[cokerta]

I need help with an electrical problem please.
Yesterday when I was cutting grass all of a sudden the 322 died and the battery was dead as a hammer I jumped it off and it started right up only to die a few seconds later, Something is pulling the battery down rather quickly, So I charged the battery overnight did a load test and the battery is fine, when I crank the tractor it pulls the battery down again in a minute or two. Any Ideas

 

[vinnie110]

You have a short someplace. I would an amp meter between the positive battery terminal and the positive battery cable, engine off, and then start disconnecting things until the heavy draw goes away.

 

[chuckv]

Tony,

I presume that in your post your statement of "when I crank the tractor..." means that it starts normally and runs for a while then dies of a flat battery -- correct?

Look in your TM1591 electrical section and note the wiring near the fuses. If you have a DC clamp on amp meter like I do you can test each leg to see where there is an abnormal draw. You can also verify that there is current being generated by the charging system to replenish your battery. That current flows from the regulator back into the battery on the #950 red wire.

Here is a good charging / VR test from the TM1591:
VR tests page 1.pdf (32.8 k)
VR tests pages 2 & 3.pdf (61.2 k)

If the draw is as heavy as you describe, it should be found readily.

Might be a shorted wire to the seat switch drawing a lot of current (and jumping off lifted that short momentarily...) Does this battery discharge happen even when the PTO is not engaged?

Chuck

 

[crazyhorse]

Mr Tony as fast as it is killing the battery,
you may can feel for a hot wire with your hand and locate the short very quick.

Careful don't get burned.

Good luck.

 

[ajcan]

If it is dying while operating it then it sounds like the charging system is not working.


I do however wonder if the PTO is shorting out.Will it die out when running if NOT using the PTO?

You got a good start with the wiring schematics Chuck shared but I would start by putting a volt meter on the battery while it is running if it will die without the PTO running.
That will give you an idea if the charging system is functioning or not.

AJ

 

[cokerta]

Went out this afternoon to troubleshoot my problem after the battery has been on trickle charge overnight and the tractor ran just fine, I could not get the problem to reoccur, checked the battery several times with my volt meter it started out at 14.53 volts after removing the battery charger once the tractor started it dropped to 12.49 volts which is where it stayed for the next hour with or without the pto engaged.

 

[ajcan]

Tony

Again if I read that correctly it is sitting at 12,49 when running?PTO or not?Idle or high speed?If that is the case the charging system is not working correctly.It should be at roughly 12.49 NOT running.Then roughly 13ish at idle and 14ish at high speed.However if it sat at 12.49 if the charging system was not working it should have dropped when you engaged the PTO.
Maybe re check your readings?Try it at idle.fast idle etc.Then turn on the headlights,PTO etc and see if it then drops.

AJ

 

[twocyl001]

A fully charged 12 volt battery should read 12.66 volts. A properly operating charging system should show very close to 14 volts. Your charging system looks like it needs attention. It would seem that the system isn't completely dead or you would see a voltage drop when activating the pto.