Battery/electrical Questions.....Was: Re: [AT] desulphating battery chargers

[Michael Miller]

At the farm I work at, there is an H.  It is still on 6 volt.  The battery 
seems to take a charge, but it'll only run for 10-15 minutes after you 
charge it and then the battery is dead(not even enough juice to make it 
fire).  The battery also goes dead if you charge it up then leave it set for 
an hour or so.  Is that battery junk?   Would it help it to dump the acid 
and refill it, according to what you do below?  It hisses and bubbles when 
you leave it charging.  One thing, when I first started this project the 
electrolyte level in the battery was low in all cells, and the boss just had 
me fill it up with tap water(I know, big no no, but he's a lot older than I 
am).  Could that be the problem?

Now, I would say that the tractor isn't charging, and the boss says it never 
has charged right.  Any places to start on that one(IE, how do I test to see 
if it is charging??)?  I am not sure if they polarized the generator after 
they had it rebuilt or not.  It is set up on Positive ground, is that right? 
  All my farmalls are negative ground, but the one has been converted to 12 
volt and the other is a lot newer(the other has an armstrong starter).  It 
could probably use new cables, the ones on it are pretty old.  The ammeter 
read "0" all the time.

Sorry for all the stupid questions, but my boss's dad bought this thing new 
and his son restored it so I'd like to get it running at least good enough 
to pull wagons with it.  I don't know a lot about electrical 
systems(maintanance batteries in particular) and I'd rather ask stupid 
questions that blow/burn something up.

Mike


>From: "Jerry Rhodes" <jlrhod at paulding-net.com>
>Reply-To: Antique tractor email discussion group 
><at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>Subject: Re: [AT] desulphating battery chargers
>Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2004 23:22:51 -0400
>
>When I get them, they are "old" per the cart dealer, set out all winter,
>etc... I top them off with straight acid, charge them and load test if the
>hidramer(?) reading is above 1220, if not, and the load test is no good I
>dump them to a tank that I use for cleaning parts, I refill with straight
>acid  and adjust with water to 1250, re charge and load test again.
>
>Then reinstall in the machine, normally they are out of here in about a
>week, i.e.. bought, sold, traded or owner picks up and I normally do not 
>see
>then again. I get my acid from NAPA.
>
>The ones I have in my EZ-GOcart, the Cushman cart and the ones ready for my
>Cushman Truckster are about 7 yrs old, I rework them (18) about two months
>ago, the Cushman cart has been in 2 parades and 2 fairs and 1 feamarket (1
>day) and I just recharged them today (12 hrs) so they hold up well, hope
>this answers your ?, thanks
>Jerry NW Ohio
>
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