Alternator?

[dhattaway]

Good news on this one! I went to the dealer and they were able to help me out. Problem solved! These guys are great. Anybody in North Georgia, I highly recommend Georgia Land Equipment in Cumming, GA.

 

[ericm979]

Was it a total replacement or did they repair it?

 

[richied2003]

Hi please elaborate on what they did. I have a 2015 4520c thats putting out 20v at the battery. Not sure if there is a voltage regulator or if its inside the alternator.

thanks!

 

[Grumpycat]

Hi please elaborate on what they did. I have a 2015 4520c thats putting out 20v at the battery. Not sure if there is a voltage regulator or if its inside the alternator.

thanks!

What we call a "modern alternator" (vs generator) has a self-contained regulator which controls the current in field windings to limit power output.

Generators spin wire-wound coils (rotor) inside permanent magnets. Power output increases the faster the rotor turns. A brute force external regulator is used to discard the excess. Engine HP used to produce the excess electric power is also lost.

Modern alternators are most correctly called "excited field alternators". Permanent magnets replaced by electromagnets. DC field current from the battery running through coils to produce the magnetic field in which the rotor spins to produce electricity. The elegance of this design is how the DC field current (usually 1/50th of the alternator's output) can be regulated to control the alternator output. The alternator never produces more than needed. The alternator only loads the engine according to your electric power needs.

Diesel-electric locomotives use the same excited field alternator to control speed. Diesel drives alternator. Engineer controls current in the field to control how much power is generated and fed to the traction motors. Gear drive is more efficient but could you imagine having to use a clutch to get a train moving? And then how many gear ratios in your transmission?

 

[richied2003]

So it’s looking like an alternator replacement then. $442 from one place just for the part. Anyone know if alternator is repairable

 

[dhattaway]

Hi please elaborate on what they did. I have a 2015 4520c thats putting out 20v at the battery. Not sure if there is a voltage regulator or if its inside the alternator.

thanks!

Sorry, I wasn't paying attention for a little while.

We worked out an arrangement for a replacement.

 

[Grumpycat]

So it’s looking like an alternator replacement then. $442 from one place just for the part. Anyone know if alternator is repairable

I find it fantastic to believe someone cast a custom alternator with mounting points unlike any other just for a few tractors.

Don't know where one would find a table to alternator dimensions to compare yours to interchange with something more available. Might be easier to build a new mounting bracket for a commonly available alternator.

 

[dhattaway]

So it’s looking like an alternator replacement then. $442 from one place just for the part. Anyone know if alternator is repairable

I would think your best bet would be to take the alternator to an auto electric shop to see if they can repair it. If so, I would think that would be much cheaper than replacement.

 

[denjen]

Good news on this one! I went to the dealer and they were able to help me out. Problem solved! These guys are great. Anybody in North Georgia, I highly recommend Georgia Land Equipment in Cumming, GA.

Just wanted to say Rich and team have been fantastic to work with me on my tractor!

 

[richied2003]

I'm chasing alternator problems on mine...also a 4520C, 2015 model year. Mine hits 20v, the alternator tests fine at a repair shop I found. There isno tractor indication of trouble, I found it when the tractor needed a jump and I started measuring voltage at the battery. There should be a single wire connection on the back that is for the tachometer I think, I don't see it in your pic. Did you measure the battery terminal voltage while running?