Long, dead I wish forgotten

[little creek]

Long tractor 530, I just bought a new battery for my long 530 tractor. It lasted about a month. Now I have to jump start it off every time I shut it down. There is something killing the battery. Where do I start to look. Thanks, Little Creek.

 

[flaboy-]

If you have a multimeter or any meter that can measure volts DC, hook it across the battery with the tractor running. You may have to bring the RPM's up to 1500 or so. With the RPM's up, the voltage across the battery should be at least 13.2. It can be higher and as much as 13.8.

A couple things can be going on. First the generator or alternator might not be working if you don't get over 13VDC across the battery with the rpm's up. Most alternators now have the regulator built in. I am not sure how old that model is but if it has a generator, it will also have a voltage regulator. If it is a generator and the voltage is below 13VDC across the battery then either the gen or regulator is bad. If it is alternator equipped and the voltage is low at rpm, then the alternator is bad.

The second thing is many tractors charging systems don't work well if at all at idle. They need rpm's to get the charging unit up to full song. A tractor that does not get run hard will often have low battery problems.

Third, if you know how to use the amperage function on a multimeter, you can disconnect the negative side of the battery and put the meter in series with the ground leg. With the switch turned off there should be NO reading on the lowest scale. Another thing you can try if you don't know how to do this is to remove the positive lead on the battery with the key off and just touch the lead to the terminal. If you see any spark at all, something is on. Lights or something is on all the time.

My biggest problem on one of mine is I leave the key on because where the idiot light is I can't see it in the sunlight. Left on long enough the battery will get run down.

Hope this helps.

 

[eric]

Flaboy....responses like that are what have driven me away from the beginners forum and the coffee shop and directly to the Trucks/Tractors and Pastures/Grasses forum when I log in each morning. Your response was very helpful (or at least it appears to be) and made without malice towards the guys brand of tractor. I know you are a Massey Ferguson fan so it would have been easy for you to just say something along the lines of "Just junk it and get a Massey/John Deere/Kubota" or whatever, but I am glad you took the high road and decided to be helpful, as I am sure the poster is also.

 

[little creek]

That is why there is real people on this forum. They have been new at farming once in their life, just like I am now. I don't have son's, daughter's, or family that knows anything about this farm life my wife and I have chosen. I am not in competition with no one. If I know how to help my fellow humans, then I will, free, I don't need to have a team be number one, a race car driver, whom I have to say wow he won. I served my country in time of war. I serve people and our God and thank every person on this forum for their time and help. Little Creek.

 

[Cabo]

If you follow Flaboy's advice carefully and you do get a spark at the battery terminal, you might have a wire with the insulation damaged or possibly in the charging system, stuck voltage regulator, etc., of course could just be a bad battery.

 

[flaboy-]

Hey Little Creek, did ya get a chance to look at that charging problem yet. If ya need more help just give us a yell.

 

[rbell]

If you see that spark, disconnect the big red wire to the alternator, and repeat the test.
A shorted diode in the alternator can cause your symptom

 

[little creek]

Hey Flaboy, I just got the battery charged today. I plan on trying out your answer in the morning. I think it was a great answer to this problem and after reading my manual, there has to be something still on when I think, it's off. But by Sat. night I hope to know the answer. Thanks for the advice. Little Creek.

 

[thebabybrahma]

With the tractor running, just remove the the positive side terminal. if the tractor dies your alternator is not charging. if the tractor keeps running, probably looks like bad battery or some grounded wiring. this will work on just about any gasoline engine with a charging system.

 

[flaboy-]

With the tractor running, just remove the the positive side terminal. if the tractor dies your alternator is not charging. if the tractor keeps running, probably looks like bad battery or some grounded wiring. this will work on just about any gasoline engine with a charging system.

The only problem with this test is most of older diesel tractors only need the battery for starting only. This will work on the newer electronic injected units only. I'm not sure how old his Long is. ;-)

 

[Cobbkid]

We have a long tractor and i think they are a pain in the but
we have to jump it off and have to start it with a screw driver..

CobbKid

 

[flaboy-]

We have a long tractor and i think they are a pain in the but
we have to jump it off and have to start it with a screw driver..

CobbKid

That's pretty normal for most of mine. :lol:

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

I have a short somewhere on my tractor, too. I looked for it for awhile and eventually just gave up. Now I just pull the positive cable off the battery every time I stop it. Its got one of those spring clamps on it. Its an old tractor and I don't use it enough to spend days trying to track down a short when the cable removal solution is just easier. JMHO.

 

[little creek]

Cattle Rack Rancher, I came up with the same answer I thought last Saturday, there is a short somewhere. So I said "well I will just undo the cable after my work is done".
Now this is a brand new battery. Long and behold when after say 2 hours of work clearing deer trails in the woods. I got off the tractor and let it and me cool down, went back and tried to start it again and you know it. (dead). I'll come up with the money to get it to someone, I have another tractor to work with, but this is my loader tractor and I have to find whats wrong soon. Thanks, Little Creek

 

[Caustic Burno]

We have a long tractor and i think they are a pain in the but
we have to jump it off and have to start it with a screw driver..

CobbKid

Good friend of mine used to start his long tractor with the old screw driver trick, he is no longer in the cattle business after the tractor started in gear and ran over him crushing his pelvis.

Thats just plain stupid this is exactly why farming is one of the most dangerous industries stupidity around equipment and animals.
Your operation is only as good as you maintain it, that goes for everything on the farm.
It's all about safety, safety saves money from a hospital bill to the liability you face from a piece of faultity equipment.

 

[little creek]

Well, I found the problem, I got a multimeter and finally got the tractor started checked the power and from the advice I received here. It is the generator not working. The battery drains as I work with the tractor. thanks, little creek

 

[flaboy-]

Little Creek, don't forget if indeed it is a generator instead of an alternator, the generator will also have a voltage regulator between the generator and the battery. It could be the voltage regulator also. Just a reminder.

 

[little creek]

Flaboy, first we have got to change that call sign, because you are the man. HaHa, I bought a Lone 510 service manual. After reading it yesterday. I don't believe it has a genrator, but an alternator like you say. Saturday is the only day I can work on the tractor, because thats when my family come to the farm. But they are on vacation now and want be back till around the 20th. I get big blue up and going with your help, and I can't thank you enough. Little creek

 

[flaboy-]

I meant to ask you little creek, what reading did you get across the battery with engine at rpm?

 

[little creek]

Hey Flaboy, It read 1249 I believe. It will be a job, I located where I think the manual said it is and they installed a long loader on the tractor and the brackets for the loader is right at the place where the casing for the alternator is. thanks, little creek