Sunday, November 20, 2011

Install Alternator on Antique Tractor

After fighting a low battery almost every time I went to start my Power King I decided to see what it would take to install an alternator on the tractor.  I found a used Delco alternator and started figuring out how to rig it to the tractor.  At first I had a link belt on the alternator, but after a year it started coming apart.  On this tractor it is neccessary to pull the engine and cluch in order to install a belt on the middle pulleys.  The middle cluch pulley assembly has (3) pulleys to use for different equipment.  One of my pulleys is used to drive the hydraulic pump.  I am using the other for the alternator leaving the other for what every else I may need to drive in the future. 






My Dad had tried installing one in the past and had already built a bracket that was almost in the right location.  I searched the Internet to find instructions on how to install an alternator on an antique tractor and did not come up with much. So I figured it out my self.  My alternator is a self exciting alternator, which means that I have to get the engine RPM's up pretty high before it begins creating a charge to the system.  After you excite it on start up you can throttle down and the alternator will continue to work.  As I begin re-wiring the tractor, I will detail how and why I hooked it up.  I will try to make some videos demonstrating how the charging system works.



This is an updated wiring diagram of how I hooked up my electrical system to work with the Delco Alternator.  I went to my local Radio Shack store and got a few Rectifying Diodes that worked great.

1 comment:

  1. I bought a 78, and would like to find where I can buy hydraulics for it. Would also like to find pictures of other Power King Economy tractors. Don't know all that much about them, but I think I can install a 420 13 h.p. Predator engine with key start. One video said it puts out about 20 amps, which should easily start it. The demo showed it starting quickly with a little choke. The 212 predator I have starts with one pull after sitting for a week or so. They say the 212 is a Honda knock off, but the guy at Harbor freight says the 420 is made by Briggs and Stratton.

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