brand new tractor ...need help

[s219]

Kubota B series ... my buddies B2920 had one.

I think that's only Canadian models that get a dynamo. My US model B2920 had an alternator.

 

[TSO]

I think that's only Canadian models that get a dynamo. My US model B2920 had an alternator.

He bought his in Michigan ... said it was dynamo & not alternator. Bought it about 2.5 yrs ago

 

[jenkinsph]

IIRC my 4520 has a 70 amp alternator but I can let it sit for a couple of months and it will start up no problem. Might wan't to take the dealer up on his offer and change the battery out.

 

[Jd5203]

Agree with others. Put a trickle charger on the battery and should start right up after.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

FWIW, the optimate is the finest no-brainer battery charger around. I leave all kinds of things alone for months with these things plugged in--including dead batteries and have them come back to life. Worth $100 a pop over the battery chargers noted in this thread.


Amazon.com: OptiMate 6 Ampmatic battery saving charger-tester-maintainer: Automotive

 

[MESSMAKER]

we are all hoping he has juice in the pole barn. Sometimes that's not the case. That, then requires removing the battery and taking it somewhere else to maintain..

 

[murphy1244]

Its a new tractor, Call the dealer

 

[Ford850]

I just had another thought. I once left the key turned partially on after refueling or something where I was checking the gauges. That drained my battery dead, but I was able to recover it.

 

[wolc123]

This cold winter we are having here in upstate NY (as well as the rest of the country), finally killed the factory battery on my 10 year old, JD 4120 (same tractor as yours, but with fuel pressure cranked down a bit). During those years, I never used a trickle charger, or any kind of charger and, with one exception, the tractor always started good in the winter. My tractor is stored in an unheated barn, but I almost always use a block heater, for at least 1/2 hour, prior to winter starts. With that block-heater on, for just 1/2 hour, in temps as cold as -10 F, the tractor starts as well as it does in mid-summer.

In my opinion, based on my own experience, a trickle charger or battery tender should not be needed on this series of JD tractors. A block-heater, however, is recommended for cold-weather starts. This device will reduce engine wear by bringing up the oil temperature, allowing it to reach bearings and other critical areas faster than a start using nothing, or just the preheat feature on the ignition switch. You definitely have a defect, or some type of problem, if your battery failed to start your tractor that soon. It is probably just a defective battery, but may be some type of voltage leak. Do you have a block heater?. If not, I would be more concerned with premature engine wear in the winter than I would of any electrical issue.

The time my tractor did not start good, was a premature starter failure when the tractor was about 3 years old. I replaced the factory installed, defective, Bosch starter, with an aftermarket "Powerstrike" (1/3 the cost of the Bosch at the dealer), and the tractor has started great ever since. When that factory starter failed, I may have had the "clicking" sound that you describe, but I doubt your newer tractor still uses that older, defective "Bosch".

 

[ishiboo]

That battery needs to be replaced. It should have been charged on a tractor that new and easily sat 2 months without issue, unless you left something on. Take it out, take it to your local auto parts store... when it tests bad, take it to the dealership and have them replace it as they offered. A starting battery should not be deep discharged and it should not have self-discharged in that time period. Its capacity/lifespan IS now reduced. It would still probably work, but why not get it replaced?

A trickle charger is not a bad investment, but it's likely not capable of bringing that battery back to a reasonable charge level. For that you'll probably need something that puts out a few amps.

Sitting 2-3 months at a time without a charger should be no problem though.

 

[GManBart]

This cold winter we are having here in upstate NY (as well as the rest of the country), finally killed the factory battery on my 10 year old, JD 4120 (same tractor as yours, but with fuel pressure cranked down a bit). During those years, I never used a trickle charger, or any kind of charger and, with one exception, the tractor always started good in the winter. My tractor is stored in an unheated barn, but I almost always use a block heater, for at least 1/2 hour, prior to winter starts. With that block-heater on, for just 1/2 hour, in temps as cold as -10 F, the tractor starts as well as it does in mid-summer.

In my opinion, based on my own experience, a trickle charger or battery tender should not be needed on this series of JD tractors. A block-heater, however, is recommended for cold-weather starts. This device will reduce engine wear by bringing up the oil temperature, allowing it to reach bearings and other critical areas faster than a start using nothing, or just the preheat feature on the ignition switch. You definitely have a defect, or some type of problem, if your battery failed to start your tractor that soon. It is probably just a defective battery, but may be some type of voltage leak. Do you have a block heater?. If not, I would be more concerned with premature engine wear in the winter than I would of any electrical issue.

The time my tractor did not start good, was a premature starter failure when the tractor was about 3 years old. I replaced the factory installed, defective, Bosch starter, with an aftermarket "Powerstrike" (1/3 the cost of the Bosch at the dealer), and the tractor has started great ever since. When that factory starter failed, I may have had the "clicking" sound that you describe, but I doubt your newer tractor still uses that older, defective "Bosch".

No disputing your experience, but there is some anecdotal evidence out there that battery quality has dropped in the past ten years....outsourcing, overseas suppliers, etc. That may be why more folks are finding they need a battery tender on infrequently used vehicles more commonly now.

 

[juddspaintballs]

Most batteries we get in the US now are made by Johnson Controls in Mexico. Johnson Controls owns Optima and Interstate now and makes them in Mexico as well. It's VERY hard to find a battery not made by Johnson Controls now. When the batteries in my Suburban went bad, I searched far and wide and wound up buying Die Hard Platinum batteries from Sears. All other Die Hard batteries are made by JC, but the Platinum line is actually made by Odyssey here in the US. Regardless the brand name on a battery these days, if it's made by JC, it's going to be a less than good battery. Look for anything made by Odyssey or Dekka if you want a quality battery.