Ditch Witch J20 - Battery Keeps Running Down - Wisconsin TJD Engine

[SPYDERLK]

https://www.forneyind.com/site/PDPs/PDPs/D-1006E-to-D-1062E-Engine-Driven-Generators.pdf

This may be a ~ 100 yr old engine. Go down thru the link pdf and see if you recognize anything. Wisconsin manual starts around page 5. We need a historical Wisconsin guru!

 

[Bentrim]

Check and/or clean all cable connections at batery and the connections where the "other end" of the cables attach. If any isolation mounts are used for the engine be sure there is a good connection between engine and frame, especially if the battery gronds to the frame.
If you don't have one purchase a multimeter.
1. check battery voltage abt 12.7
2 check voltage + post of battery to engine block. = battery voltage.
3 start engine -- check battery voltage should increase to about 14.5 volt.
4 when battery is fully charged shut off engine, battery voltage should be back down to about 12.7 volts. may be higher due to surface charge.
5 If you remove the battery cable and observe a spark (the darker the better) you have something drawing current from the battery. You can also using your multimeter by removeing one of the battery terminals and using the meter set on the Amp or for a very small draw use the milliamp setting. Should be NO amp draw. If there is a draw check for anything hooked to the off position of the switch, votage regulator, starter solenoid, light switch etc.

 

[D&D]

try here, page 30

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

 

[Vinnnie]

I have an older Ditch Witch J20 equipped with a 2 cylinder Wisconsin TJD 18HP air cooled engine that I bought at an equipment auction a month ago.

When I picked it up the battery was weak and required using a jump box to get it to start to load it onto my trailer.

Once I got it home, I had to hook the jump box to get it running to unload it. I tested the battery and it was very weak so I went ahead and replaced the battery, ignition switch, the wiring going to the starter solenoid and the wiring from the solenoid to the starter case. It set for a week or two with the new battery installed while I replaced the wiring to the switch and to the starter solenoid. When I eventually got it all replaced and tried to start it, it still wouldn’t crank unless I hooked the jump box to it.

Any ideas what may be causing the battery to run down and the troubleshooting steps I should take to narrow down the cause?

I would check the diodes in the alternator...

 

[SPYDERLK]

I would check the diodes in the alternator...

we dont know that it has an alternator. May be just a dynamo coil behind the flywheel, and a single inline diode, somewhere, providing unregulated half wave charging. This component could be whats failing.

 

[Cowansauto]

This model does have an alternator mounted on the left (driver's) side.

 

[Flogger]

Pull the positive cable from the battery. Place the meter set on ohms between the positive and negative cable ends. Check for resistance. If resistance is noted pull the large battery cable from the alternator. If the resistance disappears you have a diode issue.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Pull the positive cable from the battery. Place the meter set on ohms between the positive and negative cable ends. Check for resistance. If resistance is noted pull the large battery cable from the alternator. If the resistance disappears you have a diode issue.

Dont use one of the sensitive/hi ohm scales. A resistance of ~10K or so, while truly a resistance, should be viewed as an open circuit/infinite in this situation.

 

[Flogger]

No not use one of the sensitive/hi ohm scales. A resistance of ~10K or so, while truly a resistance, should be viewed as an open circuit/infinite in this situation.

Not understanding your meter can get very expensive. At that point letting the smoke out may be a better option!

 

[SPYDERLK]

Not understanding your meter can get very expensive. At that point letting the smoke out may be a better option!

True. But no danger with the instructions you gave. Just the chance of interpreting very high ohms as a fault in this low voltage condition.