Neighbor and I are finishing up a rebuild on his machine. Got it running just fine, but looking through the manual we noticed we are missing the voltage regulator that appears to be mounted to the back of ther alternator, as well as the wiring harness for it. He bought this machine a few years ago and apparently it was never on there. How it hasn't blown up a battery we'll never know. I think I've found a regulator on line, but where could I find that little hardness?
Is the alternator not hooked up at all since he's had it? If it's a replacement alternator then all bets are off, you can probably stick a $25 "rebuild" from the local parts place on there and it will work fine with the right wires hooked up, which could have happened.
Plenty of one wire alternators available. the regulator is internal. Not much harness would be needed.
There was an update, if you went to Deere for a replacement you got a newer style alternator with the regulator bolted to the back cover, shown in the parts book online. Newer units may update to an internal regulator type. Picture of the alternator you have, or the model number? Or check the voltage, should max about 14.8 volts or less.
I will get pictures tomorrow. It's a Motorola alternator. According to the service manual, it's suppose to have regulator made on, or bolted to, the back of the alternator. It was ran for a summer hooked up the way it was when I posted this today. We unhooked the charging wire so we could run the machine today. At idle its a perfect 13.5v and then as you rev it up it goes to 17v. He took the alternator to a shop Friday and they took it apart and this one does not have an internal regulator and is working as it should. Can you get after market bolt on regulators?
here are the two choices from Deere:
I didnt see a spot on the back of his that looked like there would have been a regulator at all. So, it's obviously missing. I'm sure some needed an alternator and just picked one up not thinking about it.
So is that the voltage with the "charging wire" unhooked? I've never heard of a universal voltage regulator. You should be able to find one specifically for that alternator, but a one wire alternator, or a 12SI off fleabay etc. might be cheaper. Is there a W terminal that drives the tachometer on this machine?
A one wire 10si delco will bolt in place and be cheaper than a regulator, I priced both a couple years ago for my 450 and my 310. Any NAPA store can get the regulator for a Motorola but they are pricey. The only issue may be the pulley, I bored mine out slightly on my lathe to fit the Delco shaft.
When I bought my old Cat 922A loader it had a 12 volt regulator bolted on to the 24 volt Motorola regulator. It looks just like the second one Lan posted. No wonder it did not charge. Our local starter/alternator guy called Motorola and they sent the correct regulator that turned mine into a one wire alternator. All the wires stayed on the alternator except the one to the battery. $48.00 for the regulator about 6 years ago. I was told there are 8 different regulators that fit that alternator body 12 and 24V and that it is quite common for folks to bolt the wrong regulator on as they all look the same.
I think would look into the 1 wire alternator. Mount it, run one wire to the battery and your done. Around here the 1 wire alternator will cost about $75.
That voltage is the same either way-battery hooked up or not hooked up. I don't remember a W terminal, but this machine doesn't have a tach.
I'm a little surprised the shop didn't sell you a regulator, but maybe they didn't want to track down which one it needed? No tach means you can put anything in there, a one wire, a 12si Delco that you can find anywhere and wire up fairly easy, or a regulator to fit the existing alternator if you can find one.
He hired a local heavy equipment shop (komatsu dealer) to put the motor back in for him. That mechanic must have thought it had an internal regular because he initially said it was bad. I know it had a Field terminal on it and another, which he used to power a new hour meter for the engine.