electrical question

[Gary Beason]

Hi,

I am a newbee here, I hope some one can tell me if my ford 2000 tractor is supposed to be positive ground. I inherrited it and I have been using it, and I just want to make sure before I do sometthing wrong.



Thank`s
Chief1

 

[Soundguy]

4 cyl 2000 gasser will be 6v, positive ground. your 72 2000 is post 65, thus negative ground and 12v.

ALL diesel will be 12v negative ground.
ALL pre 65 gassers are 6v, positive ground.
ALL 65+ are 12v, negative ground.

 

[Gary Beason]

Thanks for your reply. I don`t know why but my tractor has been running with the pos. grnd. Like a say, I inherited it and that is the way it was when i got it. I am having to put a new voltage regulator on, so may be that is what ruined it.

Chief1

 

[LD1]

12v or 6v?

are we sure its a 1972?

 

[Soundguy]

good point.

post a picture so we can really see what you have.

As to positive or negative ground... up till 1975, most ford tractors , ag units under the 7000 anyway, were factory supplied with a lucas generator and regulator.. the regulators were mechanical not solid state. Most generators and solid state voltage regulators can be polarized to run positive or negative ground.

One thing to check. a well meaning, but ignorant mechanic may have thought it was positive ground and hooekd it up that way.. or even had a deat battery at one time and let it discharge and recharge incorrectly.

IE. check the battery with a volt meter and see if the polarity of the posts match the molded plastic indicators. It would not be the first time i saw a reverse charged battery.

post back

 

[Gary Beason]

Hello LD1,

It is 12v. The generator is 12v. too. The voltage regulator cover has been busted for along time,exposed the inside to the elements. I had to do a clutch replacement, and I am putting a new regulator on because it needs it. I am a mechanic by trade, and this is new to me. I can`t figure out why it was hooked up pos. grnd. When I get the new reg. I am carefuly going to hook it up neg. grnd. Chief1

 

[Soundguy]

It was hooked up pgr by a person ignorant to the facts.

when you do hook it up neg grnd.

polarize the gen. jump bat hot to field.. the smaller of the 2 tabs on the genny. only takes a second.

 

[joecdeere]

Don't you also have to completely kill the battery and re-charge as a negative ground before hooking it back up? That's what we were always told, and sometimes the battery wouldn't come back to full charge after having been done wrong.

 

[Gary Beason]

Hi soundguy,
Thanks for the info. I am going to put another battery on it because the one that was on it was bad anyway. You said to polarize the gen. when I hook it up, do I do that while it is running or just with the key switched on? I have not received the new reg. yet, it might be monday when it arrives. Chief1

 

[Soundguy]

Don't you also have to completely kill the battery and re-charge as a negative ground before hooking it back up? That's what we were always told, and sometimes the battery wouldn't come back to full charge after having been done wrong.

not really correct to refer to a battery as negative ground.. or positive ground.

a battery has a positive and a negative post.

chassis ground potential is defined by what battery post is tied to chassis.

and yeah. makes it much nicer for the charge device to start with a discharged battery before recharging it..