[AT] Tractor battery

Sun Nov 14 16:22:49 PST 2021

Be careful with modern cars, some cycle the alternator on and off.  Weird when driving to see the voltmeter not hold constant. (This was a rental car, I almost turned around for one that worked before I figured it out )

-- 
  Henry Miller
  hank at millerfarm.com

On Sun, Nov 14, 2021, at 16:37, Stephen Offiler wrote:
> Quick check is just battery voltage not running versus running.  If your
> alternator is putting out something, voltage is higher when running.  If
> the alternator is bad, voltage is close to the same or a bit lower when
> running (probably lower because the battery gave up some juice to crank it
> over).  If you are wondering if the alternator is somewhere in between
> healthy and dead, turn on as many electrical loads as you can while
> running.  Alternator should handle those loads and still give the battery
> terminals something over 13.5V.  (Because it is supplying other things in
> addition to battery recharge, you may not see the whole 14-ish volts, but
> it must be greater than 12.6-ish to be pushing charge into the battery.
> Hope this helps.
>
> SO
>
>
> On Sun, Nov 14, 2021 at 3:43 PM Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
>
>> Thanks Steve, it there a way to test whats coming out the alternator?
>>
>> Mike M
>>
>>
>> On 11/14/2021 2:15 PM, Stephen Offiler wrote:
>>
>> Hi Mike:
>>
>> I've heard baking soda can neutralize the acid but I'd probably ask the
>> Google for backup on that.
>>
>> A good range for battery terminal voltage engine-running is 13.6V-14.4V.
>> Some modern voltage regulators have temperature compensation, dropping
>> voltage in high temperature conditions (when it is easier to charge and
>> easier to overdo it) and raising voltage in the cold (when they're not as
>> eager to accept charge).  Not all alternators do this, but I just wanted to
>> explain why there's such a fairly wide range.
>>
>> SO
>>
>> On Sun, Nov 14, 2021 at 2:03 PM Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Tough to say Steve, I do know that I filled some of the battery chambers
>>> with distilled water because some seemed a little low, and it leaked
>>> battery acid for a few days. whats the best way to clean that up? I know
>>> it's very caustic. What should the voltage be across the terminals with the
>>> engine running?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Mike M
>>>
>>> On 10/28/2021 6:08 AM, Stephen Offiler wrote:
>>>
>>> The question is, what happened?  Is your alternator not charging?
>>>
>>> SO
>>>
>>> On Wed, Oct 27, 2021 at 9:30 PM Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Whew!! got it back for now. It started right up and the terminals where
>>>> shiny as new, ground as well. Voltage across the terminals was 13.3 and
>>>> climbing. I have the trickle charger on it overnight, and will give it a
>>>> good workout tomorrow. Thanks for all the help!
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>> Mike M
>>>>
>>>> On 10/27/2021 1:22 PM, Mike M wrote:
>>>>
>>>> When I checked the voltage between the posts with a digital volt meter,
>>>> I only got 11.5 volts, I left the charger on overnight, and it's now up to
>>>> 13 volts, so I switched to a maintainer.  It's raining here today so I'm
>>>> leaving it on the charger, and yes I will check the grounds for sure!
>>>> Thanks for the advice to all. I'll let you know how it turns out.
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>> Mike M
>>>>
>>>> On 10/27/2021 7:54 AM, Steve Offiler wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I wonder how many thousands of times farmer has typed that over the
>>>> years!
>>>>
>>>> When Mike said it only clicked when jumped, that simply says bad
>>>> connection.  I’m not sure why the focus on a bad battery just yet.
>>>>
>>>> Steve O.
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>
>>>> On Oct 27, 2021, at 6:47 AM, Indiana Robinson <robinson46176 at gmail.com>
>>>> <robinson46176 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> 
>>>> Check the grounds.
>>>> Check the grounds.
>>>> Check the grounds.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> .
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, Oct 27, 2021 at 1:22 AM Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Makes me wish for my old tractor and I could back it up onto a hill,
>>>>> let it get rolling and pop the clutch in 2nd gear.
>>>>>
>>>>> Mike M
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 10/26/2021 11:46 PM, Carl Szabelski wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Mike,
>>>>>
>>>>> Try jumping it, but leave the cables connected for 20-30 minutes before
>>>>> you attempt a start. Even if you’ve had the charger on all night. Even with
>>>>> a dead battery it should start and run. It may die when you disconnect the
>>>>> cables, but if it doesn’t, it should run, but the battery probably won’t
>>>>> take a charge.
>>>>>
>>>>> Carl
>>>>>
>>>>> On Tuesday, October 26, 2021, Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> So my tractor battery went dead overnight. It's an Exide Select
>>>>>> Performance battery, with 925 CCA model 31XHE with 180 minutes of
>>>>>> reserve capacity. I tried jumping it with my truck but no luck it would
>>>>>> just click. I started looking online, and about fell out of my chair.
>>>>>> Prices started at $300 and and most are out of stock. Does anyone have
>>>>>> any good sources for batteries? It was manufactured in 2014, so I guess
>>>>>> the clock just ran out. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Is
>>>>>> there
>>>>>> anyway to service it, or rejuvenate it?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thank you,
>>>>>> Mike M
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>> Francis Robinson
>>>> aka "farmer"
>>>> Central Indiana USA
>>>> robinson46176 at gmail.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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