2004 Toolcat Problem

[yooperdave]

I put in a new battery last Spring, and the Toolcat sat inside the shed for the next 8 months. Thought I would fire it up yesterday and it was 100% dead. So I put the battery charger on it, but it indicated that the battery was fully charged. I then tried firing it up again, and ALL the dash lights cycled on and off and on and off for a number of seconds, then the glow plugs kicked in for 9 seconds, and then dead again. The starter would not engage a start.

Any ideas why leaving it alone for a number of months would create a dead machine?

Approx. 1,600 hours on the machine.

TIA

Yooper Dave

 

[Interceptor]

The "smart" battery charger is likely your problem. Did you actually check the battery voltage?

 

[GreyhawkUSA30340]

Lead-Acid batteries experience a phenomena called "self discharge" meaning over time, they lose their charge just due to internal chemistry. When storing a machine for an extended period of time it is best to remove the battery and put it on a "trickle charger" or "battery maintainer," or to periodically (i.e. at least monthly) connect the battery to a regular battery charger overnight (or use the machine periodically, long enough that it can re-charge the battery). The other thing that can happen is that when the battery is fully discharged, irreversible damage to the lead plates can occur reducing the battery's storage capacity. If this goes on long enough, the battery is junk and will no longer hold a charge at all.