I have a bobcat CT 122 burning the 18 gauge ground up on trying to start

[Dales tractor]

I have a bobcat CT 122 tractor that is burning the 18 grit gauge ground up on trying to start

 

[tomplum]

Welcome to the group. You didn't say what the ground wire went exactly. A good start would be to clean and confirm the condition of the chassis / engine grounds. If they are tough to get to or seem lacking, run new ones, just not near sensitive modules etc.

 

[Roadworthy]

Welcome to the TBN. Based upon the fact you say it's a ground wire I'm going to guess one end connects to the frame. To what is the other end connected?

 

[Tinhack]

18 Ga. would be for something like panel lights or a radio. Certainly the battery to ground wire is larger. Like 4Ga. or similar. Check the battery terminals and where the battery ground wire attaches to the engine or frame. Both ends need to be shinny where they connect.

The fuse for that 18Ga wire should be no more than 10A. Most likely less than that in practice. More detail is needed.

By the way, welcome to TBN!

 

[rScotty]

Something not right here. A ground wire goes from neg post on the battery to the tractor or engine frame. It is short and about as big around as a pencil. Or larger.
But an 18 gauge wire is only as big around as a pencil lead. It will burn up. Too small.

 

[flyerdan]

It sounds like the main battery ground cable has a bad connection, either at the frame mount or the battery terminal. The 18 ga. ground is probably for the instrument cluster and the starter is trying to ground through it. Cleaning up the neg cable should sort it.

 

[rScotty]

It sounds like the main battery ground cable has a bad connection, either at the frame mount or the battery terminal. The 18 ga. ground is probably for the instrument cluster and the starter is trying to ground through it. Cleaning up the neg cable should sort it.

You know, I like that explanation and admit I didn't think of it. But I have seen instances where there is a smaller gauge wire next to the larger gauge wire going to a battery connection. It's usually done on the positive side, but I suppose it could be done on the negative side.

I can't see any electtrical reason why it would be done that way, but if the original poster says that he has both a large and small wire connected to the negative (ground) side of the battery then dan's explanation that the larger wire is not making good ground contact to the tractor frame sounds correct to me. Check both the battery end and the frame connection for the large ground wire from the negative terminal. I have seen instances where the wire is corroded through inside of the insulation as much as an inch back from the battery, so check that heavy ground wire carefully.