Battery puzzle

[cyffylog]

Tractor starter not spinning, just the rapid clicking of the solenoid, Cleaned terminals (not obviously corroded) but no improvement.

Checked voltage of battery -12.7v. tried 2 different chargers, both showed battery fully charged, ( battery had always been on a trickle charge when not in use) disconnected battery leads and connected jump leads to them, starter worked so all tractor connections must be OK. But on reconnecting battery still no starter.

Is it possible for a battery to show full charge but not have the punch to spin the starter?

Phoned a local battery producer/ seller but no help as couldn't seem to understand my puzzle.

Help from the well informed please, I am baffled.

Dafydd WW

 

[bobk]

Put another battery on .

 

[betweenthelines]

You've answered your own question by saying that when you use another battery (via jumpleads) the tractor starts

 

[Exfarmer]

A fully charged battery will be showing well over 13 volts. If your chargers are showing this one as charged itis certaily shot

 

[Exfarmer]

Should have explained. When a battery is low the voltage drops, To charge it you need to pump in power over and Above that voltage when the charger gets to a point generally something around 15 volts, though can be higher on a fast charger, it decides the battery is full and at this poit the battery will probably show around 14.5 volts which will drop to around 13.2 after 24 hours. If the charger has to push too hard it is certain that the battery has built a resistance peventing the charge going in

 

[startinghandle]

Everything points to faulty battery
Have you overcooked it by leaving it on charge?

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Run a jump lead from battery negative to a clean part on tractor chassis first, preferable a bolt head etc or even the starter mounting bolt. If it starts you have an earth fault. It could be using the donor vehicle as an earth circuit to start by starting with jumpleads

 

[startinghandle]

Run a jump lead from battery negative to a clean part on tractor chassis first, preferable a bolt head etc or even the starter mounting bolt. If it starts you have an earth fault. It could be using the donor vehicle as an earth circuit to start by starting with jumpleads

I have just been told that you should get an attempt to start if reading 12 volt
Mur huwcan

 

[startinghandle]

I have just been told that you should get an attempt to start if reading 12 volt
Mur huwcan

Mur cun said take jump lead from battery negative to earth .... that is assuming the tractor is negative earth

 

[Goweresque]

Check earth cable, where it connects to chassis. Clicking like that often points to earth problems. Enough current can get through the bad connection to turn the ignition lights on but as soon as you energise the starter and it attempts to draw some hefty amps the bad connection can't cope.

That being said if you've left a trickle charger on the battery on a long term basis then you may have cooked the battery. If you're planning on leaving a charger on like that you need one of the smart chargers that can sense when the battery is charged and stop charging. It is possible for a battery to show over 12V but not be able to deliver any power.

 

[cyffylog]

Hi All and thanks for replies,

All my chargers are 'smart' and drop down to a trickle after an hour or so, but it seems from several comments that a battery voltage of around 12.4/7 does not necessarily mean the battery is OK. Just looked it up and tractor & battery is 9 years old (time passes when your senile) so its a reasonable age.

Will get a replacement.

Thanks

Dafydd WW

 

[startinghandle]

What is make of tractor?

 

[cyffylog]

Its a 2001 Same Dorado, bought new and very little work , non in winter now. battery in front, easy to get to but not sure how easy to extract.

Dafydd WW

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Its a 2001 Same Dorado, bought new and very little work , non in winter now. battery in front, easy to get to but not sure how easy to extract.

Dafydd WW

I’d give the earth cable a wiggle both ends with someone else trying to start it just in case, clamp on them is crimped onto cable, corrosion forms inside the crimp. Double check how clean the bolt is where the cable it’s bolted to the bonnet support aswell.

 

[cyffylog]

Thanks for that MH, yes I had that with my Same Explorer when the earth strap corroded inside the crimp, cost me £40 if I remember for a 8" lead from Gwar Rhos!

But I reckon I have eliminated that because if I disconnect the battery and then connect the jump leads to the tractor battery connections the starter works, i.e. substituting the jump leads for the battery. That being so if there was a fault in the tractor leads/connections or elsewhere it still wouldn't start. Thats the puzzling thing, It seems that although the battery voltage is reasonable there inst enough energy to spin the starter.

I'm resigned to getting a new battery when I can find one.

Dafydd WW

 

[daveydiesel1]

Some places that sells batterys can load test them. As a battery can giv a proper readin but when thers a load put on it it can drop.

 

[bobk]

9 years is remarkable for a battery , my tractors eat the f**kin things

 

[Tomr10]

I've seen the cells short inside before showing voltage correct but was knackered

 

[ACEngineering]

Some places that sells batterys can load test them. As a battery can giv a proper readin but when thers a load put on it it can drop.

Load test is only way

 

[ACEngineering]

9 years is remarkable for a battery , my tractors eat the fudgein things

Crap starter motors are normally the cause of that imo! Or a slow drain.