Well I got my stator back in the motor and motor back in the tractor yesterday. The wires coming off the stator weren't in a plug so we inserted the ends into the plug that plugs into the other harness. We weren't sure which way the two bottom wires went and when I hooked up the battery the voltage regulator got real hot and blew the fuse on it. We switched the wires in the plug coming from the stator and it no longer gets hot but now it's only putting out about 11.5 volts to the battery. It also won't turn over unless I tap on the regulator. Are all signs pointing to the regulator being burnt up? Would the switched wires cause this?
140 electrical issues. Charging system
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I had to remove the wires from the plastic plug to get those 2 wires thru the hole in the bearing plate. From what Ive read on WFM over the years it doesn't matter which wire goes in either spot. I do not have any experience with non charging stators, Yet!
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I'm just going from memory here, (which sometimes is not all that great) but the stator should put out something like 26 volts AC. The voltage rectifier should change that to something like 13 to 16 volts DC, depending on engine RPM. The two outside pins on the voltage regulator are the AC from the stator, the inside pin and the frame ground are the DC side of the circuit to the battery. So the 11.5 volts you read are probably just battery voltage. You may want to read your voltage right at the regulator connector before you dig too far.
Steve
Steve
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Josh, from reading your first post, I'm going to assume the engine was not running? For the fuse to blow, it'd have to be pulling too much current. I suppose a shorted diode in the regulator could cause it. I also think (maybe) that you could short a couple of diodes in the regulator, which might allow battery current to flow thru the regulator, thru the stator, and back to the battery. Frankly I think that's a bit unlikely.
Really, this all just guess work, electrical trouble shooting is kinda hard to do via email. I guess if it was me, I'd unplug the 3 wire connector from the regulator, make sure there was resistance between the 2 outside wires, no shorts or grounds. I can't remember what the resistance should be, but it's been posted on here many times. On the DC side of the circuit, I'd make sure the battery was hooked up right, and no grounds on the positive cable (unhooked from the battery) when the 3 plug connector is removed from the regulator. Reversed polarity on the battery could blow the voltage regulator.
I hope these thoughts may be of some help, Steve
Really, this all just guess work, electrical trouble shooting is kinda hard to do via email. I guess if it was me, I'd unplug the 3 wire connector from the regulator, make sure there was resistance between the 2 outside wires, no shorts or grounds. I can't remember what the resistance should be, but it's been posted on here many times. On the DC side of the circuit, I'd make sure the battery was hooked up right, and no grounds on the positive cable (unhooked from the battery) when the 3 plug connector is removed from the regulator. Reversed polarity on the battery could blow the voltage regulator.
I hope these thoughts may be of some help, Steve
Well I'm pretty sure I got it figured out. The wiring diagram in the service manual was my ticket. The wiring was mostly all wrong. The worst thing I think was they had one of the outside wires that goes in the three wire plug into the regulator in the middle hole. And the middle wire in one of the outside holes goin somewhere behind the dash. I got everything temp wired up to make sure I had it right and tomorrow all the old is getting cut out and rewired the right way. I also needed a regulator and order it just now.
More bad news. Got the new regulator in still isn't charging. Only putting out about 11.5 volts. When I put test light on middle prong in plug hooked up to regulator with the key on the test light lights up. Doesn't this mean regulator is bad? It's a brand new regulator without the fuse. It looks like all the ones on eBay just I got it from amazon.
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Josh, with the engine running, you should see 13 to 16 volts AC on the two outside prongs. From the middle prong to the frame, you should see about the same voltage, only it will be DC. What you may be seeing is the DC voltage coming back from the battery via the switch. So the regulator may not be bad. What you really need is a cheap voltmeter, so you can see what the voltage is going into the regulator. Then you'll know where the problem is.
Steve
Steve
I was using my buddy's Mac tools multimeter and we think it's time to throw it in the trash. Couldn't ever get a good reading with it. So I got a new one at lowes. Local kohler dealer tested the regulator and he said its good. I guess next step is to check and make sure power is going through ignition switch and not stopping there. Can I run a wire from middle post on regulator to see if it charges there? That way I'll know it's somewhere else between. If so would wore get hooked to pos terminal on battery?
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Josh -
Step 1 . Test stator output A/C with disconnected leads at rect./reg. and meter set at proper range . Need to see a minimum 29-31 volts at wide open throttle . If Yes > Check all connections at voltage regulator and battery , fuses/breaker , ground at frame.., etc. The D/C (Bat.+) connector at regulator/rectifier MUST see battery (system) voltage over approx. 8 V/DC to turn the thing on . Voltage over pre-set (approx.)13.6-14.3 turns it off . Easy to check these things with the volt-meter set on proper aspect and range .
Dave
Step 1 . Test stator output A/C with disconnected leads at rect./reg. and meter set at proper range . Need to see a minimum 29-31 volts at wide open throttle . If Yes > Check all connections at voltage regulator and battery , fuses/breaker , ground at frame.., etc. The D/C (Bat.+) connector at regulator/rectifier MUST see battery (system) voltage over approx. 8 V/DC to turn the thing on . Voltage over pre-set (approx.)13.6-14.3 turns it off . Easy to check these things with the volt-meter set on proper aspect and range .
Dave
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Josh, if I remember right, you said you were seeing voltage (11.5 volts) at the middle prong on the regulator. I'm pretty sure thats battery voltage feeding back from the battery. You need to do what David suggested, measure the AC voltage on the two outside prongs on the regulator plug. That will tell you if the stator is working. After you verify that, then we can step on thru the rest of the circuit. If the regulator tested out ok per the kohler dealer, then my gut feeling is that the stator is not putting out charging current.
Steve
Steve
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Yea, with 28 volts coming off the stator, you should be seeing 14 volts going to the battery. I believe you wrote that the regulator is the newer style without the fuse. So that rules out the fuse causing problems. All the battery output (except for the starter circuit) goes thru the Ammeter. If the battery was charging, the Ammeter would show a + charge. if the battery was not charging (thus discharging) the Ammeter would show a - discharge. Thats the last thing I can think to look at. I hate to think that a new regulator would be bad, but such things do happen.
Ok so I fiddled around with the volt meter on the tractor this evening. I tested each stator wire seperately instead of putting both leads on at same time. Hooked pos leave to one stator wire and other lead to a ground. One wire was giving me. 28 volts the other was 0. Is this normal?
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