John Deere Radio not keeping time.

[Goalie]

My 5210 radio is not keeping time. When running it works fine but when the tractor is shut off and sits for a few days the time is not correct. It use to work fine. Any ideas on what is wrong?

 

[stlbill]

Hi Goalie:

I have never sat in a 5210, but is it possilbe the radio has a separate battery which needs to be replaced? It seems logical it would have a battery for the clock and to help it remember station presets.

Although if your radio looks like this:

OMRE71736 C0: 5210, 5310, 5410 and 5510 Tractors, Block File: LV_5010OS_I_19_04SEP97.htm

It appears to be a standard car radio albeit back when they had a different shape. I seem to remember those radios keeping time from the car's battery. If you ever disconnected the car's battery the radio would lose time.

-Bill

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Has it always done that?

If so, it sounds to me like its not wired correctly. But if its a factory radio, there shouldnt have been any reason to do any "homebrew" wiring. Most radios have a Switched power and a Constant power lead....some people just twist the two together and run with it. Doesnt damage anything, but it wont keep time or your radio station presets.

 

[gauthier]

Thats why them kiotis are up and comers,we don't have no stinking kioti clocks to worry about.......[do we?]

 

[kebo]

I'm not familiar with the JD radio you refer to, but being an elec. tech most likely there is an on-board battery mounted onto the pcb (printed circuit board) inside the radio that provides DC voltage to keep the clock chip running when the tractor is shutoff. Most of the time they have a charge circuit but sometimes the battery just goes bad (like your car/truck battery goes bad every 5 years). This is really no different than a clock built in to the radio in your ford/chevy/gm/whatever. Sometimes these batteries are easily replaced (snap in/out), sometimes they are soldered in. Only your JD dealer knows for sure. If digital time is really that important, I suggest you go buy a cheapy stick on digital clock and stick it on the dash, or wherever suits you best. To pull the radio out and replace the battery could cost more than you would be willing to pay, unless it's under warranty.

 

[RickB]

I'm not familiar with the JD radio you refer to, but being an elec. tech most likely there is an on-board battery mounted onto the pcb (printed circuit board) inside the radio that provides DC voltage to keep the clock chip running when the tractor is shutoff. Most of the time they have a charge circuit but sometimes the battery just goes bad (like your car/truck battery goes bad every 5 years). This is really no different than a clock built in to the radio in your ford/chevy/gm/whatever. Sometimes these batteries are easily replaced (snap in/out), sometimes they are soldered in. Only your JD dealer knows for sure. If digital time is really that important, I suggest you go buy a cheapy stick on digital clock and stick it on the dash, or wherever suits you best. To pull the radio out and replace the battery could cost more than you would be willing to pay, unless it's under warranty.

There's not likely to be a battery in his radio. It is highly likely that the radio isn't wired properly. The switched power and battery leads are reversed. Often these two wires need to be installed in the multiple connectors in a way that matches a particular tractor brand and/or model. Radios are usually a dealer installed option due to the several types available. And the schmoe that installs radios in the predelivery building has the least experience and lowest pay grade in the store.

 

[kebo]

Rick, you could be right. There is usually a separate wire that goes from the radio to a source that is 12VDC (hot) all the time so the clock chip always has it. If it's wired wrong, then yeah, that would do it too.

 

[Goalie]

It worked for the two years that I have owned the tractor and now it quit so it is not a wiring problem as I never touched the wiring harness or radio. Any other ideas?

 

[irvingj]

Ditto kebo-- sounds like a trip/call to the dealer would be a good idea.

Failing that, you could do what I do to my bikes- buy a $10 digital watch, remove the band, and stick it somewhere with some of that gummy blue stick-a-pic-on-the-wall stuff!:laughing:

But, really, your radio ought to be able to work properly. Call the dealer.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Hmm, perhaps if you had the "heel / toe" hydro, it would keep better time? Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[stlbill]

Hi Goalie:

Walk through this with me...

You get into your tractor that has not been running for a few days, start it up and find the clock is wrong. How long has the tractor been sitting without the key on? What does the clock read at this point?

You set the time on the radio and it keeps great time until you shut the tractor off. If you immediately restart the tractor what does the clock read at this point?

Can you set some radio station presets on this radio? Hopefully, yes. Now do you lose your station presets when the clock loses time?

If you can answer these I think they will help us help you.

-Bill

 

[Goalie]

Bill,
When my tractor sits for two or three days with the key off when I start it the time is wrong. I set the time on the radio as the tractor is running and it works fine. If I shut the tractor off and start it back up it keeps perfect time. It is only when it stits for more than a couple of days without running. As for the preset stations as far as I can remember the radio always stays on 100.3 and never resets no matter what.
Goalie

 

[RickB]

Bill,
When my tractor sits for two or three days with the key off when I start it the time is wrong. I set the time on the radio as the tractor is running and it works fine. If I shut the tractor off and start it back up it keeps perfect time. It is only when it stits for more than a couple of days without running. As for the preset stations as far as I can remember the radio always stays on 100.3 and never resets no matter what.
Goalie

The question was "what does the clock read" not "is the clock right or wrong?" The difference is significant to those with some experience with mobile equipment radios.
If you want help, you have to participate.
Have you entered anything in the station presets? You have not answered that, either.

 

[kebo]

Radios are different. The station preset's are usually saved into a flash EEPROM (memory chip). When power is removed, you don't have to resave all your presets with this type of design.
However, some radios could save the presets into a memory chip that loses all its memory when power is removed. Of course, you would have to reset all the presets with that design.

The clock is usually on run a separate chip that runs off of a separate "hot" 12VDC. When it loses time, ie loss of 12VDC, you simply reset it to the correct time once power is reapplied.

 

[Goalie]

The time is different every time. Today at 10 pm it said 8.20 am. The preset radio stations are still saved and do not change. So the only thing not working is the time. The tractor battery is good and tractor starts with in a few cranks. Any ideas?

 

[kebo]

Yeah, the clock chip has most likely gone bad in some way, or possibly the crystal is bad. Usually the clock chip's are controlled by a pcb mounted crystal that oscillates at a specific frequency. The crystal can change its frequency due to heat/cold/mechanical vibration and if it starts oscillating at a different frequency, then the clock chip obviously will not be accurate. So, that's one possibility. Looks to me like the only way you're going to fix this is to replace the radio, or else try and find an audio/electronics shop that will service it. If it were under warranty, obviously JD would just replace the radio but being out of warranty you'll have to ask your JD dealer what they can do, if anything. I'm betting they will just want to sell you a new one though.