ALTERNATOR LIGHT COMES ON SOMETIMES

wanasrx · Nov 28, 2010

My alternator light (lightning bolt) comes on sometimes. It's timing is pretty consistent when it does come on. I've also noticed the headlight brightness pulses regularly. Would this be a voltage regulator problem?
Thank you
Rich

mx5guy · Nov 28, 2010

Could also be altenator, or poor ground

LaVoie Equipment · Nov 28, 2010

As previous post, CHECK your ground on the tractor, remove bolt sand rust or corrosion away and reinstall with some dielectric grease. Also check negative post connector - could be loose.

You did not give us much other information - is the tractor trying to shutoff? No current holding shutoff open, tractor will cutoff. If it is then it could be above.

If not more than likely your alternator belt is loose - check plugs/connections hooked to alternator and reinstall with dielectric grease. Alternator should put out between 13.7 and 14.1 volts constantly

Finally take alternator off and take to local alternator/starter shop.

Tony

wanasrx · Nov 29, 2010

Thanks for all the info. The tractor does run fine other than being tired and a bit worn out.
No hard starting or dead battery either. I'll check all your possibilities and see what I find.
Where would the grounding be located other than the obvious battery cable ground?

mx5guy · Nov 29, 2010

Follow ground cable from battery post to where it attaches to frame, and clean out any corrosion, loose fan belt could also be a problem. Good luck.

Willl · Nov 29, 2010

Does it only happen at low idle ?

westcliffe01 · Nov 29, 2010

If you are lucky, the brushes may be getting short. Then it is an inexpensive fix. I had the same thing, but in my case the field winding went intermittent than finally open circuit. So I needed an entire new alternator. Got one that was an exact match on Ebay for $125, which I thought was a great deal. My machine is a 2003 model with only 1500hrs, so I was surprised that the alternator would die. The alternator is also mounted up high in a relatively clean place, so it beats me why it went out.

wanasrx · Nov 29, 2010

RPMs don't seem to make a difference. It'll come on for a few seconds and then goes off and repeats this pretty regularly. It's been doing it for quite some time. Just fixing some hyd leaks and doing some other repairs and decided to check this one out. Cleaned the alternator connections but can't run it right now to check the output.(hyd lines open).
Will clean that battery ground too.
What triggers the light? low voltage? high voltage? either ?
Thank you for the help