TRACTOR ELECTRICAL

SYSTEM
Farm Machinery Fact Sheet FM-29

By Dr. Von H. Jarrett, Extension Agricultural Engineer

When electrical trouble is experienced in any circuit it is advisable to start with the battery.

Battery

1. A visual inspection and a few quick electrical checks with a voltmeter, ampmeter,
ohmmeter and hydrometer will reveal the condition of the power source.

2. The battery posts and cables must be clean and free of deposits.

3. The use of undersize batteries will result in poor performance or early failure. A new
battery should be at least of equal ampere-hour rating to the original battery.

4. A 12-volt dry charged battery needs to be activated with electrolytes at a temperature

5. Always install a battery with the same positive and negative posts in proper position.
Hold down bolts should be tight to prevent movement and damage to the battery case.

6. The ground strap should be connected last to prevent arcing. A coating of spray-on
battery corrosion preventative, petroleum jelly or grease should be applied to post and
cable clamps.

7. For batteries which have discharged and require charging, a slow charge is best.
(Example, 4-amps for 24 hours is better than 50 amps for 1 ½ hours.) This is for a 100
amp/hour capacity battery.

8. When checking a battery with a hydrometer the temperature of the electrolyte should
be considered.

9. When reading a hydrometer the barrel must be held vertically and just the right
amount of acid be drawn up into the barrel to float the tube freely.

10. The following table illustrates the specific gravity for a cell in various stages of charge
to crank an engine at 80 degrees F.
 1.280 Specific Gravity 100% charged
1.220 " " 50% charged
1.190 " " 25% charged
1.160 " " very little good
1.130 " " discharged

11. Pouring acid into a discharged battery will cause early failure.

Generator

The generator supplies electricity when driven mechanically by the engine. It should
supply current to the battery, to keep it in a charged condition and to any connected electrical
load. However, the regulator and the wiring has its part to play in the system. If the ampmeter
gauge is working properly on the tractor it should indicate the charging rate.

1. A system that has an overcharge will require excessive water usage and a high
ampmeter indication.

2. Check visually the wiring connections and make sure they are clean and tight. Repair
or replace wires that are faulty or bare on insulation.

3. Periodically check the fan belt for wear, glazing, or bottoming on the pulley.

4. Hold generator pulley with fingers and feel for side play and freeness of rotation to
determine condition of bearings.

5. Each bearing has grease supply which eliminates the need for periodic lubrication.

6. If in doubt of proper operation the alternator may be taken off and put on a test stand
to check diodes, starter and rotor.

7. When connecting a booster battery, connect negative posts together and positive posts
together. If leads are hooked wrong the diodes can be damaged. When you have
sparks and high flow current there is danger of the wiring harness being burned.

8. Do not short across or ground any of the terminals on the regulator. An attempt to
polarize an alternator can cause damage to the diodes, wiring harness and other
components.

9. Complaints or troubles involving the charging circuit are either overcharging or

10. An undercharged battery or one that “runs down” is the fault of a short, heavy usage,
or faulty battery.

Voltage Regulator

1. The regulator has a battery, generator, and field terminal. The operation or rate of
charge is controlled by the cutout relay. The cutout is a magnetically operated switch
that controls the flow or current.
2. Care must be exercised when cleaning points. Some points are soft and some very
hard, requiring different methods. All oxides should be removed so the pure metal is
exposed, although it is not necessary to file the surface perfectly flat.

3. Contact points may be cleaned with a strip of 400 silicon carbide paper and then
cleaned with a strip of trichlorethylene paper to remove foreign material.

4. Never use emery cloth or sandpaper to clean contact points.

Cranking Circuits

The cranking motor converts electrical energy from the battery into mechanical energy
which is used to crank the tractor engine for starting.

1. The cranking circuit consists of a battery, cranking motor, wiring and control switches.

2. The solenoid switch engages the pinion gear to mesh with the engine flywheel and
reverse the process after the engine has started.

3. No periodic lubrication is needed and the cranking motor will have to be disassembled
to inspect brushes and bearings.

4. The wiring circuit to the starting motor must have tight fittings and proper size wire to
carry current due to high energy demands during cranking.

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