Battery fluid disappeared

[JNB]

My NH TC 40 had its battery replaced a year and a half ago. The original (2006) leaked and it was replaced under warranty. The tractor didnt start yeasterday - checked fluid - it was nearly all gone. Threw in some battery acid I had lying around from filling my motorcycle battery and added some Dasani water (only the best for my toy!) so that it came uo to the top. Placed it on a 2 amp charging rate - will check it out this evening. Should the battery fluid have dried up? If I need to replace the battery, can I get a walmart battery or does it need a special heavy duty battery from a specialty store?

 

[Willl]

More likely boiled out from over charge.

 

[Travelover]

I think you should have just topped it off with distilled water. Mineral water is the wrong stuff, even if it is expensive.

 

[Jimmy Joe]

There isn't any acid discoloration on the radiator is there? Some of the early TC tractors had a problem from the fan pulling the air across the battery and sucking up the acid and eventually eating up the radiator. I think the problem was fixed before your year, but something to check out.

 

[Thomas]

I would measure for clearance also cables long enough..some setups are tight fit.

 

[Transit]

1) No, probably boiled out from over charge as mentioned.

2) Any battery that fits and is for automotive starting service.

It sounds like you need to do some investigating as to something causing physical damage or an overcharging situation.

Baring a cracked battery, overcharging will boil the battery. With the engine running at ｽ throttle the battery voltage must not exceed 14.5 volts. 14.7 and more will cause early battery failure, overheating and may cause the case to crack.

 

[V1Rotate]

1) No, probably boiled out from over charge as mentioned.

2) Any battery that fits and is for automotive starting service.

It sounds like you need to do some investigating as to something causing physical damage or an overcharging situation.

Any battery that fits is only partially true. Make absolutly sure that the positve and negative terminals are in the correct positions on the new battery, if the battery is hooked up backwards, severe damage to the electrical system will occure.

 

[smstonypoint]

2) Any battery that fits and is for automotive starting service.

And has sufficient cold cranking amps.

Steve

 

[ultrarunner]

As a general rule it is the water the evaporates and needs to be replaced when caused be excessive charging... adding acid, or a lot of acid usually isn't recommended.

High charging rate will literally boil the water right out.

 

[CurlyDave]

When the battery on my JD quit after a few years, I went down to the local Kragen and bought a new one -- no I don't particularly like their batteries, but they stand behind their warranty, and I have had no trouble getting replacements in the past.

For some reason, Deere has chosen to fit a "reversed terminal" battery in my machine, but I was able to get a new one off the shelf. When I changed out the battery, I discovered the cables were more than long enough to have used a normal terminal configuration.

Anyway, the new el cheapo battery is working just fine.

 

[doall]

ditto on the distilled water for batteries.
May try a sealed battery.

 

[Pete Judd]

I have a large sailboat, that has 10 golf cart batterys as the house bank. I water them every 3 months with distilled water, and they last 8-10 years if I don't discharge them below 50 percent. One of the things that I have noted on my Yanmar tractor, is that even though the generator is not very big, it tends of over charge the battery, and that I have to add distilled water a lot. It has become one of the things I check before starting the tractor, along with all the other fluid levels. I keep a couple gallons of distilled water in the shed with the tractor, they only cost 99 cents a gallon at the local food store.

 

[arsenix2001]

I think you should have just topped it off with distilled water. Mineral water is the wrong stuff, even if it is expensive.

Triple that, mineral water is the absolute worst thing you could have used. Distilled water is best. You want 0 mineral content and desani is loaded with them. Will foul up the plates in the cells if it isnt done already, adding acid was bad too unless it was bone dry, the water will evaporate first

 

[JNB]

Thanks guys. It started last night but will check out the overcharging issue this weekend.

 

[JJZ 109]

2) Any battery that fits and is for automotive starting service.

Agreed. Once had a battery head south after only 2 years on a JD 790. Flopped it onto the counter at the local NAPA and they had a replacement for it.
Physical dimensions are probably all you need to worry about.

 

[V1Rotate]

Just as a safety note, all lead-acid batteries produce hydrogen gas, which is explosive. When disconnecting the cables, always disconnect the negative terminal first then the positve. When re-connecting, always connect the positive first then the negative. If you have your wrench on the positive terminal with the negative attached, and it touches anything metal, you will get a huge spark, (I learned this the hard way when I was kid working on an old 54 Chevy).

 

[Transit]

Just sitting here reading all the posts, no one has mentioned the root cause of overcharging the battery, including yours truly. The alternator output is controlled by a voltage regulator. Some regulators may be adjusted, some not. The ideal voltage should be in the range of 14.1-14.5. Higher voltages will cause the electrolyte to gas, the water does not evaporate, it is taken apart to form Hydrogen and Oxygen.

As for adding Mineral water, you may just as well put a 45 slug through the case. I have seen recommendations to drain contaminated the battery acid, flush with distilled water, drain again and refill the battery with fresh battery acid. I cant say if it works or not. Refilling with mineral water will shorten your batteries life.

 

[JJZ 109]

J

As for adding Mineral water, you may just as well put a 45 slug through the case. I have seen recommendations to drain contaminated the battery acid, flush with distilled water, drain again and refill the battery with fresh battery acid. I cant say if it works or not. Refilling with mineral water will shorten your batteries life.

Pretty sure that the original poster mentioned using Dasani. It's Coke product and I think that it's only filtered, bottled water. Not mineral water.
CORRECTION: Checked the Dasani website and it is indeed mineral enhanced.

 

[jonyyuma]

Ditto on NOT turning battery upside down and dumping it out.You will be moving the depleated acid plates from the bottom of the battery back to the plates. This sulfated material is what shorts out the battery at the end of its life. That is unless it has a short, or an open in connections.Adding fresh acid, not recommmended, only distilled water, or de-ionized.. See, we had battery school for our gen-sets, esp with 8d sizes.. But I know this info will probably start up a firestorm of responses..Yahhha .Jy.

 

[djradz]

My NH TC 40 had its battery replaced a year and a half ago. The original (2006) leaked and it was replaced under warranty. The tractor didnt start yeasterday - checked fluid - it was nearly all gone. Threw in some battery acid I had lying around from filling my motorcycle battery and added some Dasani water (only the best for my toy!) so that it came uo to the top. Placed it on a 2 amp charging rate - will check it out this evening. Should the battery fluid have dried up? If I need to replace the battery, can I get a walmart battery or does it need a special heavy duty battery from a specialty store?

You probably should post this over in the NH forum. Lot's of help on the battery problem(s) there. As another has noted, this was an extremely common problem in the early TC series tractors. Many NH owners have gone to the Optima yellow or red top as an alternative.