Cub Cadet LTX1050VT not charging

mjw357 · May 23, 2015

Wife went to start tractor this afternoon, no go. Checked battery, 11.8v or something. Jumped it to start, 10.something across terminals. So the ignition/headlights are pulling it even lower while running, obviously not getting anything from the charging circuit. New battery as of last September.

Have battery on charger as I type this. Engine is B&S 24HP twin. Single black wire running up under flywheel area. Green connector to yellow wire to regulator/diode. Red wire running from regulator/diode out to tractor. Reg/diode is about 2" square by 1", bolts to engine shroud.

What voltages am I looking for? Easy way to test alternator/stator?

boudreaux81 · May 23, 2015

Should be two wires running up to stator under flywheel. Disconnect and check for AC volts. Check that the regulator has a good ground to engine block.

RandyT · May 24, 2015

mjw357, You have what appears to be the 5/9 regulated system. connect the red lead of a volt meter to the single green connector, and the black lead to ground, set the meter for AC volts start and run the engine at 3600 rpm, full throttle, and should should get a minimum of 28v with the 5 amp system or 40 v with the 9 amp system. Now take into account that you won't know what system you have because the only difference is the size of the flywheel magnets.

Make sure you are getting battery voltage to the red wire from the tractor, also make sure the voltage regulator is grounded properly.

mjw357 · May 24, 2015

RANDYT said:
mjw357, You have what appears to be the 5/9 regulated system. connect the red lead of a volt meter to the single green connector, and the black lead to ground, set the meter for AC volts start and run the engine at 3600 rpm, full throttle, and should should get a minimum of 28v with the 5 amp system or 40 v with the 9 amp system. Now take into account that you won't know what system you have because the only difference is the size of the flywheel magnets.

Make sure you are getting battery voltage to the red wire from the tractor, also make sure the voltage regulator is grounded properly.

Started mower, black wire just above idle about 30vac, at full throttle 42vac. Connected regulator, at full throttle, only getting about half a volt DC.

There is 12.8v at red wire.

Ordered replacement for part # 491546.