Mowing JD 430 PTO problem

[danster44]

battery light came on -- PTO would not engage -- could it be the battery is too weak for the PTO to run?

If I run the RPMs up, the battery light turns off after about 8-10 seconds -- when I reduce RPMs, the battery light comes on, meaning, I assume, this battery is not holding its charge.

Ideas . . .

 

[beenthere]

:welcome:
How old is the battery?

 

[RoyJackson]

If that's a 12 volt system, use a known good battery (you might have to jury rig a temporary way to hold the battery in place, unless the 430 uses an automotive sized battery) and see if that fixes the problem.
Even just rigging jumper cables from your car or truck to the existing battery would work long enough to see if the PTO engages. Just remember to not drive off...

 

[Oldtractorfixer]

The light indicates that the generator is not putting out. The battery could be completely shot and the light would go out if the genertor was trying to charge it. First check your belt. A loose belt will make you gen not charge until you increase rpm sometimes. I don't remember any electical componant to the pto on a 430 but I haven't looked at one lately. If there is a solinoid or something then low voltage could definately affect it.

 

[32 chev]

You might check the clearance on the pto clutch magnet it should be
about. .018 of an inch.

 

[danster44]

thank you all for chimin' in --

just bought the tractor, so not sure how old the battery is:

spent 3-4 hrs with the dozer blade, and ran a lot of those hrs at low rpm --

the mower attachment (ie, PTO) worked right after I hooked it up, but after 5 minutes of mowing (I stopped for a few minutes) it would not come back on --

the battery light was on -- if i raised rpms, batt light would go off after 8-10 seconds, but upon reducing rpms back to idle, batt light would come back on, indicating battery is not holding charge.

 

[Oldtractorfixer]

I'm guessing you have a 430 lawn tractor not a vintage 430 2 cylinder tractor. The red light is an indicator that the charging system is not putting out, not that the battery is low. The battery goes low because of a poor charging system not necessarily due to a bad battery. The red light does not indicate "state of charge". A low charge will affect the electro clutch operation.