Welding problem "weird"

[BigBill]

I had the unhooked and battery out of my int154 while welding the tranny forks. The starter/generator was charging before we took it apart to fix the tranny forks. After we reassembled it and got it running again i noticed the starter/generator wasn't charging the way it normally did. I knew my regulator wasn't in the best shape so i replaced that first. I just ordered a new s/g for it.

I welded on cars, trucks, forklifts, tractors and other equipment with no problems. I don't have a clue as to what i did wrong???

This gives me a chance to rewind the field coils. I have rewound the stators on the dirtbikes to give more amperage for brighter headlites for night riding. I been wondering if i can do the samething to the S/G field coils too. I have a case of copper wire for winding stators and coils.

[Eugene]

Sign/decal on side of my John Deere lawn tractor engine, says to disconnect the battery before welding on the tractor.

May just coincidental that the charging problem occurred at or about the welding time.

[cubguy's dad]

It is very possible to damage the electrical components on any piece of equipment by welding on it.

In the welding process current is passed from one electrode (rod) through the welding piece to the the ground.

Any component that is in the path will be subjected to the electrical current and could be damaged.

It is imperitive that the battery is unhooked and that the work clamp and the electrode when welding be within 12 inches of each other.

Electronic components found on todays cars and equipment can not handle any current back fed through it at all, it is not designed for it and it is a good idea to unhook that path as well. Example of this would be welding the exhaust of your 2002 Ford, the exhaust has the oxygen sensor located in it and is a direct path to the computer. In order to protect the computer the oxygen sensor needs to be unhooked as well.

To protect electrical components at the very least unhook the battery, practice close grounding of the piece that you are welding on and unhook all electronic components.

Mark

[BigBill]

I will unhook all the electrical stuff from now on. And i'll keep my ground lead closer to were i'm welding too.

But Eugene maybe right too its just my bad luck it maybe coincidental too. But now my tranny is fixed and my charging system will be ok too. I need to checkout my hydraulic leak down next then its ready to paint.

[cubguy's dad]

I also believe that it is coincidental, it is funny how that works at times.

I also have done welding for years the old way without problems, however this new electronic stuff adds a curve into our routine that we need to be cautious with.

Good Luck with the rest of the projects

Mark

[BigBill]

Ok besides a bad regulator which i knew wasn't perfect I found a broken corroded wire that goes from the BaT post on the regulator to the amp gage. I replaced that wire so its ok for now till i rewire it.

[BigBill]

Upon taking my dash apart i had the positive wire from the amp gage cut in half while laying on the throttle cable. Now if its a freak thing and i hit the positive cable with the arc and the wire was frayed enough to arc to the cable housing i'm not sure??

My only complaint with all these tractors is the quality of the wiring.

[Mike Schmudlach]

Did you polarize the generator after you connected the battery again?

[BigBill]

Did you polarize the generator after you connected the battery again?

Yes after i found to the amp gage frayed and split in two. I ran a new wire to replace the bad wire. Now its charging and ok again. Its great to be mowing again with it.