Alternator is Fried on the 1850

[Bob999]

All that you said is a lot of work. How difficult is it to take the alternator to a place that can check the alternator . If the alternator is bad, it just might fry the new regulator, and compound your problems. Since your machine is a diesel, you probably only need the battery to start it. With no charging source, you might get 4 or 5 starts out of a fully charged battery.

Don't forget the hydraulic cooling fan is part of the running electrical load. I suspect it pulls between 10 and 20 amps on an 1850. I suspect that not keeping that running in any situation where the PTO is used is likely to cause significant problems.

 

[RegL]

Don't forget the hydraulic cooling fan is part of the running electrical load. I suspect it pulls between 10 and 20 amps on an 1850. I suspect that not keeping that running in any situation where the PTO is used is likely to cause significant problems.

I don't know where altavista is located, but here in Connecticut, I unplug the cooling fan now and won't reconnect it until next spring. I find I don't need to cool the hydraulics in the Winter. I've gone through a couple thermostats, so now I just run the fan constantly in the Summer and unplug it in the Winter.

 

[Bob999]

I don't know where altavista is located, but here in Connecticut, I unplug the cooling fan now and won't reconnect it until next spring. I find I don't need to cool the hydraulics in the Winter. I've gone through a couple thermostats, so now I just run the fan constantly in the Summer and unplug it in the Winter.

Do you use PTO powered attachments in the winter? My experience is that if I do not use a PTO powered attachment hydraulic fluid temperature is not an issue.

 

[MossRoad]

Do you use PTO powered attachments in the winter? My experience is that if I do not use a PTO powered attachment hydraulic fluid temperature is not an issue.

After 20 minutes of hard plowing my cooling fan will come on, even on the coldest of days.

 

[BobRip]

The fan on the 422 pulls about 5 amps. I don't know about the 1850 of course. It seem to me that you can take an alternator into Advanced Auto Parts and they will test if for you.

 

[AltavistaLawn]

JJ,
I'm not sure if Advance could check this alternbator or not, it might not hook up to their mount. Unfortunately the closest alternator rebuild shop is is in Roanoke, about an hour away.

We used it today, and it did fine, cranked up three times. Tomorrow we will bring a jump box to get it going in the morning.

 

[Beechwood]

JJ,
I'm not sure if Advance could check this alternbator or not, it might not hook up to their mount. Unfortunately the closest alternator rebuild shop is is in Roanoke, about an hour away.

We used it today, and it did fine, cranked up three times. Tomorrow we will bring a jump box to get it going in the morning.

Are you south of Roanoke Va.? If you are why don't you call PT and set up a date and time for them to check the problem and get it fixed.You can't be too far from Tazewell Va. Is your machine still under warranty?

 

[AltavistaLawn]

Are you south of Roanoke Va.? If you are why don't you call PT and set up a date and time for them to check the problem and get it fixed.You can't be too far from Tazewell Va. Is your machine still under warranty?

No I'm east of Roanoke, so Tazewell is about 3 hours away. I think the PT is out of warranty. Deutz won't warrantee anything, they will charge u, then take the old part back, and if they find it defective then they will reimburse you.

 

[J_J]

No I'm east of Roanoke, so Tazewell is about 3 hours away. I think the PT is out of warranty. Deutz won't warrantee anything, they will charge u, then take the old part back, and if they find it defective then they will reimburse you.

Do you have a maintenance man taking care of your equipment, or do you try and fix every thing yourself?

If you don't get that alternator tested, at a shop, or with a volt meter, which can cost 5 o 10 bucks, you might compound your problems. Those regulators are not cheap.

That alternator could be a one wire alternator, using a built in regulator, or external regulator, or an alternator feeding ac voltage to a rectifier/regulator. You have to know these things to properly diagnose the situation.

A hydraulic gage, and a volt meter are things one should have with a machine like a PT. An amp meter is also useful, and a good volt -amp-ohms meter will check current up to about 10 amps.

 

[BobRip]

Do you have a maintenance man taking care of your equipment, or do you try and fix every thing yourself?

