Glow plug relay kills battery dead

[RavensRoost]

Highbeam, if you do decide to modify, one way is to use the existing OEM GP relay to pull in a big one e.g. one for a Ford PS. This way the OEM relay is only carrying the inrush current of the big relay. You can easily go back to OEM set up if need be and the GP relays for PSs are available at most autoparts stores. I did this on my Lister-Petter diesel genny after frying the OEM relay, so modified it at same time I replaced the OEM relay.

BTW, I have relatives in Chehalis, Tenino, Bucoda, and Napavine, almost in your 'hood.

RavensRoost

 

[Highgear]

I was a big fan of red top Optima batteries at one time ( not any more ). I had one that was 3-years old and failed to start my car. Charged it up with my best charger and it would work fine for a day or two. So I took it to the best battery place in Detroit and they charged it on a special charger made for Optima batteries , they also did a load test and said it was fine . Two days later my car would not start . Replaced it with one from another car and all was fine ! So to save a lot of headache git rid of the Optima !!!!!

 

[tommu56]

Don't forget if your battery is low the current through the relay will be higher.

I'd charge battery leave neg terminal off put a dc amp meter between neg post and terminal and see if you have current flow with the key off.
It could be the key switch bad and keeping relay on when its key is off. or some other low current interment load youl have to hunt for.

tom

 

[Highbeam]

As an update. The tractor has been working great with multiple starts over the last few days running the log splitter. I haven't replaced the GP relay yet, been busy working and racing the bike.

My normal DC ampmeter is fused at 10 amps which is fine for a parasite load but not fine for the GP load. So I use the redneck parasite detection system, which is touching the negative lead to the battery and looking for a spark. After the GP relay was disconnected I had no sparks.

I like the AGM (optima, napa orbital, etc.) so much that I put them in my last pickup and now in the wife's GMC. They don't leak, corrode, stink, or anything. The one in my tractor has now survived years of rough use and being discharged completely a few times without giving up. I plan to keep them, can't put a water acid battery back in or it will leak all over like the last one did. That was sure a mess.

 

[Eagleview]

Just a couple of snippets , if a battery gets that flat , it must be recharged with a battery charger , the alternator will not recharge it again to full .

If you use the Redneck method of finding a drain , don't do it after the engine has been running . Hydrogen gas WILL be present and the striking of that spark WILL blow the top off of the battery (and possibly your head) .

 

[Coyote machine]

I have to second what Iron Horse said about blowing off your face or worse doing things the 'Redneck' way. Also- what about just inspecting the relay's contacts and cleaning them if corroded? And then spraying them with some contact cleaner to keep it from happening for a while longer- maybe another 4 years?
Or replace the relay and keep the old one as a fair spare in case the new one smokes out early....

 

[Highbeam]

The relay didn't look to be easy to disassemble. It's pretty dinky like the size of a quarter on each face. The external contacts are clean.

I know there is a proper process for hooking up jumper cables but I always get sparks near the batteries. Hooking up RV batteries too. Haven't blown up yet! Oh and I use the charger to recharge the AGM battery from dead. At first it was overheating the charger but that was because the GP relay was still hooked up and the battery charger was being asked to fire the GP circuit. Once the GP relay was removed, the charger was left on overnight in the "auto" cycle where it tapers the charge rate as the battery fills.

 

[Patches]

The relay didn't look to be easy to disassemble. It's pretty dinky like the size of a quarter on each face. The external contacts are clean.

I know there is a proper process for hooking up jumper cables but I always get sparks near the batteries. Hooking up RV batteries too. Haven't blown up yet! Oh and I use the charger to recharge the AGM battery from dead. At first it was overheating the charger but that was because the GP relay was still hooked up and the battery charger was being asked to fire the GP circuit. Once the GP relay was removed, the charger was left on overnight in the "auto" cycle where it tapers the charge rate as the battery fills.

The correct way to connect "jumpers" is connect the positive cable first and then connect the ground cable somewhere other than the negative battery terminal: a good clean grounded suface of the engine or chassis

 

[J_J]

Highbeam ,

Does your tractor have an automatic circuit for applying GP voltage? I believe that for some reason, that at one time the relay contacts started arcing, and pitting began. The relay needs to be replaced, and perhaps a capacitor put across the contacts to help alleviate the arcing. Some electronics guy may know the capacitor value that you need.
On my Kubota, I hold the key to the left for about 20 seconds, and then turn the key to the right to start.