Are you checking the charging with a multimeter on the battery and does it go up to 14 volts when you rev the motor. If you see 14 volts then I'm tipping the battery is on its way out
After charging the battery, which did charge right up, I did a test using my multimeter
Engine off 12.66v Engine on 14.02v
EDIT
Positive and negative battery leads now disconnected for a few days to see if there is a leakage anywhere.
I have subsequently found (not practically seen) in a schematic of a motor, that the rectifier is under the plastic type shroud that covers the motor. Apparently it means removing that shroud and components to reveal the rectifier.
I was only looking for there as a point of reference, after watching some youtube and Kohler engine videos where it said a faulty voltage regulator can be at fault, and to also check these with a multimeter.
Another forum I asked in has suggested I go back to basics and see if the battery will hold its charge before tinkering further. They have advised me to leave the battery disconnected for a period, and come back and remeasure voltages with the meter,
I am a little confused about your 14v thoughts, as, on videos I have watched, they seem to infer that if under load (engine going) that if my readings go up from engine off mode, that the battery is indeed sending the right charging power, as long as the rectifier is working correctly. Have I got it all wrong somehow? Thanks
The fact the voltage increases tells me the stator and rectifier are working as they should. How old is the battery? And if your battery is dropping below 12.6 volts it is on the way out
The fact the voltage increases tells me the stator and rectifier are working as they should. How old is the battery? And if your battery is dropping below 12.6 volts it is on the way out
By the sound of it battery is done, obviously doesn't have the cranking power to turn it over. 20hp is a reasonable size motor. Another thing you can check is hold the multimeter on the battery and crank the motor over, you will probably see the voltage go right down
First yes the voltage regulator is under the shroud. It is on the oil filter side.
Now yes voltage regulators can drain the battery when failing. But before blaming it you should do some testing. Being a ZTR with a electric PTO they can drain the battery during operation if partially shorted. Ohm it out and it should be above 1.7 ohms. Also as batteries ages they can start self draining as the casing becomes conductive.
Disconnect the battery and let it sit over night and check it charge the next day. IF okay and the PTO pass the ohms test unplug the voltage regulator and see if the battery once fully charged and reconnected hold it charge. If it does then it possible the regulator is the problem.
Note some Mowers disconnect the regulator when off and others don't. Check you wiring schematic to which setup you have.
If it was me I'd do a battery load test first as that will tell you straight away if the battery is any good ,that's if you can find someone with a load tester, some places that sell batteries or an auto elec should have a tester.
He has a load tester there Max, it is called a starter motor, that will tell him straight away once he turns the key. I would think the battery would drop to about 11.6. Being a 5 year old battery that is about their service life
Using the starter motor to load test the battery can serve as a quick check, but it's always best to use appropriate equipment designed for the task for accuracy and some people have the potential for damaging the starter motor or other components Norm.
A lot of the new battery sellers advertise a free load test of your old battery.
Picked up one of these to repair for a bloke this one is a 19 Kohler . I know this has been broken down for at least 8 months. I guessed the battery would be flat so I told him to charge it When I picked it up he said it wouldn't start. Got home and I checked the battery, 12.5 volts but as soon as I went to start it, down to 6 volts and the second battery he gave me was not a lot better. These big motors need good cca's to crank them over
As we know the lifespan of a ride-on mower battery generally ranges from 3 to 5 years ,so most people just replace the battery without even checking it if it's 3 years old ,then if there is still a problem they at least know it's not the battery.
A mate sold his rideon yesterday (got $16000) for it, I think he had it at least 7 years and I doubt he would have ever looked at the battery, probably wouldn't know where it was. He said he could get 2 mows before his front tyre went flat and he put up with that for a long time. His new mower is 4 wheel drive with power steering so now his wife can mow the lawns
For me once I start to think of spending $$$$. on a mower ,I think I'd rather buy a second hand Tractor with a slasher.
Yes the batteries can last a long time when the equipment is regularly used ,it's the winter times of Infrequent use that can be a problem .
As we know when a battery is not charged regularly, it can fall to a low state of charge, which can lead to sulfation and reduced capacity.
These days people can use Solar Trickle Charger when equipment sits around not being used or use a battery maintainer.
I have always thought someone should make a battery that never needs replacing ,one that just requires recharging.
Batteries that Never Die
Scientists at the University of California are working on nanowire batteries that will never die. The gold nanowires are a thousand times thinner than a human hair and sit in a gel of electrolyte to keep them from breaking down during recharging. They have been tested recharging over 200,000 times over three months and showed no sign of degradation.
Calling them "never die" is misleading though ,while nanowire batteries show great potential and advantages.They may offer significantly improved lifespans and performance, but they are not entirely immune to degradation over time. Nanowire batteries are designed to have significantly longer lifespans compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. This is due to their structure, which can mitigate issues like dendrite formation that lead to battery degradation.
I hear there are experimental EVs that will charge in a few minutes and do over 1000 miles on a single charge.
This was possible thanks to aluminum-air battery technology that uses oxygen from the air to fill its cathode - making it much lighter than liquid-filled lithium ion batteries - to give the electric car greater range.
Many industry analysts believe that with current trends and advancements, we might start seeing EVs with ranges around 1000 miles by the 2030s sold to the public, but this timeline could vary based on technological breakthroughs and market factors.
The money my mate has spent on rideons over the years horrifies me. This new one he got cost him $2500 ontop of the $16000 trade in It isn't a big machine but his wife loves it and will probably mow the lawn at least weekly. His back yard does grow very quickly. Anyway he says happy wife happy life. Being 4 wheel drive he is hoping it won't get bogged like his Kubota ZTR kept doing at this time of the year
I had a property with at least 10 large gum trees in the backyard and they suck up so much water the yard was mainly dry all year round ,then when all the trees are cut down the soil is boggy and the grass grows 10 times faster .
The problem with the gum trees is the constant amount of branches and limbs breaking off besides the possibility of the whole tree falling in a storm.
Hi Max. Problem is with my mates place is both properties on either side of him are slightly higher so all the rain drains into his place. We have done a lot of work there over the last few years working on the problems and it is 90% better than it was and once it dries out this year we are putting aggies along both his boundary fences and that should fix the problems
I have a few aggregate drains here ,they don't seem good when you get a good downpour of rain ,the water doesn't drain away quick enough, they are good that they get rid of the water eventually.
