Jinma 284 battery won't hold charge.

[farmerselectric]

Hi everybody, back to pick your brains again.
Lately, when I go out to start my tractor, there's not enough juice left in the battery to start. Bought a new battery, still same problem. The ammeter shows that the alternator is charging the battery, and when I turn the key off the gauges drop like they're supposed to...that's telling me the ignition switch is probably okay. If I pull the battery cables off after using the tractor, it starts okay the next time I use it. Anybody run into this problem before? I'll be interested to hear your comments. Thanks.

[RonMar]

Well it sounds like you have something leaking current. The negative lead goes from battery to the frame. The positive lead goes from battery to starter, with a smaller lead going to the main fuse panel 30A main fuse. This is the fuse that feeds the amp gauge and the ignition key. The switch does not disconnect everything though. By what I have seen, the alternator and regulator are still connected to the battery via that 30A main fuse, but they should not be using any of its current with the key turned off. The amp gauge going to 0 is not a real good indicator as it is 30-0-30 amp scale and would have trouble registering milliamps (0.1A) of current being drawn thru it.

You need a small amp meter that will show small current draws put in the circuit, say in place of that 30A main fuse. DONT try and start the tractor or turn on anything like lights with this meter in place as you could damage a low current test meter(or blow it's fuse). Once you have identified the small current draw, then you can start lifting leads or pulling fuses untill the current flow stops. Here is a link to a schematic I started drawing for my 05 Jinma 284. I never finished the instrunment cluster wiring, but if yours is a similar year, it should get you in the right direction to help find this. You will probably need a volt/ohm meter that can read current though to finally nail it down.

Good luck.

[stevem5215]

Put a ammeter in the ckt between the + side of the battery and the lead and pull the fuses one at a time till you find the offending ckt that is drawing the current. One of them is killing it. You just have to figure out which one it is.

Steve

[farmerselectric]

Thanks, guys, I'll see what I can come up with...won't have time until this week-end, but I'll come back to the forum with my results.
Think it might be the regulator??? Just thinking out loud. Thanks again.

[Affordable]

I would look at the key switch also,with the switch off you should not have power to anything other than one side of the fuse box with the 30 amp fuse,when you turn the key switch on it energizes the rest of the fuse block.

Tommy
Affordable Tractor Sales
"Your Jinma Parts Superstore"
Home of compact Jinma, Foton, and Koyker Tractors and Parts, Wood Chippers, Backhoes - Affordable Tractor Sales Company

[Diamondpilot]

These guys are right. I had a brand new boat doing the same thing. Ended up being a small electrical leak to the Carbon Monoxide Detector. It was only like 1 amp but over 7 days at 24 hours you can see the 1 amp/hr adds up.

Chris

[farmerselectric]

I'll check this stuff out this week-end.
Ron, my 284 is a 2007 model, with the integrated instrument cluster. Would the wiring diagram you furnished apply to my tractor?

[RonMar]

yes, it should. That was the part I hadn't drawn in for the instrunment wiring to the gauge cluster. the rest should apply.

[farmerselectric]

Thanks, guys......more this week-end.

[farmerselectric]

Hi again, everyone....wanted to let you know what I found re: the battery drainage on my tractor. Found a wire..#3 I believe.. compressed under the edge of the instrument console. Over time, evidently I developed a current leakage there. Took your advice and placed a DC ammeter in the 30 amp control circuit, and began pulling fuses. Even with all the fuses pulled, I was still getting a reading. Then, using the wiring diagram furnished by Ron, I was able to track it down. Many thanks, guys, for the help. Gary.