Battery going bad?

[sgtbull]

My 8N has a 6v. ALTERNATOR on it. I had it made up so I wouldn't have to change anything else over. It works great. I've noticed however, that when I first installed it, the amp guage would show charge for a minute or so, after I used some juice to start it, then it would gradually decrease till it showed a very low charge. I understood that was normal, as the battery was replenished, less charging occured.
As of late, after I start it up, it will peg the amp gauge, then diminish, but it never seems to go less than 8-10 amps. No problems starting, or running or anything else, but I'm wondering if my battery is no longer charging as it should.
Opinions?

 

[Bob]

Sounds like the battery is about to "retire".

If a cell gets weak or shorted, the charging system will work overtime trying to get the battery up to voltage.

Does it get warm after the tractor runs for a while, or get sloppy around the caps?

It'd help to know the charging voltage, though.

 

[old]

How old is the battery?? If its say 3 or more years old it could well be going south on you. Easy way to know is take it in and have it checked. Most auto parts stores will do it for free, figuring if it bad you may buy a new one

 

[Bruce (VA)]

No need to guess; tip # 49 at the link below will tell you for sure. And, battery age doesn't mean much. The battery in my 6v 1951 N was installed April, 2000. I'll be starting it in a few minutes. I had another battery in the 1950 frontmount that lasted 32 months. Go figure.
50 Tips

 

[Hobo,NC]

I for one can not check a dead are poorly charged battery, the bat has to B charged are make a attempt to charge it. Folks drag'em in all the time want'n a quickie, I can not deliver a quickie. I don't trust a parts store, a chain parts store are any one that has no I.D. what they should b look'n for other than the bat passes a go no go lite test

I use a Sun load tester and a good volt meter, check water level and state of charge, if the state of charge is low make a attempt to git the charge back up. If all seams OK I then load test, if the voltage falls b low 9V its condemned, if i git a funky oder while charging are load test'n its condemned, if it can not maintain a constant voltage while load testing its condemned

I don't believe those little handheld testers used at parts stores, maybe its they have not read the directions. How can a device take on all comers and never question the state of charge. I spec a little research on battery testing would make the consumer a little wise, mite bring up a few questions that would shore nuff stump the button pusher at the chain store. While their ask for a load test with a real load tester, not a hand held unit, one that can bring a battery to its knees

 

[Phil9N3667]

I agree with Hobo on getting a quickie battery check. It happens a lot at the IH dealership I work at. We have a Sun VAT 40 tester along with a new Midtronincs tester that does amazing things.I'm practically electronic/electrical illiterate in most areas and this tester proves it. I've had batteries the VAT 40 said were good and the Midtronics unit said to either charge and retest or to replace . It will test a battery without a carbon pile deal and give you load (amps) capacity etc.and be right on the money 99.9% of the time. I've also had batteries that just quit from an internal short/broken connector and that really makes your day. Hope everyone here has a good Labor Day and keep the people in the Gulf Coast area in our prayers. They just can't catch a break.

 

[Ken(Ark)]

I had a round with weak batteries in my work trucks a few months ago .

They would not start if they set for a day without starting them .

I took one out and charged it , then checked the voltage with a meter . Came back an hour later and the voltage dropped .5 volts or so and kept dropping over time .

Took it back to Wally World and the young gal working there hooked up there tester and told me it was fine , just needed charged .

Seeing how she was young , a girl , and polite through the process I calmly asked to see the manager , he wanted to get defensive . I am normally a happy go luck kind of guy but I had fun with that dimwit ,he he .

Anyway back to the story I bought a new hydrometer . I got home and my son had found the one I had (he forgot he had been playing with it pulling out acid from and old battery and putting it in his four wheeler battery , kids if they weren't your own blood ya would strangle them)

Back to the story , I checked the brand new Wally world battery and it read barely above the line between needs recharged and good (dial type meter). Checked it with the old meter (float type) and got the same reading . I have bought two more batteries since then from Wally world and get about the same readings .

I have some old batteries I have pulled out of trucks and some of them read higher than the new Wally world batteries .

Maybe its time for me to find another place to get batteries .

 

[Hobo,NC]

Some batteries just will not die tho will crank the engine,,, it does take a trained ear sometimes to catch low crank'n RPM, yer tip off of a continuous charge does indicate a die hard situation,,, it would B nice 2 know if the charging system were capable of maximum out put,,, if its healthy (alt/gen) and still you indicate a continuous charge i would look rite hard at the battery

I have a teaser here at the shop,,, will not pass a OB2 emission test,,, why the state lets folks do state inspections that have no earthly I.D. what the fudge they are doing is beyond me,,, I bet my next paycheck the battery is a die hard,,, cranks the engine but will not die,,, on a min/max test with a volt meter the voltage falls to 6.31V crank'n,,, shows 13.38V at idle and the output amps from the alt are 74 amps (AT IDLE),,, rev the engine up and I git 114 amps so no need to go enny farther with the alt test,,, pull 200 amps on the bat and voltage drops to 9Vs and will hang their,,, its a die hard for sure,,, gonna git a battery (8 years old),,, my bet is that every time the engine is started the emission monitors reset cuzz the battery voltage falls below 7Vs are to a point that causes the ECM to reset

In the hands of the rite guy your problem could b figgered out fast and efficient,,, I took some pixs of my die hard and when i git time will post'em,,, alot could B learned from your situation,,, may-B we can git Bob to fill us in on a routine

Remember the Mom and Pop electric repair shops,,, yer mass market parts houses run'em out of town,,, this is our pay back, course they do have nice big yeller smiling faces hang'n from the roof

 

[Hobo,NC]

You have access to one of the best battery testers that money can buy (vat 40),,, in most shops they collect dust,,, I highly recommend you learn to use it,,, worst case you will learn sum'n that will last ya a life time.

 

[Anonymous-0]

A hydrometer test is not definitive for a battery. The hydrometer will tell if a battery is bad but not if it is good. The way to performance test a battery is with a carbon pile test with an instrument like the VAT-40. With the battery charged apply a load of three times the CCA rating for 15 seconds. Voltage must not fall below 9.5 and a good battery will usually be above 10.

 

[Bruce (VA)]

Most folks can't afford a VAT-40. A hydrometer costs $5.
50 Tips

 

[Hobo,NC]

That's not the point,,, A true load test will confirm a kill,,, a $5 hydrometer is still a guess'n game,,, some times a load test is also,,, not all failures hold a pattern,,, in time tho load test'n a bat will git closer than enny thang else,,, for the record i did give $5 for my Sun tester,,, not many folks know what they are good fer,,, keep a eye out,,, I also have a $500 Christie bat load checker,,, the sun $5 one will kick its arse,,, Theirs not much to argue about,,, rite many ways to go about check'n the starting charging system,,, did I say charging system,,, yes enny time a crank'n concern comes up to the door the charging system gits a good check'n,,, I drag out 10K in diagnostic equipment and can confirm a kill,,, and you can bet yer sweet arse I know how to operate it,,, I can see thangs wif it you never imagined,,, one tip he did mention was a continuous charge'n situation and Bob nailed it,,, more than likely the bats bad,,, then I come along and pour salt on the woon,,, should have kept my mouth shut