SCAG wildcat charging issue????????

[LD1]

I think I may have a problem with the charging on my Scag wildcat.

It is a high hour machine ~2900, but the Kohler 27HP only has 250-300hours on it.

I put a BRAND NEW napa battery on ita few weeks ago. I though the old one was bad and wouldnt hold a charge, but now I am wondering???

Anyway, after ~2-3 hours of mowing time (not all continuous), the engine really starts to labor like its got no power. If I shut it off, battery is totally dead. Let it charge back up, and all is well again for another few hours of mow time. (this is actually what happened until I broke down and bought a new battery).

Well, now even with the new battery, it is doing it again. So right now it is in the garage with the charger setting on it.

So basically, I am just looking for some pointers/common issues on what to look for or troubleshoot in the morning. Are these things like cars where when running should read ~14v at the battery?? It is a 27HP kohler, so I am assuming a magneto for charging??? All the connections appear tight and clean. And I cannot imagine the magneto being bad on a <2-year old 250-300hr motor??

Any/all advise is appreciated so I have an Idea what to look for in the morning:thumbsup:

 

[LD1]

Just an Update:

Sure enough, the battery was full charge this morning @12.6V and she fired right up.:thumbsup:

Went out and finished the 15minutes of mowing i did not get done last night. Pulled back in garage and put the meter on the battery with teh motor running WOT and I am only seeing 12.41V:confused2:

After shutting down and waiting ~5 minutes, the battery bounced back up to 12.50v.

So something is drawing on the battery while running and not charging it back up. ALL connections are good, clean, and tight.

There is only about 5 wires comming out of the kohler harness. The red one while running is only showing 12.1-12.2V. NOT enough to charge a battery. And on the other side of the motor, there is a little module thing with two white wires that go back under the motor cover. Not sure what it is? Regulator maybe??

Somthing is definatally bad on the motor side I believe. Anyone have any ideas before I tear it apart.

 

[LD1]

Update again:

I think i got it fixed now.

Aparently, the boltage regulator grounds through the mounting bolts. One of them was a little loose. I tightened it up, an low'n'behold I now have 14-15V at the battery @WOT.

I guess I'll have to keep an eye on them:thumbsup:

Thanks anyway

 

[groundcover]

Good job ! More times than not it seams like a bad ground - cars , trailers , and even Skags I guess !:thumbsup:

 

[Jim Thompson]

The Kohler charging systems are relatively simple and usually reliable. I have seen an ungrounded regulator as the problem several times.

Congrats on the fix. Good job!:thumbsup:

Jim

 

[LD1]

The Kohler charging systems are relatively simple and usually reliable. I have seen an ungrounded regulator as the problem several times.

Congrats on the fix. Good job!:thumbsup:

Jim

Where where you Friday with that valuable information Just kidding.

I will definatally store it in my memory bank as something to look at next time.

I am sure glad I did a little googleing and checking before I tore anything appart. I just seen the 3 wires going to it, and also seen that it was mounted on the PLASTIC cover so I just assumed that one of the wires was a ground for it. After some googling and learnign that two are the AC input and one was the DC output, got me to start looking at how the thing should be grounded. Sure enough, behind the regualtor was a little metal tab that went to a longer bolt and grounded to the motor. But one of the screws that hold the regulator to the plastic (and supposed to sandwich the metal tab) was loose. Just 1/2turn on that screw and I went from 12.1V DC on the output wire to 14.8V:thumbsup:

 

[williamsummerlin]

Thanks guys for this excellent input, had same problem, ordered voltage regulator, did not sove the problem until I read your post and made sure the regulator was grounded, solved the problem, thanks for this spot on advice.