[AT] Battery Life?

[Jim and Lyn Evans]

Check the charging system on the tractor.  Is it higher than 14.6V or lower
than 13.2V?  Either way will shorten battery life.  Is there a draw on the
battery when the tractor is shut off?
By the absolute cheapest battery you can at Wal-Mart or wherever for this
tractor.  It won't take very many CCA to start a 8N on 12V.  A $30 Wal-Mart
battery will last at least 2 years..

Jim  

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Rob Gray
Sent: Sunday, November 21, 2004 7:29 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: [AT] Battery Life?

I find that new batteries on my 8N (12 volt converted system) only last
about 2 years. I just had to buy a new battery yesterday, and they ain't
cheap. Does anyone have any things they do to make their tractor batteries
last longer, or if not, does two years seem too short? I'm thinking that the
fact that the tractor is only run every few weeks in the summer months and
rarely at all in the winter might make the battery  life shorter. I was
thinking some of the following might help, but was not sure:

    * Re-Charge the battery occasionally with a battery charger,
      especially in the winter?
    * Disconnect the battery from the cables in the down months (maybe I
      have a slight short draining the battery?)
    * Maybe store the battery inside in winter (the probelm is I
      occasionally use the tractor for snow removal in winter so this
      would be a little inconvenient)

Thanks in advance for any ideas or suggestions or comments on the ideas
above.

Rob
NE PA USA




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