[AT] JD 620 / charging six-volt batteries

Dean VP deanvp at att.net
Thu Nov 20 19:10:58 PST 2014


Dean,

Harbor Freight sells a relatively low cost battery load tester that can be configured for 6V or 12V
batteries.  It allows you to put a heavy load on a battery for a short period and then determine what
the remaining voltage is on the toasted battery.  The gauge on the load tester offers a good and bad
range read out. A simple test but will separate good from bad batteries.  But lacking that tester I
would charge them as a 12 volt battery and then measure the voltage on each 6V battery. If one of the
6V battery is significantly lower than the other that probably needs to be replaced. At full charge a
6V battery should read about 6.6V. 

Dean VP
Snohomish, WA

The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave
unsaid  the wrong thing at the tempting moment.

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of
Dean Vinson
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2014 6:41 PM
To: 'Antique tractor email discussion group'
Subject: [AT] JD 620 / charging six-volt batteries

When charging either of the two six-volt batteries in my 620, do I need to
worry about disconnecting them from each other?   

http://www.vinsonfarm.net/photos/620_batteries_20140703.jpg

They're wired in series to provide 12 volts to the starter, so the (-)
terminal of the grounded battery is directly connected to the (+) terminal
of the other battery.   Hooking the (-) clamp from the charger onto the (-)
post on the grounded battery (good) is therefore electrically the same as
hooking it to the (+) post on the other battery (bad).  So I've been
disconnecting that big jumper cable between the two batteries.

But as I think about it, it shouldn't make any difference unless there's
some path by which the charging current is being applied to the other
terminal of the second battery also.  Correct?  No complete circuit to that
battery, no effect of touching only one of the posts?

Thanks--

Dean Vinson
Saint Paris, Ohio

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