(ET) Charger questions

["Jeff Tickner" <JeffT softlanding com>]

I only recently got my charger working on my E15, I was charging in pairs
with a 12V charger before. When I finally replaced the diodes it seemed to
be working good, about 45V output (my VOM is analog). I've only used it a
half-dozen times and I noticed that when I put it on the energy meter
stayed in the green zone, up towards the top. So I got around to testing
this weekend, about 35V or so output. I read my handy manual (thanks Bill)
and went through the steps and I guess I have a bad trasnformer.

At first I thought it was a bad capacitor, and since I have a spare I
replaced it, but that didn't help. Did manage to damage the old one while
removing it.

I actually went through the troubleshooting steps carefully this time
(though I hate working on that thing with the power on). With the diodes
unhooked and capacitor unhooked I get about 30VAC at the diode leads and
60-65VAC between those and the center tap. With the capacitor connected it
jumps to about 38-40VAC and 75VAC. It seems like the capacitor and
secondary winding are doing their job. I went through and cleaned all the
connections, replaced the plug on the charger and checked to make sure I
was getting 110VAC, since I was using a long extension cord off a outlet
that was pretty far from the circiut breaker.

As I was playing with it, it seemed like the output voltage was slowly
increasing? It was about 45-50 degrees out, does voltage increase as some
component warms up? Or was it just me improving connections as I went?

I decided I would put a charge on the batteries anyway even at this low
output (now about 38V). I came back and checked on it and the meter was at
the bottom of the charging zone. I had already put away my VOM and it was
dark out so I just shut it off.

I've got a couple spare transformers, not sure if they are good. I'm not
looking forward to pulling the charger out of the tractor etc etc. My
tractor is pretty rusty and everything is a PITA to work on. I really need
to tear it completely down, but I have lots of other things that are higher
priority while the tractor is still working.