unadilla
- Thread starter unadilla
- Start date
- Views: 3463
ToadHill
Elite Member
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2005
- Messages
- 2,722
- Location
- Catt county New York
- Tractor
- Kioti DK35, Ford 8N, Oliver Cletrac
No info in your profile, what tractor are we talking about here?
wushaw
Elite Member
Sounds like a wiring problem.
Look for shaffed wires, bad connections...etc
Look for shaffed wires, bad connections...etc
I looked at your other post: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/parts-repairs/110596-intelpenel-lights-blown-fuses.html and it seemed like they had some great ideas. Did you ever pull the wire to the glowplugs? Does the fuse to the glowplugs blow?
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jruss
Bronze Member
Having read your other post on your problem, I would check the glow plug relay to make sure that it is releasing. If it doesn't, the resulting heat build up the circuit due to resistance could not only blow the fuse, but stress the alternator causing a problem with it after time.
this tractor is a kubota 3130. On the cover of the fuse box the fuse that is blowing is labeled alternator. The shop replaced the regulator in the alternator and for a month it worked fine---no blown fuses. Now it has started again blowing fuses. The fuse also is connected with the glowplug. There is a light on the panel indicating when the glow plug is working. That light goes out after 30 seconds and the tractor will then start. That suggests that the relay is working. Thanks for the good ideas. I can't think what to do next.
Bill
Bill
jruss
Bronze Member
When you say that the glowplug light goes out after 30 seconds is that after you have started the engine? On my BX I only run the glowplugs for about 5 seconds or less in mild temps and no more than 10 seconds in any case. It would seem to me that 30 seconds of glowplug operation is excessive in all but the coldest weather. On my unit when I turn the key on it will light the glowplug light until I manually turn the key to the start position. I am not familiar with your model's key operation, but assume it would be similar to mine.
It is also possible that the alternator repair did not hold up. I would ask the shop that repaired it to check it again. They should be willing to do so at no cost or little cost to you.
It is also possible that the alternator repair did not hold up. I would ask the shop that repaired it to check it again. They should be willing to do so at no cost or little cost to you.
jruss, yes mine works just the way your tractor does, but it takes longer because i am in northern vermont and it is cold but maybe it is still too long. i called the shop which replaced the regulator and he was doubtful that it had failed again. what has always been puzzling is that it takes so long to blow...maybe an hour or more...and it does not always blow then.
OrangeGuy
Gold Member
I am in Minnesota and started my Kubota GL 3430 the other day when the temp was about 10 degrees. The glow plug light was on for 5 seconds max. The light goes off automatically when glow plugs reach their desired temp. The tractor was in a cold storage shed and the block heater plugged in. The engine fired on the first revolution. 30 seconds sounds like a long time for the glow plug light to stay lit. I would concentrate on this as the possible problem.
OrangeGuy
OrangeGuy
I have a B7510 and it stared up after about 10 sec of glow plug on a 14F morning (white smoke was coming out of the exhaust pipe 
). I had to get it going quick that is why I didn't use the block heater. I figure that if the small engine on 7510 fires up after 10 sec, your tractor should be fine too.
). I had to get it going quick that is why I didn't use the block heater. I figure that if the small engine on 7510 fires up after 10 sec, your tractor should be fine too.jruss
Bronze Member
Unadilla, acording to by manual, the glow plugs in my BX reach there maximum operating temperature (which is about 1000 C ) in aproximately 15 seconds and about 950 in ten seconds. If yours are the same, 30 seconds is at best a wasteful draw on the battery. The draw starts out at 35 amps and decreases to 15 amps in 15 seconds and then remains constant after that to the end of the chart which is 50 seconds.
The fuses used on our tractors will not blow out immediately unless there is a direct short in the circuit.
You can diagnose the problem by disconnecting the circuits on the fuse one by one and running the tractor for at least an hour. Feel the fuse temp before startup and as you run it. Fuse should start out cool or cold and warm up as it nears the point of blowing. Keep in mind that some heat will occur under normal conditions. when the fuse nears blowing, the fuse should get almost too hot to touch. If you disconnect one of the circuits and the fuse heats up but does not blow you will have to cool the fuse down before checking the next circuit. You can do this by blowing compressed air on it or just waiting for it to cool naturally.
