Battery dying or belt slipping?

dodge man · Mar 26, 2023

When people describe your problem, I always say load test the battery. Otherwise you don’t know if the battery is good. The volts alone doesn’t tell you. A load tester is less than $50.

auraaura · Mar 26, 2023

OK. Belt changed, no joy. Still around 12.9 volts when running. I've got a service manual but it's pretty hard for me to decipher, I'll work on it some more another day. Thanks again for the guidance!

auraaura · Mar 26, 2023

Oh, I forgot to add that I found a sticker on the battery, 12/17. So that battery is likely gone. If it continues to have the slow starting issue I'll replace it.

bmaverick · Mar 26, 2023

auraaura said:
Oh, I forgot to add that I found a sticker on the battery, 12/17. So that battery is likely gone. If it continues to have the slow starting issue I'll replace it.

That's still young for a battery.

ponytug · Mar 27, 2023

auraaura said:
Oh, I forgot to add that I found a sticker on the battery, 12/17. So that battery is likely gone. If it continues to have the slow starting issue I'll replace it.

Have you gone around to check/ clean the connectors and connections on the battery cables, and alternator wiring? Corrosion can give the alternator a higher voltage than what you see at the battery, which might explain the issue. What is the output voltage from the alternator when the tractor is running?

I have seen batteries fail in five years, so I wouldn't rule that one out either, but I would expect some variation on the voltage. I.e. if you charge it with an external charger, it should get to a higher voltage initially and then rapidly drop. I might pull the battery and have it load tested at an auto parts store, if you have one nearby.

Bad batteries and alternators often go hand in hand.

All the best,

Peter

FordnMassey · Mar 27, 2023

auraaura said:
OK. Belt changed, no joy. Still around 12.9 volts when running. I've got a service manual but it's pretty hard for me to decipher, I'll work on it some more another day. Thanks again for the guidance!

Hi,
Damn, I was hoping the belt would be it.
I think load testing the battery is a good idea.