Can I test the amps from my alternator like this?

[RobertN]

Did you go over all the major wire connections? Make sure they are clean and tight? Not just by looking... That has bit me before. Remove the battery cables at the battery, and the chassis ground, at the starter ect. Make sure each connection is bright and clean. Make sure the cables are not corroding up under the shielding. Check each wire with an ohm meter. Visually check each wire, even if have to open up the wire loom.

95% of the time, that has been the issue I run in to. My Dad was terrible frustrated with his 9N not starting. He took the starter out, thought he needed a new solenoid. I put the starter back in, then took each cable, and wired brushed every connection bright and clean. Hooked it back up, and it started.

It sounds like you have something resistive, generating heat, and pulling current.

Funny, a couple months ago I had a 12V wire problem on my 5th wheel. Worked fine when I parked after a trip a couple months ago. It was 10PM the night before we were supposed to leave on a campout. No lights in the RV. I dinked and dinked and dinked with that thing. Finally, was trying to ohm between a ground and another point, that I could not reach AND hold both probes. My wife cam out to hold one probe on a ground, while I was reaching way inside a storage compartment. She bumped the ground wire, and it sparked.

Shazam! I had done a visual on that connection, but did not disconnect and clean it. 5 minutes later, everything worked great...

I am going to check the tractor again tonight. This time with the lights off to look for arcing. If I don't find any, I am going to take a look the red wire that comes out of the VR and goes to the starter switch/starter solenoid. That is the place that seems to be generating the most amount of heat and then it seems to travel down the red wire and through the VR connector. Then it heats up the VR.

I am wondering if maybe this red wire (which is a larger gauge and apparently is a fusible link that is designed to fail if there is too much current) is not making a good connection and is overheating as a result.

Who knows, it could be anything!!!

 

[jinman]

Hey Smitty! Look what I just found on sale at Harbor Freight. This is the last day of the sale. It's both online and in stores with the coupon. This is what you needed from the very beginning.:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[troutsqueezer]

Guys, don't overlook one simple way to narrow down the problem: Heat.

Place your hand on all components that are supplied power by the regulator. The one that's hotter than normal is the culprit. If only the regulator and wire feeding it is hot, that's the culprit.

No charge for that.

-Trout

 

[rsmith02184]

i have been trying this "feel the heat" method but it gets confusing.

the wires coming out of the alternator are real hot up near the alternator. they are less hot (but still hot) as they enter the voltage regulator.

but the hottest wire is the 1st fusible link after the voltage regulator that goes back to the starter before continuing to the battery. it is getting so hot that the heat is actually backing down the wire and heating up the VR.

i tested the starter and the battery...they are both fine.

what do you think?

 

[Transit]

i have been trying this "feel the heat" method but it gets confusing.

the wires coming out of the alternator are real hot up near the alternator. they are less hot (but still hot) as they enter the voltage regulator.

but the hottest wire is the 1st fusible link after the voltage regulator that goes back to the starter before continuing to the battery. it is getting so hot that the heat is actually backing down the wire and heating up the VR.

i tested the starter and the battery...they are both fine.

what do you think?

Hint, the hotter the wire the more current it carries.
Me? I would have kicked the whole abortion to the curb long ago and replace the alternator with something modern.
How much time, sleepless nights and money do you have invested chasing hot weirs?

 

[Transit]

Yes, that must all be taken into account.

 

[Redneck in training]

i have been trying this "feel the heat" method but it gets confusing.

the wires coming out of the alternator are real hot up near the alternator. they are less hot (but still hot) as they enter the voltage regulator.

but the hottest wire is the 1st fusible link after the voltage regulator that goes back to the starter before continuing to the battery. it is getting so hot that the heat is actually backing down the wire and heating up the VR.

i tested the starter and the battery...they are both fine.

what do you think?

If the wire is hot close to the alternator there a connection causing a voltage drop close to the hot end. I am guessing that you have a pinched wire somewhere in the harness causing high current draw.

 

[SPYDERLK]

If the wire is hot close to the alternator there a connection causing a voltage drop close to the hot end. I am guessing that you have a pinched wire somewhere in the harness causing high current draw.

Maybe just bad crimps. If the connection is as hot or hotter than the adjacent component the crimp has unacceptable resistance, has too much voltage dropped across it and is making heat ... W=IxIxR. Check the Voltage drop across the connector-to-wire junction under load. It should be a few millivolts max with a load of a 5 or so Amps.
larry

 

[Danno1]

.

.....but the hottest wire is the 1st fusible link after the voltage regulator that goes back to the starter before continuing to the battery.....

i tested the starter and the battery...they are both fine.

what do you think?

I'm really grasping at straws here, but try temporarily replacing the fusible link w a piece of batt cable or jumper cable and see if that clears things up.



.

 

[Redneck in training]

I'm really grasping at straws here, but try temporarily replacing the fusible link w a piece of batt cable or jumper cable and see if that clears things up.



.

Since fusible links have larger resistance (In fact they have to be the largest resistance in the wire they protect) they can get hot at high currents. That is normal. The high current is what is not normal. I would look for chaffed or pinched wire somewhere. Also "leaky" user of power (in example wet motor, wet headlamp socket or even the key switch) could cause high current without "electrical smoke". I have seen a switch with carbonized (conductive) plastic causing leakage. It could happen when the plastic insulator gets wet and starts conducting. It could slowly heat up and turn into a black conductive compound.