Cheap Way To Charge Older Diesel Tractors

Cheap Way To Charge Older Diesel Tractors TRACTORS Modifications 28-2-38 "I came up with a way to charge older Deere diesel tractors for less than $100," says Ken Armstrong, Point, Texas. Armstrong came up with the idea for his Deere 730 diesel tractor. The tractor was equipped with a 24-volt system. He used a 24-volt generator and four 6-volt batteries to charge it. "Unfortunately, I knocked out the regulator and couldn't keep one working. I never knew why that happened. The original Deere had a 24-volt system, but part of it was 12-volt negative and part was 12-volt positive. I scrapped the whole thing and started over." An engineer told him he needed a 12-volt alternator equipped with a series parallel switch, but they were either too expensive or too small, so he made a parallel switch out of a 4-prong trailer connector and an old knife switch. He made use of the tractor's original 24-volt starter and a Ford auto alternator borrowed from an old Falcon 30 car and made a heavy duty series parallel switch for it. He also installed a Ford regulator. "I removed the tractor's generator and made a bracket that allows me to hang the alternator in place of the generator," says Armstrong. "I wired the ignition switch and batteries for 12 volts, when the switch is open. When I open the switch and plug in a 4-volt trailer connector, current runs from the alternator to the battery. Closing the switch isolates the alternator and puts it on a 24-volt system. "I think the same idea would work on any 2-cyl. Deere diesel tractor, and maybe on other tractor brands, too." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ken Armstrong, Box 340, Point, Texas 75472 (ph 903 598-2855).

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