Battery drain...why?

[bshipley78]

My '44 9N battery drains after sitting dor a while. Any cause to why?
Recently rewired with all new wires, mostly 14ga except 12ga on power wires. Added new alt, key switch and electric ignition. AGM batt grp 35. Tested alt and it's putting out 12.37v to the battery and the battery shows 12.30v while running.

 

[wore out]

My '44 9N battery drains after sitting dor a while. Any cause to why?
Recently rewired with all new wires, mostly 14ga except 12ga on power wires. Added new alt, key switch and electric ignition. AGM batt grp 35. Tested alt and it's putting out 12.37v to the battery and the battery shows 12.30v while running.

The alternator should be charging the battery in the 13.75 to 14.75 Volt range, give or take a little.

At 12.3 Volts the alternator isn't charging.

And it sounds like some other stuff is going on while it's sitting idle to drain the battery of what little charge it has.

 

[old]

My '44 9N battery drains after sitting dor a while. Any cause to why?
Recently rewired with all new wires, mostly 14ga except 12ga on power wires. Added new alt, key switch and electric ignition. AGM batt grp 35. Tested alt and it's putting out 12.37v to the battery and the battery shows 12.30v while running.

12.3 when running say the alternator isn't working and the battery is almost discharged

 

[Eman85]

The answer is in your post....Recently rewired with all new wires. Alternator is not charging and if a fully charged battery goes dead from sitting there is a draw on the battery. Not much on an N that can draw a battery down.

 

[Jim L WA]

Was this battery drain the reason you re-wired, converted etc. or did it start afterwards?
Do you have a volt meter?

 

[Caryc]

I don't waste my time or aggravation trying to find a small battery drain. I put these battery disconnect switches on both my tractors. They're always ready to go.

 

[DoubleO7]

I would find the drain before it maybe started letting the smoke out.

Might not be worth the effort to re wire again if it burns to the ground.

 

[old]

My '44 9N battery drains after sitting dor a while. Any cause to why?
Recently rewired with all new wires, mostly 14ga except 12ga on power wires. Added new alt, key switch and electric ignition. AGM batt grp 35. Tested alt and it's putting out 12.37v to the battery and the battery shows 12.30v while running.

If it has an alternator the wire from the charge stud on the alternator going to the amp gauge/battery should be at the very least a 10 gauge wire anything smaller and your asking for a fire or other such problem

 

[Mad Farmer]

Does it drain without the battery connected? Maybe battery is on the way out.

1-wire or 3-wire alternator?

 

[Caryc]

I would find the drain before it maybe started letting the smoke out.

Might not be worth the effort to re wire again if it burns to the ground.

Both my tractors have fire extinguishers on them as all tractors should have.

 

[bshipley78]

Was this battery drain the reason you re-wired, converted etc. or did it start afterwards?
Do you have a volt meter?

No, I just wanted to freshen up my connections. It started afterwards. I do have a voltmeter.

 

[bshipley78]

If it has an alternator the wire from the charge stud on the alternator going to the amp gauge/battery should be at the very least a 10 gauge wire anything smaller and your asking for a fire or other such problem

I just ordered 8ga wire to replace the 12ga i used. appreciate the tip.

 

[bshipley78]

Does it drain without the battery connected? Maybe battery is on the way out.

1-wire or 3-wire alternator?

No battery, is new and good, went with an AGM Grp35, it is a 3 wire and 1 wire capable alternator.

 

[old]

No battery, is new and good, went with an AGM Grp35, it is a 3 wire and 1 wire capable alternator.

1 wire capable???? It is either a 1 wire or 3 wire so which is it?? If it is a 1 wire a battery drain is common. If a 3 wire then the alternator may have a problem

 

[bshipley78]

It's a 1 and 3 wire capable alternator. Reached out to the manufacturer of it and they verified that it can be used either way

 

[old]

It's a 1 and 3 wire capable alternator. Reached out to the manufacturer of it and they verified that it can be used either way

Sounds like that is the problem since in all my years I have NEVER seen or hear of an alternator that can be wired up either way so something must be wrong with it

 

[Jim.ME]

Sounds like that is the problem since in all my years I have NEVER seen or hear of an alternator that can be wired up either way so something must be wrong with it

I have seen several advertised as one wire but able to be wired as a three wire to support use of an indicator light. I never have had occasion to try one but won't say there is anything wrong with them.

 

[DN-N-TN]

My local Gen/Alt/Starter man says he only orders the type of regulators for 10si and 12si alternators that will works both ways, one-wire or three-wire. If you use it one-wire the engine will have to be revved some to make it start charging, and to wire it three-wire, it will start charging as soon as it starts at a low RPM. I prefer it three-wire myself. FYI, to check for a draw from your battery, take off the positive cable---take a test light---touch the probe to the positive post, and the ground clip to the positive cable. If the light burns with everything turned off----you have a draw on the battery-----if it doesn't light up the battery doesn't have a draw.

 

[Caryc]

I would find the drain before it maybe started letting the smoke out.

Might not be worth the effort to re wire again if it burns to the ground.

That very small drain is not going to explode into a raging fire if my battery disconnect switch is not letting power through it. If a fire does start while I'm driving it, that's what the fire extinguisher is for.

 

[bshipley78]

My local Gen/Alt/Starter man says he only orders the type of regulators for 10si and 12si alternators that will works both ways, one-wire or three-wire. If you use it one-wire the engine will have to be revved some to make it start charging, and to wire it three-wire, it will start charging as soon as it starts at a low RPM. I prefer it three-wire myself. FYI, to check for a draw from your battery, take off the positive cable---take a test light---touch the probe to the positive post, and the ground clip to the positive cable. If the light burns with everything turned off----you have a draw on the battery-----if it doesn't light up the battery doesn't have a draw.

Yeah, thats where my mind is going with this. Just ordered some 8ga wire and plan to wire it 3-wire, just got some diodes to run in the line.