Thanks JD110 . Battery going dead

Big Tomm

New member
I would like to thank JD110 on the instructions on how to change the load seals on my 1980 2040 JD. Everything went smooth and the Louisiana oil leak is stopped. On another topic, my tractor battery will not hold a charge. I have overhauled the starter and alternator. I changed the battery and leads. The tractor will start on a hot battery but begins to lose charge quickly.After a day or two I get a click click sound when I try to start. I have no clue on how to diagnose a short. Any pointers anyone?

Big Tom
 

jd110

Member
Are you saying the battery goes dead afgter it sits idle for a couple of days or are you using it daily and it still goes dead? Are you sure the alternator is actually charging? Even if the alternator is in perfect condition, it might not charge if wiring is not good. Does the alternator light work in instrument panel? Light should be on with key on and engine off. And it should be off while engine is running. (pretty basic stuff, but you would be amazed at number of people that don't know it) If the bulb is blown, it can cause some alternators not to charge, they rely on complete circuit to ground through the light bulb. If you have a voltmeter, see what voltage is at the batteries when engine is running 1500 rpm or so. You should see 13.5 - 14.5 volts. If it is charging properly, then you either have a drain on the system or a bad battery. Even a new battery can be bad. If you have one battery, disconnect the negative terminal and look for a spark when you disconnect and reconnect the cable. If you see a spark, you have a drain on the system. The most common place to see a drain is in the alternator. Disconnect the alternator and see if the spark goes away. Let us know what you find out, and then we can go further if needed.
 

Big Tomm

New member
JD110, I measured the output voltage on the alternator. It measured 14.5V . I took the negative terminal loose and tried to create a spark with no success. I loosened the positive terminal and measured the amps drain with the engine and key turned off. The drain measured 10 to 15 mA. Is this enough to cause a slow drain on the battery and not enough to cause a spark on the ground terminal???

Big Tom
 

jd110

Member
10 to 15 mA draw is normal. I don't think you could see a spark with that kind of draw.I don't think you should be having dead battery problems unless there is an intermittent short somewhere. 14.5 volts should be enough charge from the alternator. Sounds like your new battery may be bad unless you have an intermittent short. They can be very hard to find unless you can test it while the intermittent problem is active.
 

Mark777

Member
Forgive my ignorance but have you load tested the battery? Perhaps it's sulfate'd enough to not keep the full charge?

If you're getting 14.5V at the battery....I can't imagine what else it could be other than poor electrical storage (?).
 

Big Tomm

New member
Reply to Mark777

Mark, I plan on charging the battery and bringing it to my mechanic so he can put a load test. It is a High end Wal-mart battery. (Is there such a thing). My tractor use to have two batteries but all it did was draw down both batteries. I have had this problem for years. If the battery is bad what type of battery do you suggest. What about a dragging starter. I had it overhauled years ago but am not sure if I should try to replace.

Big Tom
 

bordercollie

Gold Site Supporter
Gold Site Supporter
We use JD hibernators in our tractors -4020,4020,7210,7420 and my new Kioti DK40 had an Interstate in it when purchased. The butane 4020 also had the problem you describe . Have you tried disconnecting the battery and seeing it it loses it's charge while disconnected for a few days? The hibernator in ours was old so after checking it with a charger that tells the % of charge remaining we replaced it with a new one. Cranks good now and the old one is used for weeks at a time on the low voltage portable fence charger. I guess it had a bad cell etc. but it could work enough to keep the fence charged around the landscape we got put in. The load test will tell the tale ..Good Luck, Bordercollie
 

Big Tomm

New member
Don't know what to do now??

Today I went to my auto mechanic and he load tested my battery. It tested hot but he told me I had the wrong kind of battery for a tractor. He recommended the optima gel type. I removed the starter and took it to a starter/alternator shop. He replaced the switch(solenoid) I bought the new battery and installed the battery and starter. After running around all day and spending close to $300 dollars my tractor would not start and made a horrible noise when I tried to start. The starter sounded like it was not engaging and the engine was not turning over. I'm about to throw in the towel and call a professional. Before I changed the solenoid and switch I could at least start the tractor after charging the battery.


Big Tom
 

Mark777

Member
Tom,

It sounds like you're zeroing in on the problem. You might want to spend some time removing, cleaning (or replacing) all the grounds and positive connections on your tractor. Poor, corroded and loose/dirty connections are most often the cause of poor starting...even when the battery is at optimal level.

I have to do this, without fail, once a year due to high humidity.
 
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