If you don't get that alternator tested, at a shop, or with a volt meter, which can cost 5 o 10 bucks, you might compound your problems. Those regulators are not cheap.

That alternator could be a one wire alternator, using a built in regulator, or external regulator, or an alternator feeding ac voltage to a rectifier/regulator. You have to know these things to properly diagnose the situation.

A hydraulic gage, and a volt meter are things one should have with a machine like a PT. An amp meter is also useful, and a good volt -amp-ohms meter will check current up to about 10 amps.

I agree with J_J, you need at least a voltmeter to test an electrical system and the knowledge to use it. The other instruments are also good to have. I have been trying to diagnosis this from a distance, but it is not a good idea. The first test with the nose of a burned smell is good indication and points to the alternator. It would be nice to know what caused the alternator to fail. Sometimes they just fail, sometimes there are external causes.

 

[AltavistaLawn]

I need a fully equiped shop with many tools for this piece of junk.

By by passing the generator, its running fine. We've probably run it around 5 or 6 hours.

 

[J_J]

Is this an alternator, or a generator that we are talking about? If it is an alternator, give me the number off the alternator, and I will do some research.

 

[AltavistaLawn]

JJ, Its called a generator by their book..but its integrated into the cooling fan on the Deutz, so it doesn't look like anything I've ever seen before, it has a small square piece which is removable, this is the regulator and brushes assmbly. All the other electronic components aren't replaceable. It looks like a big fan with wires and electronics integrated into it.

When running, it pull all the dirt and moister thru all these electronics. If the regulator kit doesn't fix it, I think we can hook up a chev. alternator to it where the idler pully is for the belt.

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

AVLawn: Although the book says generator, I suspect it's an AC generator, and probably the removable pack has the rectifier diodes on it. I haven't had a problem with mine, so don't know for sure. Fried diodes are a fairly common failure.
I know you've probably checked, but if not, one area I've had some problems with is the wiring, particularly in the main junction box and behind the dash panel. Short wires have caused tension on the 1/4" spade connectors. A bad connection can masquerade as a lot of things. A number of us, for instance, have had balky starters due to high resistance at the spade connectors in the circuit, causing them to lose clamping force and intermittently open up. I have a new one to chase, which shows a good circuit with a digital meter, because of low amps, but intermittently opens with more load.
Some new ends in the alternator circuit (at starter switch and in box?) and even a short extension where a wire is tight may be good diagnostic steps.
Good luck and keep us posted on what you find.

 

[Gravy]

AVLawn,

Since you've got a pulley to work with, the Delco alternator idea sounds like a great solution. Once you get it adapted, you should be set. Even if you have to replace it once a year, so what? They are really cheap and you can just about buy them at convenience stores.

I'm really hoping that you can get these problems worked out. I'm aware of the limitations and deficiencies of my 425, but as far as I can tell, there is literally nothing else on the market that could replace it for a price I can afford. I've learned not to compare it to the generic machines produced by the big names. It's more like a product from the garage of a somewhat eccentric genius fabricator. It's got quirks and issues, but nothing else on the market can touch it for the price.

I'll be busy with a project in the DC area for the next few weeks, but sometime after that I will probably be getting into the AV area every now and then. If we can match up schedules, I'd be glad to take a look and try to come up with some solutions.

Gravy

 

[AltavistaLawn]

Thanks guys. I appreciate all the help. The new regulator hasn't came yet, we're cycling a deep cycle batt (I stole from my skid sprayer) for now.

 

[J_J]

That generator term may be a play on words. If that mechanical device develops alternating current, it is an alternator. The voltage from an alternator is AC, and must be rectified to produce DC current to charge the battery. There should be three wires coming into the rectifier, which has four diodes set up as a full wave bridge rectifier. Two of the wires should be AC, and one ground. There is also some kind of regulating circuit in the rectifier/regulator to prevent over charging. As I said before, some alternator have a built in regulator/rectifier, and is simply called a one wire alternator. If this helps, great. If it doesn't, just ignore it. It maybe more than anyone wants to know.