[thudpucker]

You see my old Murray in my avatar.
I don't use it often. But if it goes three or four days without starting, the battery is down so far I need to charge it to start the tractor.

I know about it "Might need a new Battery" but I swapped it from another Mower and the problem stayed with the Murray. (16 Hp Opposed flat head)
It will keep the battery charged if I use it often. Every day is good, every three days is Iffy!

There is no lights. I put a kill switch in the Coil circuit. The Ign switch is burnt so badly the starter is hard to get power to.
No electrical drag that shows up when I touch the Battery cable (+side) where I might get an arc.

After I get it started the Amp meter will slowly get back to Zero.
The Volt meter shows 13+ Charge at the + terminal and goes back to 12 or so after the battery sets for awhile.

I'm fresh outta ideas and losing my loose electrons.
Anybody have any Ideas I've not tried?:dunno:

 

[thudpucker]

Could this be My 394890 Regulator is leaking?
To test that (i got this from Google) put a jumper wire from the center terminal of the Regulator to the Positive terminal of the Battery while the engine is running.
You should see more than 13 Volts.
If the battery is not charging while it's running, Or the ign switch is malfunctioning, you'll see 12 volts at the Positive terminal.
I'll monkey with that stuff while I wait on you guys.

 

[SonnyT]

Current draw from something but doesn't mean it would arc at the battery.

Sent from the MTF Free App

 

[davidg]

does your Voltmeter have an AMP setting? if so then with the engine OFF disconnect the battery positive terminal and put the meter inline. one lead to the battery and the other to teh cable. if you see any current then something is drawing it down, and a regulator would be a good start. disconnect it and see if the current draw goes away, if so then it is probably the culprit.

 

[thudpucker]

Good thought David. I'll get to that some time today.

Sonney, I believe it would have to arc. If Just a little bit. The Amp meter will tell all later on today.

 

[Tractor-Holic]

If you hook up a 12V bulb (like a #194 side marker bulb) between the positive battery post and the positive cable, and it does not glow even a little,chances are its not being drawn down by a short circuit or bad diode in the charging system..

It might not be getting enough amperage delivered to charge it up,but is getting more than 12V..you need both for it to charge..battery might just have a cell dying too,thats internally shorted..these symptoms are just what they do when they start dying of old age,many garden tractor batteries dont live more than a year or two in my experience..

 

[thudpucker]

Thanks T'holic for that tip. I spent the whole day on that accursed 14 Hp OHV and never got it running well. Maybe tomorrow I'l get to the Murray.