Husqvarna gt48xls charging issue

MDCII · Feb 17, 2015

I posted this in the husqvarna forum but have not yielded any results

So I have a gt48xls as the title suggests. I live in New York and it gets pretty cold here often. I have been having an issue with the tractor not starting frequently to snow blow and having to jump it. Admittedly a couple of the times I had jumped it with the vehicle running not ever thinking of the large amperage difference between the 2 machines. So today I replaced the battery with a heavier duty batter with higher cca and purchased a maintainer to avoid future issues. However the tractor started right up (clearly) but I'm still having the issue where the three indicator lights are blinking when I induce load. So I fear I'm just running off of the new battery and I affected something else in the system. Any troubleshooting suggestions or anybody else know what I screwed up and need to replace??

Thanks

Marcel

Dave M7040 · Feb 18, 2015

From what I can see on line you have a Briggs engine.
You need to get a cheap multi meter and provide us with some voltage readings on the battery when running.
There is a rectifier unit which converts the AC power produced in the engine to Direct Current to charge the battery.
With the boosting of your tractor you may have subjected it to too high a voltage and fried it.
This link will give you an idea of what the rectifier will look like
Amazon.com: NEW BRIGGS AND STRATTON REGULATOR RECTIFIER 491546 691188 256400 280700 28b700 28m700 28q700 br1546 230-2218 351400: Automotive
Dave M7040

dkf435 · Feb 18, 2015

If alternator is putting out power but not getting to battery check for a fuse and check your key switch to make sure it is connecting charging circuit to the battery.

David Kb7uns

MDCII · Feb 21, 2015

Dave M7040 said:
From what I can see on line you have a Briggs engine.
You need to get a cheap multi meter and provide us with some voltage readings on the battery when running.
There is a rectifier unit which converts the AC power produced in the engine to Direct Current to charge the battery.
With the boosting of your tractor you may have subjected it to too high a voltage and fried it.
This link will give you an idea of what the rectifier will look like
Amazon.com: NEW BRIGGS AND STRATTON REGULATOR RECTIFIER 491546 691188 256400 280700 28b700 28m700 28q700 br1546 230-2218 351400: Automotive
Dave M7040

Thanks for the response. I just checked voltage and I do have 14.2 volts coming out of the battery while running. I know that this is correct so now I fear something worse? Does this mean that there is some kind of flywheel issue? Because all 3 lights blink when PTO is engaged??

Dave M7040 · Feb 21, 2015

MDCII said:
Thanks for the response. I just checked voltage and I do have 14.2 volts coming out of the battery while running. I know that this is correct so now I fear something worse? Does this mean that there is some kind of flywheel issue? Because all 3 lights blink when PTO is engaged??

Marcel
From your test it sounds like good news b.ut lets be cautious before you celebrate
Did or can you check the voltage when the headlights are on as an additional check.
Also can you check the voltage at the battery when the pto is engaged.
I found an on line owner's manual but cannot understand exactly what are the indicator lights for? i.e. what are they supposed to be telling you?
Dave M7040

MDCII · Feb 22, 2015

Dave M7040 said:
Marcel
From your test it sounds like good news b.ut lets be cautious before you celebrate
Did or can you check the voltage when the headlights are on as an additional check.
Also can you check the voltage at the battery when the pto is engaged.
I found an on line owner's manual but cannot understand exactly what are the indicator lights for? i.e. what are they supposed to be telling you?
Dave M7040

With the lights on the voltage dips down to 13.75

With the lights and the differential lock engaged it drops down to 13.64

Then with PTO engaged it drops down to 13.22

The indicator lights I am refering to are the actual battery life lights. When the battery is at full charge the green light blinks. Then there is a yellow (half charge or life) and red conversely would mean drained. When I'm using the tractor and let's say lower or raise the snow blower or induce any load the 3 lights will blink together. And then when it seems to for balance out the green light goes back to blinking. The same goes for anytime I activate anything that induces load. This is something the tractor never did before.

Dave M7040 · Feb 22, 2015

I understand now.
It is the same as the charging system testers you plug into a cigarette lighter socket and based upon which led's light up you are to infer the condition of your charging system.
Harbor Freight sells one for $6.
12 Volt Battery/Alternator Tester
What the lights are doing (along with their electronics) is indirectly telling you the voltage that exists in your charging system with the engine operating.
They really don't know a thing about the condition of your battery. Before this issue started, you could have had a battery which was on its last legs and the lights would tell you all was good because they were actually assessing the charging system and not the battery
Likely, when doing your boosting etc you messed up the cheap electronics behind your three lights.
I would just put a dab of black paint over the lights and forget about them.
Most garden tractors don't have any form of charging system alert.
With your voltages staying well above 12 volts you have nothing to worry about.
Airplanes have crashed because a pilot focused on a warning light which was on but really broken and everything was OK.
You are in the same situation. Just start cutting grass as soon as it is time.
Dave m7040

MDCII · Feb 22, 2015

Dave M7040 said:
I understand now.
It is the same as the charging system testers you plug into a cigarette lighter socket and based upon which led's light up you are to infer the condition of your charging system.
Harbor Freight sells one for $6.
12 Volt Battery/Alternator Tester
What the lights are doing (along with their electronics) is indirectly telling you the voltage that exists in your charging system with the engine operating.
They really don't know a thing about the condition of your battery. Before this issue started, you could have had a battery which was on its last legs and the lights would tell you all was good because they were actually assessing the charging system and not the battery
Likely, when doing your boosting etc you messed up the cheap electronics behind your three lights.
I would just put a dab of black paint over the lights and forget about them.
Most garden tractors don't have any form of charging system alert.
With your voltages staying well above 12 volts you have nothing to worry about.
Airplanes have crashed because a pilot focused on a warning light which was on but really broken and everything was OK.
You are in the same situation. Just start cutting grass as soon as it is time.
Dave m7040