8n Battery Discharging when engine is Off

[Marshall Hardy]

I have a 12 volt converrsion system which has worked fine for the past 2 years. Now when I come out to start the tractor the battery is dead. I charge the battery and she starts fine with the volt gauge indicating that the system is charging fine with the engine running. Atfer the tractor is turned off for a couple of days the battery goes dead again even though the volt meter isn"t reading a discharge. Does anyone have any idea why the battery is being drained? Thanks

 

[ZANE]

May be a bad rectifier bridge or diode in the alternator. Disconnect the big wire going to the alternator to see if it will stay charged that way.

Or just disconnect the battery cable when not in use.

Zane

 

[Bruce (VA)]

It would be helpful if you would tell us if it has a generator or alternator; the troubleshooting is different.

If it's an alternator, it's likely the diode as Zane said. If it's a generator, you're going to have a hard time finding a diode on it! So check the v/r.
50 Tips

 

[Marshall Hardy]

The system has an alternator. I tried unpluging the 2 prong plug on the alternator and the system still drained.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 17:12:41 06/21/10) The system has an alternator. I tried unpluging the 2 prong plug on the alternator and the system still drained.

ou still have one more (third) wire to go.....the one that matters.