My Ford 3000 is reading hot within 5 minutes of startup with the tractor out of gear at 1500 rpm. I checked the fluid temp and it was 180ｰF. I got to looking at the voltage regulator and found that the voltage going to the battery was 14.8V which I thinks sounds reasonable. When I took the cover off the regulator the normally closed contact stayed closed, it had some magnetic pull, but not enough to open the coil. When I force the contact oper the normally open contact closed and the temperature reading went down. Can anyone explain exactly how the voltage regulator works. How would I check if the coil is bad? I'd like to be certain that the regulator is the problem before replacing.
RickB
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2000
- Messages
- 15,143
- Location
- Up the road from Dollar General WNC
- Tractor
- Just a Scag
Check the ground path for the instrument cluster & VR. Sounds as if both are trying to ground through the temp sender circuit.
Soundguy
Old Timer
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
- Messages
- 51,575
- Location
- Central florida
- Tractor
- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
go ahead and add a ground regerence for the vreg and genny as rick reccomends. just temp it up with gator clips. if it solves it, make up a runner wire to add tot he harness with zip ties and a few ring terminals and whatnot to add in.
45ys of paint and rust eh?
if that don't help, post back.
soudnguy
45ys of paint and rust eh?
if that don't help, post back.
soudnguy
The VR is a bi-metallic switch with a shunt. Similar to a flasher relay. Battery voltage goes in, and passes through the nc contacts then to the shunt and the gauges. When the shunt warms, the switch opens, cools it closes. This on/off cycle will give an average voltage of 7-10v (I can't remember the exact amount). The bi-metallic gauges are slow to react, so they don't swing with the voltage pulses.
At the VR, there should be batt voltage to one terminal, one terminal to the gauges, and one to ground. It needs a real good ground, or the shunt won't warm, and the output volts rises.
That being said, the VR's do fail.
At the VR, there should be batt voltage to one terminal, one terminal to the gauges, and one to ground. It needs a real good ground, or the shunt won't warm, and the output volts rises.
That being said, the VR's do fail.
Soundguy
Old Timer
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
- Messages
- 51,575
- Location
- Central florida
- Tractor
- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
NOT 'VR' it's a voltage stabilizer!! this is confusing to people who may not know the difference!!
the VR is the voltage regulator.. and it's for the generator / charge system. lets keep this straight for those that don't know all the in's and outs..
soundguy
the VR is the voltage regulator.. and it's for the generator / charge system. lets keep this straight for those that don't know all the in's and outs..
soundguy
Actually depending on what service manual you read it can be called an instrument cluster voltage regulator, instrument voltage limiter, instrument constant voltage regulator, panel voltage regulator, and instrument voltage stabilizer. They are in fact all the same thing but with different names.
here is a link for a regulator that is solid state and requires no soldering or crimping of any kind. This one regulator will do all the gauges and is adjustable to further tune your gauges to what you like to see. It comes with a one year warranty which is remarkable since no automitve electrical part come with any kind of warranty.
Ford Instrument Cluster Voltage Regulator 5v: eBay Motors (item 280572904377 end time Nov-07-10 17:52:57 PST)
