149 voltage regulator nightmare

[Kevin Hendress]

I needed to replace the voltage regulator on this and purchased one from a Cub Cadet Parts dealer, when I picked it up, it was not in a box, no part number asked guy if it needed polarized, he said google it, right there I should have walked out until regular guy came back. My regulator has posts that have Ground on back, Battery, F, Gen on side. the one that he gave me is suppose to be a 545130-R93 and this one does not have a Ground stamped on back, has L, Bat, F on side. hooked it up and with key off the starter / generator started to spin. :{ ! Disconnected the blue wire and it started as normal with it Not charging, also I did have generator starter checked out, and replaced key switch. What do I do? I hope it is not buying another v/r

 

[rbedell]

The V/R with the L, is the IH-125577-C1 that was used on the Originals and the 70/100 Series tractors. You can this V/R as follows:
GRY Wire = Battery (B)
YEL Wire = Field (F)
BLU Wire = Generator (Gen)
Ground is the Mounting Feet of the V/R (make sure there is a good ground path back the Battery Negative Terminal. If your tractor has a White Wire, install on bolt that is ground.
L do NOT use, insulate and disregard

 

[Kevin Hendress]

So from what I am reading I have wrong V/R. At this time battery terminal is gray wire , field terminal is yellow, I have terminal with F which I had blue wire is now disconnected, and it runs but does not charge. But turn on lights it will discharge.

 

[rbedell]

The information I supplied was based on the Factory Wiring Diagram. It sounds like your harness may have been modified and/or mis-wired. Click on this link for the correct wiring, for your 149 ...... 149 Wiring

 

[Mark Evans]

The information I supplied was based on the Factory Wiring Diagram. It sounds like your harness may have been modified and/or mis-wired. Click on this link for the correct wiring, for your 149 ...... 149 Wiring

I would up grade to a Chevy 65 amp alternator self energized one wire back to battery and done !!! Done have to polarize the generator that way or keep messing with the regulator !!!

 

[Mark Evans]

I would up grade to a Chevy 65 amp alternator self energized one wire back to battery and done !!! Done have to polarize the generator that way or keep messing with the regulator !!!

They will charge turning right hand or left !!!

 

[mgonitzke]

I needed to replace the voltage regulator on this and purchased one from a Cub Cadet Parts dealer, when I picked it up, it was not in a box, no part number asked guy if it needed polarized, he said google it, right there I should have walked out until regular guy came back. My regulator has posts that have Ground on back, Battery, F, Gen on side. the one that he gave me is suppose to be a 545130-R93 and this one does not have a Ground stamped on back, has L, Bat, F on side. hooked it up and with key off the starter / generator started to spin. :{ ! Disconnected the blue wire and it started as normal with it Not charging, also I did have generator starter checked out, and replaced key switch. What do I do? I hope it is not buying another v/r

I highly doubt that terminal on the back is a ground wire...it is more than likely the "GEN" terminal, as that is the way most of the new replacements are. If so, the fact that that is not connected to the proper wire is likely why it is not charging.

 

[rbedell]

I would up grade to a Chevy 65 amp alternator

Then one would have to upgrade the wire to handle that amperage.

 

[deverett]

Did anyone have a good experience buying a NON OEM V/R. I purchased 4 on eBAY and 1 from my local Cub Cadet dealer who had no OEM regulators in stock. All of them did not function properly. The local dealer personally tried to adjust it. I loaded my 149 on a trailer, drove 12 miles to the dealer, the service manger came out to the trailer and spent 20 minutes trying to make it work to no avail and then told me I needed to order an OEM regulator, which I did back in June of 21. He then told me He would not take this one back because company policy was No ELECTRIC items were returnable. After a heated discussion he did give a refund. The OEM reg came last week. The counterman pulled it out of the box.I looked at, looked great so I asked ONE Question..Does this have a factory warranty? He wert an checked with the service manger, returned and told me that electrical items were not returnable due to company policy. I than walked out. At least when you get one on eBay the vender will refund. the purchase price if it does not work properly. That is the reason for my question.

 

[kphill]

Dale... I have yet to see an auto parts store that will let you return electrical parts after they leave the store.. If you have found a vendor on Ebay that will then you are lucky...

