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JD 3020 Batteries

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ajhbike

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I bought the 3020 a couple of years ago and it had 1 12V battery and cranked slowly. In my flawed wisdom I purchased the other side battery box and another 12V battery. Left side connects to the other battery. It still cranks slowly. I understand I have set up the batteries in series and created a 24V system.

At one point I read up on it a bit and hooked up the left side directly to the starter with the right side. I got nervous when I saw a little smoke from under the dash so I put it back the way it was.

Now I am wondering if it is going to do more damage leving it as a 24V system??? Thoughts?
 
Put both batteries back on hook both positives to the starter
and hook both negatives to the starter mounting bolt . Get a
gear reduction starter and it will start . What are your Battery
cables like are the original from 1964 they should be replaced
with 2 ot cables as well
 
You first need to determine if it is the old 24 volt charging system, or if it has been converted to 12 volts. I would recommend
12 volt system with alternator if not already done. Then hook batteries up like SV said.
 
(quoted from post at 08:04:55 02/14/21) Cables are #4. Any way to do it without a new starter?
Am I harming the system now?
Click to expand...

#4 cables are way too small, get 2/0 cables (smaller the number the bigger the cable) and follow SV's post on hooking them up.

Hook it back up as a 12 volt system, as it was, but use the two batteries in parallel. Smoke coming from under the dash when hooked up 24 volts is doing damage. There is more to making a system 24 volts than just how you hook up the batteries (Did you install a 24 volt starter?). If your lucky you haven't already done damage. Your current starter may get by if hooked up better, depends on its condition.
 

Two 12 volt batteries hooked in parallel, you still only have 12 volts as with a single battery. If it smoked when you hooked two 12 volt batteries in parallel (positive post to positive post and negative post to negative post) in a 12 volt system, and you didn't reverse the ground, you have something else wrong.
 


To further clarify hooked in parallel, if you use separate cables from each battery, rather than actually connect the batteries, for a negative ground 12 volt system both positive cables would go to the starter solenoid, both negative cables would go to the grounding point, be it a bolt on the chassis, a starter mounting bolt, or ground terminal on the starter if so equipped.
 
SV he is working on a gas tractor. Do they even make a gear reduction starter for a gas? The gas has a different number of teeth on the starter and a different flywheel ring gear. I will agree his starter needs to see a shop and much heavier cables. Tom
 

If you REALLY connected the batteries in series the oil and charging lights would burn out instantly when the ignition was switched "on", and the fuel gauge in in short order.

The breaker points, coil and ballast resistor (if used) aren't going to take it well for very long.

If it has a mechanical voltage regulator that likely won't last long once it's started. (Could be either with a generator or alternator.)

An alternator with an electronic regulator MAY survive if battery and charging system polarity match, but won't charge the batteries at all because of the voltage being WAY above the regulator's setpoint.
 
Appreciate the teaching.
The right side battery is connected positive to positive and negative to negative to the left side battery. Left side battery is grounded behind the box and a positive cable to the starter.
 
Most important thing:

You put a battery disconnect switch on your Tractor or always disconnect batteries when leaving tractor.
Smoke is a bad sign of harness issues, and the harness is almost 60 years old anyway and should not be trusted much.
 
Is it cranking better now?

What Group number and CCA batteries do you have? One old and one new?

Top post, top stud, or side terminal connections?

How are the connections made at the left side battery?

Have you upgraded the cables as suggested?

Do you think you might have had a wire crossed the time you said it smoked from under the dash? As fdt860 posted if you haven't found and repaired the cause of the smoking, you should consider disconnecting the batteries when not running it.
 
This is the kind I have I’ve abused the crap out of them with
no problem other than getting it so hot I melted the field stud
and melted the plastic that insulates the stud twice .
cvphoto77256.png

Starter
 
Is it cranking better now? It cranks slowly...like between my 6V cub and 12V SC

What Group number and CCA batteries do you have? One old and one new?
Don't know group, 450cca. Both TSC new 2 years ago

Top post, top stud, or side terminal connections?
Top post

How are the connections made at the left side battery?
Terminal "combiner"...Post connector with a 3/8" stud on the top. I used copper goop at the connectors.

Have you upgraded the cables as suggested?
They are 4ga

Do you think you might have had a wire crossed the time you said it smoked from under the dash? As fdt860 posted if you haven't found and repaired the cause of the smoking, you should consider disconnecting the batteries when not running it.
No wire crossed.
 
Parts book shows one battery at 460 CCA, so theoretically you have about double the original CCAs, if the batteries are up to snuuf. Up grade of the cables should help. As should cabling both batteries separately to the starter and ground at the starter.

Your starter may be getting weak, so a rebuild or a replacement may be in order.

A load test might be a good thing to do on the batteries.

What do you have for voltage at the starter solenoid battery post while setting, not running, with the key on?

Unhook the coil wire and crank it over while watching voltage at the starter solenoid battery post. What does it show for voltage while cranking?

What does the voltage return to when cranking is stopped?
 
Wow, work to do...but have to work this week so it will be a bit...Maybe up to Belgrade next weekend. Might need some help on the meter work. Thank you.
 
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