The PO pulled off all the generator brackets. He hacked to together and welded up a knock off of one of the popular 12V conversion kit brackets. He made it out of steel that is thinner than the conversion brackets. I noticed the alternator seemed to vibrate and move way more than it should. Once I started reassembling the alternator, I noticed the alternator groove was about a quarter inch ahead of the engine fan pulley and crankshaft pulley. Not only did he design the brackets out weak materials, he installed the alternator on the wrong side of the brackets. To compensate he used a belt that is slightly thinner than a half inch. The belt tracks almost straight with a little deflection at the alternator. It works but it's scary how much that belt dances and how much the alternator wiggles around. My electrical system is shot and has been cut back so much that I think I'm just going to replace everything, wiring wise. My idea is to make a few videos about correcting the 12 volt alternator conversion, rewiring the tractor, correcting some ignition issues, and adding head lights/tail lights. I will be driving this tractor on the road at times and it may make a few parade appearances.

 

[EdGooding]

If you want to replace the bracket, you can use this:

 

[ben2go]

If you want to replace the bracket, you can use this:

Thanks. I'm going to try and adjust the brackets that the PO made and get the proper 5/8 inch thick belt. If everything runs true, I think it may work. If not, I'm going to buy the brackets sold for the conversion kits. All of the original generator brackets have been removed. The brackets I originally wanted mounted to the original generator brackets and are very strong compared to what I have.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

following, one day i hope to restore my grandfathers 8N which is still 6v.

 

[ben2go]

following, one day i hope to restore my grandfathers 8N which is still 6v.

There's a lot of good videos on youtube about doing the 12 volt conversion. If mine was 6 volt positive ground, I would have left it alone, unless there was problems I couldn't over come.

 

[wolc123]

There's a lot of good videos on youtube about doing the 12 volt conversion. If mine was 6 volt positive ground, I would have left it alone, unless there was problems I couldn't over come.

If I were shopping for an 8n, I’d be looking for one that was still 6 volts and started good cold. That way, you know you have an engine with good compression.

Back in the day, many 12 volt conversions were done, as a “quick fix”, so that a worn-down engine could still be started.

The engine is so tight on my 2300 hour 1951 8n, that it starts very good on an 18 year old 6 volt battery, that I can only charge up to 5 volts.

When and if that old 6 volt battery no longer cranks it over, I am going to get a new 8 volt battery, and hope for the best.

The hanging needle-nose vise grip holds the choke closed slightly. It has always ran better like that, since I put a new aftermarket carburetor on it, about 20 years ago.

 

[EdGooding]

When and if that old 6 volt battery no longer cranks it over, I am going to get a new 8 volt battery, and hope for the best.

If you cannot tweak your voltage regulator to charge an 8v battery you will constantly run it undercharged, so you may as well get another 6v or convert it to 12v in my opinion.

 

[John0829]

8 volt batteries are just a band aid, fix it or convert as Ed stated.

 

[LouNY]

Lots of 8 volt batteries were used on 6 volt systems back when they were fairly new and common. The six volt systems were just barely adequate when new.
I would not consider an 8 volt a bandaid it is a good way to keep a 6 volt system up and running good.
The 12 Volt conversions are just that much better then the anemic 6 volt systems ever thought of being.
That being said the 6 volt were a good step ahead of the hand cranked, magneto fired engines.

 

[EdGooding]

Lots of 8 volt batteries were used on 6 volt systems back when they were fairly new and common. The six volt systems were just barely adequate when new.
I would not consider an 8 volt a bandaid it is a good way to keep a 6 volt system up and running good.
The 12 Volt conversions are just that much better then the anemic 6 volt systems ever thought of being.
That being said the 6 volt were a good step ahead of the hand cranked, magneto fired engines.

Unless you modify your voltage regulator, you cannot keep your 8v battery charged to 8v (you really need to charge at 9+ for an 8v) - 7.2 or 7.3 at most. Plus, 8v batteries have gotten pricey because they don't sell many of them. Personally, I would go all the way to 12v if I did not want to keep my 8N original. The one-wire alternators make conversion pretty simple and upgrading to a 12v coil relieves you of having to worry about adding a resistor.