 

[deverett]

First of all, I agree with you that an automotive parts place would not honor electicial parts warranty on parts they got from a vendor, BUT in my case I was dealing with an OEM dealer. I spent 20 years working directly for a CUMMINS ENG CO Branch Distributor as a Field Tech, and another 20 years as a Dealer and have returned and was given credit for defective electronic parts such Govenor Controls and even altenators. I was dealing with the local Cub Cadet dealer. Like I said, Have returned at least 4 regulators thru eBay and got all my money credited back, one of which was advertised as MALE IN AMERICA, that did not charge at all. I am not sure if the vendor on eBay gave the refund directly, or if eBay gave it to me and then went after the vendor, but either way I was covered. I have in a box in my garage right now 6 failed regulators,4of which are OEM thaserved at least 35 years before failing and 2 after market that I cannot remember where they came from. MAYBE Charley can answer if faulty regulators are covered by Cub Cadet factory. NUF said

 

[jdrong]

I would up grade to a Chevy 65 amp alternator self energized one wire back to battery and done !!! Done have to polarize the generator that way or keep messing with the regulator !!!

Ok, since I too have a 149, I'll ask the obvious question. If you replace the S/G with an alternator, how would you then start the engine? Am I missing something or is everyone just ignoring this post? Also I know that an auto alternator takes a fair amount of HP when charging.

 

[gary noblit]

JD, it seems like a pretty smart question to me.....

 

[tkhoffman]

JD, it seems like a pretty smart question to me.....

Maybe Mark installed a crank to his front clutch ☺

 

[hydroharry]

Just wondering if Kevin got his V/R problem figured out.
The original V/R used on the 1x8/9 series (like his 129) is located under the seat with the battery. It had 4 terminals - Batt, Field, Gen on the side, and a Ground terminal on the back. The wiring harness had a pigtail on the battery ground terminal that went direct to the V/R.
If Kevin got a new V/R with an L terminal, then as Roland said, this terminal is not used and the Gen terminal would likely be on the back side. The new V/R is just grounded by it's mounting bases. In this case the pigtail from the negative battery terminal would not be used (or you could cut it off and ground it to the mounting bolt for the V/R).

 

[jhately]

Just wondering if Kevin got his V/R problem figured out.
The original V/R used on the 1x8/9 series (like his 129) is located under the seat with the battery. It had 4 terminals - Batt, Field, Gen on the side, and a Ground terminal on the back. The wiring harness had a pigtail on the battery ground terminal that went direct to the V/R.
If Kevin got a new V/R with an L terminal, then as Roland said, this terminal is not used and the Gen terminal would likely be on the back side. The new V/R is just grounded by it's mounting bases. In this case the pigtail from the negative battery terminal would not be used (or you could cut it off and ground it to the mounting bolt for the V/R).

Thx Harry, I also needed that info

cheers

 

[Kevin Hendress]

Just wondering if Kevin got his V/R problem figured out.
The original V/R used on the 1x8/9 series (like his 129) is located under the seat with the battery. It had 4 terminals - Batt, Field, Gen on the side, and a Ground terminal on the back. The wiring harness had a pigtail on the battery ground terminal that went direct to the V/R.
If Kevin got a new V/R with an L terminal, then as Roland said, this terminal is not used and the Gen terminal would likely be on the back side. The new V/R is just grounded by it's mounting bases. In this case the pigtail from the negative battery terminal would not be used (or you could cut it off and ground it to the mounting bolt for the V/R).

I have not yet had time to get to it, However I did have a talk with my Cub Cadet parts guy,,,, he only stocks 1 v/r and they fit 95% of cubs and admitted he knows nothing about electrical,,, and will not take it back.

 

[lpalma]

You can use one of these Kubota ones that fit on a 1512, 882 You can always add a pulley to the driveshaft end of the motor.

 

[Greg Riutzel]

Here's shot at it. IH used Delco Remy in almost all their equipment so the regulator and M/G from all the descriptions so far seem to point at them being Delco. The "L" terminal was for loads so as to not affect the regulator's bobbin action in controlling volts/amps for charging. As the tractor electrical loads are through the ammeter that is in series with the charging circuit the "L" can't be used without some re-wiring so the advice to ignore it is good, just an un-needed option for us. Follow Roland's instructions and the schematic linked.

Here's a link on the MG and regulator I hope can shed some light on why things need hooked up the way they are. The bulletin also has references to how and why the regulators work they way they do.

Study Fig. 3 in the bulletin

:: Panhead and Flathead site ::

 

[jnolen]

Ok, since I too have a 149, I'll ask the obvious question. If you replace the S/G with an alternator, how would you then start the engine? Am I missing something or is everyone just ignoring this post? Also I know that an auto alternator takes a fair amount of HP when charging.

An alternator would not use any more HP than a generator to charge the battery. Might actually use less. As for starting you will have to figure out some other way to start the engine because an alternator will not work as a starter. You might be able (by rewiring) to use the S/G to start and by mounting the alternator on the other side of the engine and having the belt go around three pulleys. Probably have a hard time dealing with belt slippage.