Battery light stays on

If you have a battery charger put it on the battery, if it draws a lot of current the battery is run down. In any event the charger will save the battery before you have to buy another one. :crybaby:

Lead-acid batteries lose the ability to hold a charge when discharged for too long due to sulfation, the crystallization of lead sulfate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead–acid_battery

Bill Kapaun said:

IF you post the Sears 917.xxxxx number, possibly one can find a schematic that fits your tractor in order to determine exactly which charging system you have.
The only "GT-18" schematic I have doesn't show a charging light.

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the 1986 i'am making into a butt buggy had a 4 into 1 gauge . it's number was 917.254410

silver hair deere said:

the 1986 i'am making into a butt buggy had a 4 into 1 gauge . it's number was 917.254410

Click to expand...

917's
276010
276011
Just ONE number apart and they have different schematics! look at page 31 and you can see one has an OPR and the other doesn't.

http://www.managemyhome.com/mmh/lis_pdf/OWNM/L0305391.pdf
http://www.managemyhome.com/mmh/lis_pdf/OWNM/L0309694.pdf

And the tractor does have an alternator, but don't expect it to perform like the one on your car. It may be as little as 3 amps.

Hey there,

Sorry I haven't responded, my tractor is the 917-254.410.

I'm in the middle of hooking up a snow plow I found on CL this summer, just waiting from Sears for some brackets.

I'm hoping it could be a weak battery and nothing major.

Thanks

Daryl

WNYTractorTinkerer said:

Get a digital meter and test the voltage with the key off.. It should be around 12V DC. With the engine running it should read 13-14V DC if the charging system is working.. :goodl:

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My "Battery Discharging" light is on constantly. I just replaced a blown regulator on my tractor (917.254551), and have now verified that I have about 28V from the alternator. 12v at battery, and about 13-14v when running, so I know it's charging.

My Low Voltage Sensor Number: 109554X (Substitution: 127385X) must be bad, as when I pull the sensor out, the Battery Discharging light goes out.

Is it bad to run this thing without the low voltage sensor? Don't wanna drop $60 on something that just turns the light on when the battery gets low... lol

nascarillustrated, take note of what broggyr said. That is most likely what is wrong with yours. I have a similar set up on my GT18. The Voltage sensor is a little black box. The electronics inside illuminate the lamp in the 'Battery Discharging' light when the voltage at the battery drops below something like 12.2 VDC(don't quote me on that.)

If you are handy with a multimeter, as WNYTractorTinkerer said, check the output of the alternator by reading the battery voltage with the engine off. Should be in the neighborhood of 12.5 VDC, depending upon the condition of your battery. Once you start the engine, wait a couple of minutes, then check the battery voltage again. It should be higher than your first check. The amount depends upon which alternator your tractor has. Look all over the engine for a rectangular aluminum box with green plastic in the center. If you find one, that is the voltage regulator. In that case, with the engine running, battery voltage should be around 13.8 - 14.2 VDC. If you find no regulator, then your tractor has the Tri-Circuit alternator. With the engine running, you will see upwards of 16 to 16.5 VDC, this is normal for this type of alternator.

Either way, as long as the alternator is working, and you have a good battery, you don't need the voltage sensor or the 'battery discharging light' for normal operations of this tractor.

Good Luck!

Seth K. Pyle