[Farmall] IH240U Charging Problem

Jim Becker jim.becker at verizon.net
Wed Dec 12 06:00:25 PST 2007


That chart is good except it makes two potentially bad assumptions.
- The only possible bad grounds are the battery and regulator.  Bad grounds 
can be anywhere in the system.
- Single point failure.  Old machines that spend most of the time sitting 
often have multiples (like bad connections plus dirty commutator etc.).

Jim Becker        jim.becker at verizon.net

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "E. John Puckett" <ejpuckett at centurytel.net>
To: "Farmall/IHC mailing list" <farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 7:18 AM
Subject: Re: [Farmall] IH240U Charging Problem


> here is a link to a trouble shooting chart that should be of help
> http://www.cleancomputes.com/Cub/Maintenance%20Tips%20and%20Techniques/Generator%20and%20Regulator%20Troubleshooting%20Flow%20Chart.jpg
>
> Mike Sloane wrote:
>> There are a lot of things that could be causing your problem. The
>> easiest is a generator belt that is a little loose and slipping under
>> load, especially in damp weather. Another is a "dirty" commutator on the
>> generator or worn brushes or "soft" brush springs. Those are not
>> difficult to remedy, but some knowledge and/or experience would be
>> necessary. The generator almost certainly not a three brush model, nor
>> does it have the "high charge" switch that was on some of the 1940s era
>> IH tractors.
>>
>> More difficult to deal with is a voltage regulator that has gotten tired
>> - generally speaking, replacement is the best cure.
>>
>> Now, it should be noted that those old Delco tractor generators aren't
>> all that powerful, and if you are running at only a little over low idle
>> speed with all the lights on, it is certainly possible that the
>> generator couldn't keep up with the load. Have you been watching the
>> ammeter while you were working? If the needle isn't positioned on the
>> "charge" side of center, then the generator just isn't keeping up. If
>> you bring the engine speed up, then the ammeter should show a charge.
>> The type of use you are giving the tractor is exactly the reason I have
>> converted some of my old Farmalls to 12 alternator - snow plowing at
>> night for hours on end. See:
>> <http://public.fotki.com/mikesloane/international_240u/240u4140506.html>
>> for the conversion on my 240.
>>
>> And, finally, why did you change out the battery? If it was because it
>> wouldn't start the tractor, the problem might have existed back then.
>>
>> If you aren't experienced with taking generators apart and assembling
>> them, I suggest you remove it and take it to a local auto electric shop
>> for diagnosis - they don't usually charge a lot to clean the commutator,
>> undercut the segments, and install new brushes/springs (if needed). Some
>> of the older places will even let you watch! And, if you remove the
>> voltage regulator (carefully noting how the wires are connected), they
>> will test the entire system under load to see where the problem lies.
>>
>> Mike
>>
>> Jim Jacoby wrote:
>>
>>> Hi,
>>> I've been lurking on this list for a year or so, since I got my IH240.
>>> According to the serial number list on tractordata.com, its a 1959 
>>> model.
>>> I've been using it to bush-hog a couple of fields and, this year, to 
>>> snow
>>> plow the driveway. Its been very dependable.
>>>
>>> Tonight, while plowing, the lights started dimming, so I turned around 
>>> and
>>> headed for home. I almost made it before it sputtered and died (but I 
>>> did
>>> get close enough to reach with a long extension cord for the battery 
>>> charger
>>> at least). I charged the battery, she fired right up, but now she's 
>>> sitting
>>> in her parking spot waiting for me to figure out what went wrong.
>>>
>>> Battery is less than 6 months old. Since I replaced it, I've had no
>>> charging-related problems, and she always fires right up (as long as I
>>> remember to turn the fuel valve on).
>>>
>>> I live about 30 miles SW of Madison, WI, and for the last two weeks 
>>> we've
>>> gotten snow every couple of days, so I've been doing a fair amount of
>>> plowing, at night, with lights on.
>>>
>>> I am fairly clueless on the details of the charging system on this 
>>> tractor,
>>> even after reading through the IH PM and I&T manuals that I have and 
>>> doing
>>> some web searches, so I am hoping that someone on this list who has more
>>> experience than I can point me in the right direction.
>>>
>>> Is it likely that I was just using more power than the generator could 
>>> put
>>> out, with the extended lights-on plowing?
>>>
>>> Is it likely that this tractor has a 3-brush generator? If so, what 
>>> switch
>>> position (number of "clicks") puts it in high output mode? Is there 
>>> anyway
>>> to tell (other than pulling the generator apart) what type of generator 
>>> it
>>> is?
>>>
>>> How, in general, so I diagnose the problem if its not one of the two 
>>> "easy"
>>> ones above?
>>>
>>> Thanks everyone,
>>> Jim
>>>
>> ___
>
> -- 
> John
> another one of them
> *.?-!.* cub owners




More information about the AT mailing list