School me on how an ammeter works

   / School me on how an ammeter works #32  
I do know how load tester work, you probably have a poor comprehension of my "voltmeter" comment....
No, but I do have 7 batteries you could buy before they go to the interstate truck.

An installed ammeter and load tester work the same way.
 
   / School me on how an ammeter works
  • Thread Starter
#33  
So I cut a field yesterday and looked at the meter every now & then.

After I started the tractor, the meter was on the "C" side of zero. We'll call it showing 1 1/2 hash marks to the positive.

I'm presuming it's telling me now that the alternator is putting out some juice to recharge the batteries from starting the machine.

Later on, the same meter was just barely over zero (having come "down" from the 1 1/2 hash mark)

I turned all six lights on and the needle barely moved, if at all. (before it would easily and visibly drop a bit)

I never did see it on the "D" side of the center point.

I'm guessing that when I put a new belt on, the belt must have stretched a bit pretty quickly and some dummy never double checked it.

So I've probably gone a year with a sloppy belt but that was still tight enough to keep things cool (keep the fan and water pump moving) until recently. When worked hard, the temps would climb.

Checked belt, VERY loose, tightened it and now the ammeter seems to be working correctly AND yesterday in some afternoon heat, I spent 10 gallons cutting a field and the temp gauge never got above 50% hash mark even screaming along at pto speed all day.

Amazing what a stupid little belt can do to you.
 
   / School me on how an ammeter works #34  
It is not very often I have saw them in tractors, but this was one of the reasons they started using tensioner pulleys on belts in automobiles.

Using a fixed tension system results in belts lasting longer, but they are worth being checked after a heavy work session or when temperatures get pretty high for new belts as the rubber stretches to its reinforcement fiber length.
 
   / School me on how an ammeter works #35  
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   / School me on how an ammeter works #36  
But the automotive world has gone primarily to serpentine belts, total different technology from how V belts are applied....

And for those who want some insight about batteries and charging...

That is true. Vehicles with A/C normally use a serpentine with a spring tensioner. High horsepower use cog belts, bare bones cars still use the old vbelts or you will find an oddball with an asymmetrical/torque belt.

However, for tractors I have only ever personally saw vbelts or cog belts.
 

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