Tractor radio issue

[rrlund]

OK, I don't understand electricity no how, so dumb it down. Aftermarket digital radio in my White 2-135. Been in there for a few decades. It started acting up, would play for several seconds then stop. Face is still lit up, but no sound. I discovered yesterday that it'll play all day with the ignition switch turned to accessory. If I start the tractor, it'll only play maybe 30 seconds. If I leave the radio off for ten minutes or so, turn it back on, it'll do it again. I just discovered that it'll keep playing too with the key on as long as the tractor isn't running. Start it and it'll go off after 30 seconds again. WTH!?

 

[hoghollow]

just a uneducated guess but thinking ground? vibration from engine running losing ground???

 

[olddavid]

Just an observation. The voltage will be higher with the tractor running. The charging voltage too high possibly or spiking too high. Maybe voltage supply filter capacitors in the radio bad. ?

 

[Geo-TH,In]

OK, I don't understand electricity no how, so dumb it down. Aftermarket digital radio in my White 2-135. Been in there for a few decades. It started acting up, would play for several seconds then stop. Face is still lit up, but no sound. I discovered yesterday that it'll play all day with the ignition switch turned to accessory. If I start the tractor, it'll only play maybe 30 seconds. If I leave the radio off for ten minutes or so, turn it back on, it'll do it again. I just discovered that it'll keep playing too with the key on as long as the tractor isn't running. Start it and it'll go off after 30 seconds again. WTH!?

I bought cheap earbuds that are bluetooth to my smartphone and I can listen to Pandora off my smartphone.
Earbuds cancel tractor noise and I can tell when my phone rings.

 

[wh]

Try running a dedicated hot wire to it. Almost sounds like a ground or switch issue.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

If it was losing ground, why is it staying lit?

Just shutting it off and turning it back on would not fix the ground issue. It should come and go as the ground connection vibrates, not play 30 seconds and shut off.

Something in the old radio is in the early stages of failure, and is overheating when presented with alternator charge voltage. There is not likely to be an easy fix, as in, it's not a problem you can "adjust away" with a twist of the screwdriver. You would need an electronics repair guy, a schematic for the radio, several hours, and hope to God it's a common component that needs replaced. The fix will no doubt exceed the cost of the fanciest brand new radio on the market unless you happen to know someone who does electronics repair as a hobby.

In fact, the problem is likely to get worse. Sooner or later, it will stop playing permanently. So, something to regulate the voltage is not going to be a long-term solution to the problem. The only solution is a new radio.

 

[wore out]

Try running a dedicated hot wire to it. Almost sounds like a ground or switch issue.

I would ASSUME there are two power leads to it, "always on/keep alive power" to the electronics to maintain clock and station pre-sets AND a switched power wire that goes off when the "ignition" is switched "off". Has it been determined that BOTH wires have (full) power when the radio fails?

 

[rrlund]

Ok, try this out. I went back out after dinner, when I wrote this post, had an idea. It works with the key on, so I turned the key on and waited for the radio to start playing, then I started the tractor. I cut hay for another hour and a half and it kept playing. At least I know the fluke now so I can make it work. I usually turn off the radio when I shut off the tractor, then turn it on after I start the tractor.

Yes, it has two power wires. One with the key on, one with it off. I had to run a new live wire when I put that radio in. I have a digital in my other White too. I ran another wire in that one too. On that one, about once a month, it lights up the screen, but no sound and I can't change the station. It stays at 87.5. I have to take off the dedicated wire for a few seconds then put it back on and it works fine. I've never had to do that with this one. Don't know. Maybe when the starter is engaged, it's drawing power away like taking off the dedicated wire on the other tractor?

 

[Janicholson]

If it was losing ground, why is it staying lit?

Just shutting it off and turning it back on would not fix the ground issue. It should come and go as the ground connection vibrates, not play 30 seconds and shut off.

Something in the old radio is in the early stages of failure, and is overheating when presented with alternator charge voltage. There is not likely to be an easy fix, as in, it's not a problem you can "adjust away" with a twist of the screwdriver. You would need an electronics repair guy, a schematic for the radio, several hours, and hope to God it's a common component that needs replaced. The fix will no doubt exceed the cost of the fanciest brand new radio on the market unless you happen to know someone who does electronics repair as a hobby.