Hope this helps, as I know this type of problem can be frustrating.
The fuses used on our tractors will not blow out immediately unless there is a direct short in the circuit.
You can diagnose the problem by disconnecting the circuits on the fuse one by one and running the tractor for at least an hour. Feel the fuse temp before startup and as you run it. Fuse should start out cool or cold and warm up as it nears the point of blowing. Keep in mind that some heat will occur under normal conditions. when the fuse nears blowing, the fuse should get almost too hot to touch. If you disconnect one of the circuits and the fuse heats up but does not blow you will have to cool the fuse down before checking the next circuit. You can do this by blowing compressed air on it or just waiting for it to cool naturally.
Hope this helps, as I know this type of problem can be frustrating.
with the block heater---which i usually don't use---it fires up in 5 sec or less. Maybe I should use it more. A new problem is that the speedometer does not work. All the other panel lights are fine. Could that be related to the blowing fuses? I have searched the wiring for fraying but can't locate anything.
Bill
Bill
So you don't see any cooked mouse parts I hate electrical problems, there could be a wire that just needs to be bumped a certain way... When you test for the blown fuse, do you work with the tractor until it happens or do you turn it on and leave it in one place and wait for it to blow?
I hate electrical problems, there could be a wire that just needs to be bumped a certain way... When you test for the blown fuse, do you work with the tractor until it happens or do you turn it on and leave it in one place and wait for it to blow?jruss
Bronze Member
Bill, are you close to a Kubota dealer? If so I would recommend you talk to the service manager, he may be able to shed some light on the problem.
By the way, I wasn't aware that the 3130 had a speedometer, just an engine tachometer. If shorted it's possible that the draw would blow the fuse. It could be that it had an intermitant short and that is why the fuse would blow at different times.
John
By the way, I wasn't aware that the 3130 had a speedometer, just an engine tachometer. If shorted it's possible that the draw would blow the fuse. It could be that it had an intermitant short and that is why the fuse would blow at different times.
John
John
Yes, the panel reads a number of functions. Speed mph and kph, tack, hours etc digitally by pressing a button. I rarely use the tractor on the highway so it was by accident that I noticed the mph was not working. I do have a Kubota dealer nearby and will ask him Monday. So far he is baffled by the fuse blowing. You may finally have the answer.
Bill
Yes, the panel reads a number of functions. Speed mph and kph, tack, hours etc digitally by pressing a button. I rarely use the tractor on the highway so it was by accident that I noticed the mph was not working. I do have a Kubota dealer nearby and will ask him Monday. So far he is baffled by the fuse blowing. You may finally have the answer.
Bill
I disconnected the alternator from the circuit and it still blows fuses. So far as I can tell (and I haven't got a manual) there are three items on that fuse, the panel, the alternator and the glowplug. With the alternator out it seems it must be the glowplug or the panel. The dealer says he had a 3130 recently with the same problem and found a shorted wire. But I can't find one.
Bill
Bill
jruss
Bronze Member
Bill, I'd check the wires going to the speed sensor (should be on the transmission or axle) since the speedometer doesn't work and unplug the sensor to test if you can't find any bare or frayed wires.
John
John
John,
You got it! There was a frayed wire at the point where the wire enters the transmission. I use the tractor in the woods this time of year and a stick must have caught the wire. This would also account for why it blew fuses only when the tractor was operating. The wire swung into the steel of the frame.
Many thanks for your help. Wiring is always a pain but I should have seen this one a month ago.
Bill
You got it! There was a frayed wire at the point where the wire enters the transmission. I use the tractor in the woods this time of year and a stick must have caught the wire. This would also account for why it blew fuses only when the tractor was operating. The wire swung into the steel of the frame.
Many thanks for your help. Wiring is always a pain but I should have seen this one a month ago.
Bill
FullBucket
Silver Member
Congrats on solving your thorny problem! Kept seeing it pop up and wondered how u were doing so I finally had a look tonight. Enjoy your new piece of mind.
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