Alternator/Battery Issue I need some help with

[Lmiller119]

I have a Kioti Mechron 2200 and I have added the stock brake lights/horn/turn signal package along with an additional LED light bar. When its running and just the normal lights and the brake lights/horn/turn signals are working the engine sounds fine, but when i turn my LED light bar on you can tell that it is just pulling too much power. I cannot find any where that states the amperage of the alternator. Does any body know what to do or how i can correct this issue? thanks in advance.

 

[Billrog]

I would say that's normal that the alt. uses hp to operate everything when I turn the heater fan on in my 95 hp backhoe the engine losses 100 to 200 rpm when idling. Adding a large alt. will just require more HP.

 

[Phillip w]

Welcome to the forum. I guess I'm struggling to see how an led light bar can pull that much. I have jumoped say big farm tractors off say my pickup and that definitely pulls the juice. But there again, pull a gooseneck stock trailer with all the lights and no issue. My question is do you have the light bar fused??? I put four large "spot lights" on one of my tractors with no trouble. The only thing I can figure is maybe you got some kind of short or leak to ground that is not fused. That would pull on the alternator big time and possible blow the diodes in the alternator.

 

[k0ua]

I have a Kioti Mechron 2200 and I have added the stock brake lights/horn/turn signal package along with an additional LED light bar. When its running and just the normal lights and the brake lights/horn/turn signals are working the engine sounds fine, but when i turn my LED light bar on you can tell that it is just pulling too much power. I cannot find any where that states the amperage of the alternator. Does any body know what to do or how i can correct this issue? thanks in advance.

The first thing to do is find out how much current the LED light bar is pulling. To do that you will need an ammeter. A way to measure current. The standard 10 amp scale on your average VOM is not liable to be enough. You will need a clamp on current meter that for sure can measure DC current.

Amazon.com: dc current clamp meter

I believe the alternator in your mechron to be 75 amp, but I am not sure. Also when you bought the LED lightbar did you check the specifications on what its rated current should be?

The only way to know if it is defective is to measure its current draw, and compare to its rated spec.

 

[s219]

LED light bars are not all the same. Some are a lot more energy efficient than others for a given amount of light, and based on how many LED elements are in a large light bar, it's entirely possible you're drawing way too many amps. It's good to know your alternator specs and make sure you are operating within them. Of course, if the light bar is properly fused, you at least know the current is something less than the fuse rating!! So that would be an upper limit.

 

[George2615]

The first thing to do is find out how much current the LED light bar is pulling. To do that you will need an ammeter. A way to measure current. The standard 10 amp scale on your average VOM is not liable to be enough. You will need a clamp on current meter that for sure can measure DC current.

Amazon.com: dc current clamp meter

I believe the alternator in your mechron to be 75 amp, but I am not sure. Also when you bought the LED lightbar did you check the specifications on what its rated current should be?

The only way to know if it is defective is to measure its current draw, and compare to its rated spec.

I couldn't find any specs on the charging system for the Mechron 2200 but with a 22HP engine I don't think it would have a very large charging system. My guess would be 30-35A.
As mentioned, check the current draw and I think you'll find you maybe maxed out. You could call your dealer and have him check the factory service manual for the charging system and whether a higher amp alternator is an option.

 

[k0ua]

I couldn't find any specs on the charging system for the Mechron 2200 but with a 22HP engine I don't think it would have a very large charging system. My guess would be 30-35A.
As mentioned, check the current draw and I think you'll find you maybe maxed out. You could call your dealer and have him check the factory service manual for the charging system and whether a higher amp alternator is an option.

I saw an 75 amp alternator in the parts list, but this could be an optional one. The Mechron does have a winch option. And those things suck down the current for sure. But just guessing about the current draw of the LED bar won't help at all, we need to measure it.

 

[George2615]

I saw an 75 amp alternator in the parts list, but this could be an optional one. The Mechron does have a winch option. And those things suck down the current for sure. But just guessing about the current draw of the LED bar won't help at all, we need to measure it.

I was guessing his alternator size at 30-35A not his LED and other lighting draw. I had a 26HP tractor and it had a 45A alternator.

 

[k0ua]

I was guessing his alternator size at 30-35A not his LED and other lighting draw. I had a 26HP tractor and it had a 45A alternator.

One way to find out would be to look at it. It is likely made by Nippon Denso, and try to get a model number off of it and google it.

 

[TimberHole]

I'm certainly no electrician but I didn't think LED's draw much current. Am I wrong?

 

[Phillip w]

I'm certainly no electrician but I didn't think LED's draw much current. Am I wrong?

That is pretty much what I'm thinking. Led's should not draw that much current. Now if you were trying to jump a big ag tractor or something I'd say yes. I put 4 big spot/flood light on my tractor and it is not pulling me down. I'm suspecting a leak to ground with no fuse.

 

[k0ua]

I'm certainly no electrician but I didn't think LED's draw much current. Am I wrong?

Well, that depends on how many LED modules are in his bar. Some LED bars are quite large and do draw significant currents. For a given luminosity LED's will draw considerably less current than an incandescent bar.

 

[k0ua]

That is pretty much what I'm thinking. Led's should not draw that much current. Now if you were trying to jump a big ag tractor or something I'd say yes. I put 4 big spot/flood light on my tractor and it is not pulling me down. I'm suspecting a leak to ground with no fuse.

He never has told us what his bar is fused for (if there even is one) nor has he told us the published spec of how much the LED should draw, and if you didn't know that, how would you size the fuse? (catch -22 situation)

 

[Phillip w]

He never has told us what his bar is fused for (if there even is one) nor has he told us the published spec of how much the LED should draw, and if you didn't know that, how would you size the fuse? (catch -22 situation)

Your down in Ozark country. Pretty good place to live I think. I'm kind of a master at jurry rigging stuff. Sometimes I just kind of guess at things. That being said I think he'd have to have a set of lights (just an expression here) to light up arrowhead stadium. When I put the floodlights on my tractor, I think I used a 20 amp inline fuse and an old ignition switch out of a 400 case tractor. Now, I have jumped started old farm tractors using pickups, an old beat up van, and other tractors. I've even used my little massey 1531 to jump start stuff.my point is if it is say 20-25 degrees and you got a the batteries down on a big tractor (alot of bigger tractors take 2 batteries for cranking amps, I got one that takes 4) I think you'll be hard pressed to find any situation that will draw more current that when you hit the starter on that big old tractor. I mean you got dead batteries, it's cold, big 6 cylinder diesel engine, you got glow plugs to warm (and the pull quite a bit)and the get the engine turning while glow plugs are hot. That is going to pull alot of current
It may be his light rack is too big, but I'm struggling to see it and figure how it is possible with the light racks I sre at tsc or your farm & home store.