Bought a new CK25 last March. Battery goes dead about every month or so. I have recharged and even changed batteries. Tightened the cables again, tightened the alternator belt, and scraped paint from the frame and reattached the neg cable. When the tractor is running its putting out 11.64 volts, and 4.79 amps at the battery posts. Shouldn't the voltage be higher than 12? Please help...
Dead battery CK25
- Thread starter curdog76
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JoelD
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2005
- Messages
- 2,343
- Location
- Windham, NH and York, ME
- Tractor
- Kioti LK3054xs TLB, 2004
you should be putting out somwhere around 14 volts when the motor is running.
I would put a battery tender on it ($5 or so from harbor freight) until you sort this out, hate to see you dropping $50 a pop on batteries, unless you are buying ones with warranty and then maybe you can return for replacement.
I doubt it is a belt issue or the like, you'd smell belt smoke if that was the problem.
Sounds like maybe your alternator is not working properly. Should be under warranty.
Check your readings again, but you should be running 14 volts or so.
To test I hook up my volt meter to the terminals while it is running.
Tough to do, but maybe you can get a reading without the battery hooked up as maybe the battery is so bad that it is throwing off your readings?
Joel
I would put a battery tender on it ($5 or so from harbor freight) until you sort this out, hate to see you dropping $50 a pop on batteries, unless you are buying ones with warranty and then maybe you can return for replacement.
I doubt it is a belt issue or the like, you'd smell belt smoke if that was the problem.
Sounds like maybe your alternator is not working properly. Should be under warranty.
Check your readings again, but you should be running 14 volts or so.
To test I hook up my volt meter to the terminals while it is running.
Tough to do, but maybe you can get a reading without the battery hooked up as maybe the battery is so bad that it is throwing off your readings?
Joel
Dmace
Elite Member
Yeah, 11 volts won't charge a 12 volt battery. You should be reading between 14 and 15 volts depending on engine rpms. If you remove the alternator, some auto parts stores (ex. VIP auto, Autozone, etc...) will test it for free. How many hours on the tractor?
did you tell your dealer,that would be my first move,mines not much younger than yours,course maybe you didn't buy it new? Even if you didn't,you could talk to a dealer. Have you checked fuses,maybe ones blowed cause of something[or something.]
LBrown59
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2004
- Messages
- 16,831
- Tractor
- 2003 Kubota BX1500/2004 Kubota Bx23/2005 Kubota BX1500
Could it be the Voltage Reg.?
Dmace
Elite Member
Only if the voltage was constantly going up and down. Ever been in a car where the lights keep getting brighter and dimmer while it's running? You would notice the same thing with the tractor dash lights and would see the readings across the battery terminals doing the same thing.
the key switch,I've found is a little tricky,without going out to look[cause I'm lazy],but you turn it off and its not in last spot,if know what I'm saying,I always take key out and put that little plastic thing on,but if you don't take key out,maybe its not in last postion and allowing something? to draw juice? To me off should be off,but who knows. Sounds like something along those lines if battery lasts a month,either not charging or something is draining it.
Thanks greenmule, but I always take out the key and snap the cover over the keyhole too. Checked again with new battery. 12.77 vdc at terminals with ignition off. 12.63 vdc at terminals with ignition on but not started. 12.39 vdc at terminals with engine running. 12.24 vdc with engine on and lights on.
VictorW
Veteran Member
Did you check for a short causing a drain on the battery? One way to check for a general power drain is with the key off, remove one of the battery cables and hook up a 12 volt test light or amp meter betwen the battery and cable. A very minor drain might not show on a light but will be seen on the meter. I once had one diode of the diode trio in the alternator go bad. The alternator would charge, although not full output, with the engine running but then drain the battery when it sat. As advised, the charging voltage should be around 13.5 to 14.5. By the voltage numbers you listed, it appears that it's not charging. The volts keep going down as you put more load on the system. It must be a good fully charged battery doing what it can and I bet if you just let the tractor keep runing with the lights on, you'd see the voltage keep dropping. It's time for the dealer run and have the alternator checked and hpefuly replaced under warranty.
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