Voltage Regulators Burning Out on 14hp Kohler
 

Recently got rid of my model 70 and bought a 1450...it was clean and overall restored nicely.

After running/mowing twice it failed to start without a jump....then, it wouldn't hold a charge. Tested out to be the voltage regulator. Guy I got the tractor from is very nice and actually gave me a new VR (saving me $60).

Installed the new voltage regulator and after less than an hour the battery is discharging.

Voltage regulator is reading 30v across the 2 AC terminals but no voltage on the center pin.

Prior to the rectifier going bad I was getting readings that were all over the place at the voltage regulator.

I found multiple loose connectors going to the coil/condenser and the harness was melted.

I have tightened all the connections and added a ground from the VR to the chassis..... Any thoughts about what else could be causing this? I hate to keep experimenting with $60 voltage regulators.

I appreciate any help....

Adding the ground was a good idea. I would check all the connections from the battery to ground. Fix your other loose connections and melted wires. Then check the wire from the regulator to the battery. Not a bad idea to OHM out the stator also. If the rectifier is not grounded good, I don't believe it will put out voltage on the center pin.....

Thank you...will recheck all connections and grounds... Change the condensor and voltage regulator... Will let you know the outcome...Not ready to give up...Bud

From the V/R case to the Battery negative terminal, there should be zero ohms resistance.

:IH Trusted Hand:

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the help... Ohms checked out... But I now realize it isn't the voltage regulators going bad. I checked all 3 that I thought I burned out on another tractor and they work fine.

So, first problem is that I was trying to bench test the DC pin without having it connected to anything, so it wasn't showing anything on the meter.

Now with it connected, what I am getting is DC voltage all over the place....at the battery and at the VR. It spikes and then it goes to zero....The ampmeter needle on the tractor waivers quite a bit as well....

Although I've checked all the primary connections I suspect there is some other connection that is loose/arcing.

I've been fortunate to have a good friend who both a great mechanic and an electrical engineer help me with this....but, to no avail.

What am I missing?

so it spikes then drops to 0? could be a short to ground, as you stated a loose connection. corrosion on any terminals? is the volt meter any good? your DC pin is the center terminal? there really isn't much to these systems and the amount of wire is very minimal .

How have you ruled out the starter or generator?

The Quietline Series did NOT use the Starter/Generator system. They had a traditional bendix type of starter and flywheel coil for the charging system.

Tried multiple multi-meters to take out a bad instrument.

It does seem like such a basic wiring set up that the problem would be obvious.....will retrace/rerun all wires from switches, instruments, solenoid and lights.... Will let you know the result.... Always a chance this is a curse because I traded my "still functional" Model 70 after 30 years....what was I thinking?

You did polarize the new regulator right?