In fact, the problem is likely to get worse. Sooner or later, it will stop playing permanently. So, something to regulate the voltage is not going to be a long-term solution to the problem. The only solution is a new radio.

Checking the charging voltage should be #1. a 1 or 2 ohm resistor (of 40 watt power handling) might work if the charging voltage is 14:6 or less. Jim

 

[rrlund]

Checking the charging voltage should be #1. a 1 or 2 ohm resistor (of 40 watt power handling) might work if the charging voltage is 146 or less. Jim

Ever see that episode of The Simpsons when Homer had to fix a crack in the basement wall? He watched a video and still didn't have a clue. All he remembered was "patching trowel". So he turns to Bart with confidence and says "Hand me my patching trowel boy". Now, when somebody says something that's way over my head, that's the first thing that comes in to my head. I don't know ohms from watts to a bale of hay.

Hand me my patching trowel boy.

 

[Tony in SD]

Voltage readings would be helpful while working and when it is not working to track the problem.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Possible crack in the circuit board. I had an old fender mount one way back that would work some and break up or quit. I took it apart and with a magnifing glass found a crack in the circuit board soldered it and worked fine till it cracked again. Same thing all over.

 

[1948CaseVAI]

I "assume" that, as someone mentoned, voltage is a bit higher with tractor running and "some" component is just old enough for that small difference to matter in the generation of heat. Higher heat after being on for a few minutes and the component fails and the sound goes off. Let it cool down and all good again. I would get a can of that spray component coolant and spray a few components, one at a time, when it is acting up.

 

[rrlund]

I "assume" that, as someone mentoned, voltage is a bit higher with tractor running and "some" component is just old enough for that small difference to matter in the generation of heat. Higher heat after being on for a few minutes and the component fails and the sound goes off. Let it cool down and all good again. I would get a can of that spray component coolant and spray a few components, one at a time, when it is acting up.

I can't get to it when it's acting up. I have to tip up the cab roof and unbolt a big cover then take that off. If it keeps monkeying up, I'll just replace the radio and speaker both. It's too much trouble getting to it to do it over and over.

 

[Tony in SD]

I can't get to it when it's acting up. I have to tip up the cab roof and unbolt a big cover then take that off. If it keeps monkeying up, I'll just replace the radio and speaker both. It's too much trouble getting to it to do it over and over.

As cheap as radios are and the amount of labor to repair them, you are correct, just replace it.

Back in 1980 when I used to install/repair two-way radios in new $5000 (1980 dollars) pickups, a new two-way radio costs around $1000 (1980 dollars). Now a new two-way radio cost only a few hundred dollars and a new pickup is approaching $100,000. Shop labor to fix radios in 1980 was not even $25/hour, now shop labor is between $150 & $200/hour.

 

[NoDakInMN]

Too keep it simple, as you asked, you need to know the voltage to the radio when it works and when it doesn't. Without that, everything is just speculation. Now, replacing the radio may, I repeat, may, cure the issue, or it may not if it is actually a voltage issue. You can take the chance on the expense and effort of replacing it, but could be infuriated when the new one behaves the same way.

I understand that is in a difficult spot to take a reading, but you can splice in a separate wire into the power lead to the radio and thread that down into the cab for taking a voltage reading. Now you would be getting some actual data that can help determine the problem.

 

[rrlund]

As cheap as radios are and the amount of labor to repair them, you are correct, just replace it.

Back in 1980 when I used to install/repair two-way radios in new $5000 (1980 dollars) pickups, a new two-way radio costs around $1000 (1980 dollars). Now a new two-way radio cost only a few hundred dollars and a new pickup is approaching $100,000. Shop labor to fix radios in 1980 was not even $25/hour, now shop labor is between $150 & $200/hour.

This one's so old it has a tape deck in it, if that tells you anything.

 

[moresmoke]

Do you have anything else that runs on the acc circuit? Could be the contacts in the switch not making a good connection when turned to run.

 

[rrlund]

Well, it's not just a fluke. I had hay to bale today. I wasn't even thinking, turned the key and started it without waiting for the radio to come on. The field was just down at the bottom of the hill from the house, had to go down there on the road. I pulled out, went a few hundred feet and it quit playing. I didn't even think to turn it off. I just pulled in to the field and shut the tractor off. I turned the key back on and the radio came back on. I started the tractor back up and it played all day.