Our church has an Ingersoll 3018 with an Onan engine, P218G-I / 10904B SER. # F893565531. We are having problems in that it won't hold a charge on a new battery. I put it in a week ago & it has been discharged several times. Can someone tell me how to properly test the rectifier? It is an Ingersoll C 32461 half wave. Also wondering if the dash lamp bulbs are available & how to change them. I've tried twisting & pulling them out of the socket but they won't budge. Thanks.
Onan Rectifier testing
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Welcome to the site Ted Woodie: We're glad your here! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: The testing procedure for the charging system is here on the site in the P218 Manual:tedwoodie said:
http://www.manuals.casecoltingersoll.co ... marked.pdf
You can purchase bulbs from Brian one of the dealers at Salem Power. http://www.manuals.casecoltingersoll.co ... 0.docx.pdf If they are the same as on my 446, yes, they are hard to pull out. Sometimes a piece of cloth will help get a better grip.
:222: :446: Best Regards, Rich
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The easiest way to tell if the regulator/rectifier is working is to measure the voltage at the battery with the engine running. If it is over 13 v then the battery is getting a charge.
The electric PTO clutch uses a lot of power and will quickly run down a battery if the charging system is not working properly.
If the battery is discharging rapidly without the PTO being engaged there may be some other issues.
The electric PTO clutch uses a lot of power and will quickly run down a battery if the charging system is not working properly.
If the battery is discharging rapidly without the PTO being engaged there may be some other issues.
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I have a similar issue. My 1987 446 has the battery light on when the ignition is on and when the Onan is running. My battery its not being drawn down so much that it will not start the engine. Could the problem be with the voltage sensor? Or is it more likely to be the voltage regulator/rectifier? I have looked over the electrical manuals in the CCI library and do not see a topic in trouble shooting that addresses an illuminated battery light. I have not put a meter on the system yet. Anyone offer anything on this?
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In my experience with an older Onan your symptoms were same as what I had. It was the rectifier. I was told that the easiest way to kill one is a weak ground connection. The very nature of it just being mounted to the tin which is its ground is likely. Once I replaced mine the problem was solved.
If you replace it make sure the mounting surface will ground well.
You can check for battery drain. Disconnect one wire from your battery, then put a light of some sort in series. One end to the battery the other to the battery wire. If the bulb is lit then you have a drain. To find it you have to disconnect items until the light goes out. On these simple tractors it should not light at all as far as I know.
All this being said I have yet to see if I even have one on my 89 Onan. I can claim an excuse though. I have only owned it a day. So far I installed a 2" receiver hitch, fixed weak spark/poor running by snipping the ends off the spark plug wires and pinching the plug connecter slightly, while on a ride bypassed an inline fuse holder that blew a fuse to starter, adjusted the throtle cable to actually reach full throttle, then oiled it, removed tin next to starter so I could cox the starter to engage the flywheel, and then oiled same once home.
All this was because I promised the kids a wagon ride with the, new to me, tractor. Oh after all this I ran into the house when I tried to turn where there was sand with the trailer connected and my beer in my left hand. The hell if I was going to let go of my beer just to stop the tractor. Side note I got it without functional brake. Part did come today though to fix it.
I do believe I digresed and where is the spell checker? I am math and logic minded and not a speller.
Steve.
If you replace it make sure the mounting surface will ground well.
You can check for battery drain. Disconnect one wire from your battery, then put a light of some sort in series. One end to the battery the other to the battery wire. If the bulb is lit then you have a drain. To find it you have to disconnect items until the light goes out. On these simple tractors it should not light at all as far as I know.
All this being said I have yet to see if I even have one on my 89 Onan. I can claim an excuse though. I have only owned it a day. So far I installed a 2" receiver hitch, fixed weak spark/poor running by snipping the ends off the spark plug wires and pinching the plug connecter slightly, while on a ride bypassed an inline fuse holder that blew a fuse to starter, adjusted the throtle cable to actually reach full throttle, then oiled it, removed tin next to starter so I could cox the starter to engage the flywheel, and then oiled same once home.
All this was because I promised the kids a wagon ride with the, new to me, tractor. Oh after all this I ran into the house when I tried to turn where there was sand with the trailer connected and my beer in my left hand. The hell if I was going to let go of my beer just to stop the tractor. Side note I got it without functional brake. Part did come today though to fix it.
I do believe I digresed and where is the spell checker? I am math and logic minded and not a speller.
Steve.
The voltage sensor is a common failure part. The only purpose for this sensor is to turn the light on and off ... it has nothing to do with charging.mhager63 said:
First you need to see if your system is charging properly. Take time to go through the electrical diagnosis and ensure you have proper charging voltage. If so, and the light is still on, then high probability it is just the sensor failed and latching the light on.
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=634
Brian
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