Batteries!

[rmonio]

I would put this in the dumb question category - but since I've not replaced many batteries in my tractors and have never had this happen, I figured I'd see if it was a common item or not.

At the end of winter when it was still pretty cold I was noticing that my JD4600 wasn't always turning over. Figuring it was from the cold, I would plug in the heaters and it would start fine. When Spring came (well, sort of .. here in Minnesota), the starting problem was gone and wasn't an issue.

Yesterday, however, after dragging the pasture the Tractor wouldn't start after it was shutdown for a few minutes. The lights were very dim and the unit would only make a few ticks when the key was turned. I figured it was the battery but was unclear as to why it could be low since it had been running for about an hour.

I eventually jumped the battery from my truck and got it running. I drove it into the barn, stopped it, and it wouldn't start. Not even the lights would come on.

I went to Deere today and got a new battery - TY24394 - (the one in the unit was 5.5 years old). I plugged in the new battery and it had no charge. I did put the battery on my battery charger and the tractor started and now all is fine again.

My question is two-fold:
- was the old battery just "old" and needed to be replaced after almost 5 years? Is that a fair timeframe? Why would it just stop like that when it was starting just fine?
- what was wrong with the new one when I received it?

Furthermore, the battery had a sticker on it that said "May 10" - which I'm thinking means it was shipped on May of 2010 to the dealer... am I reading that right and should I keep it?

Just some questions since I've not really run into this kind of issue over the years... usually a dead battery I just replace based on age (5-6 years) and I figured that was the case here. But why it just STOPPED working and then the issue with the new one (no charge) and the date.. seems odd.

Thoughts?

Thanks for your help!

-Bob

 

[k0ua]

Often batteries only last 4 or 5 years.. although many can last twice that. It depends on many factors, such as did you ever run the battery flat?, harsh cold conditions don't do batteries any good. Bumping and Jarring batteries over a rough field can shake the powered lead loose, many many things can cause a battery to fail. Sudden battery failure can be caused by the buildup or "shedding" of plate materiel into the bottom of the battery so that it shorts out a cell. This can be the cause of "sudden death".

New batteries are usually shipped dry, and electrolyte is added by the vendor. If they did not charge the battery then it is up to you to charge it. Are you saying the new battery has a date code of may 2010?.. I hope it was kept dry until the day they gave it to you, and not been sitting on the shelf with electrolyte in it for 4 years. If it was dry and uncharged, it should be OK.. you might ask them in a roundabout way.

 

[rmonio]

Often batteries only last 4 or 5 years.. although many can last twice that. It depends on many factors, such as did you ever run the battery flat?, harsh cold conditions don't do batteries any good. Bumping and Jarring batteries over a rough field can shake the powered lead loose, many many things can cause a battery to fail. Sudden battery failure can be caused by the buildup or "shedding" of plate materiel into the bottom of the battery so that it shorts out a cell. This can be the cause of "sudden death".

New batteries are usually shipped dry, and electrolyte is added by the vendor. If they did not charge the battery then it is up to you to charge it. Are you saying the new battery has a date code of may 2010?.. I hope it was kept dry until the day they gave it to you, and not been sitting on the shelf with electrolyte in it for 4 years. If it was dry and uncharged, it should be OK.. you might ask them in a roundabout way.

Thanks, James. The tractor does get alot of "field use" because of our horses and other work that we do here. I recently also built a riding arena and we regularly drive over bumpy ground. This winter was also especially harsh due to the extreme cold we faced. What is the "powered lead" that you refer to?

I will check with the dealer on the situation with the battery. I don't expect to have to charge them when I get them - that seems odd to me and it should be something they do before I receive it. Also, if the battery is nothing more than a container that is sitting until the electrolyte is added then perhaps the older date is ok, but it doesn't sound right since it would still be almost 5 years old at this point.

Thanks for your reply! :thumbsup:

 

[Tx Jim]

Only way to determine battery condition &/or failure is by testing with a volt/ohm meter,load tester &/or hydrometer. My guess is your old battery developed a dead cell that is if the tractor alternator is functioning correctly..

 

[k0ua]

Yes you could take the battery to Wal-Mart or another vendor with a battery load tester and have it load tested to make sure it is capable of delivering the rated current under load.
The "powdered lead" or sponge lead is part of what makes up each individual plate of a lead acid battery. Go Google how lead acid wet batteries are made and you will have a better understanding of what they consist of. This powdered lead sloughs off over time and also vibration and stress can accelerate this action and it builds up on the bottom of the case of the battery and can short out cells.

 

[prosperity]

A couple years ago I had a battery failure with no problems beforehand. Always started normally. Was mowing one day away from home - got done and put the tractor on the trailer. 5 miles to the next job and it was dead. Went home to diagnose - looked at everything else besides the battery first. Then tried to jump it with no luck. Wouldn't even take a trickle charge. New battery did the trick.

It seems newer batteries will die like that with no notice. I see the same thing happen with cars/trucks.

My pick-up is now 5 years old with the original battery and it is making me nervous. Had it load tested at the last service which was OK, but I am going to replace it at the next service in October anyway. Can't get stranded like that around here with no cell phones to call for help........

 

[George2615]

Just for peace of mind check the charging system on the tractor now that you replaced the battery. make sure it's charging while running.

 

[k0ua]

Just for peace of mind check the charging system on the tractor now that you replaced the battery. make sure it's charging while running.

Good Idea, and only takes seconds to do.:thumbsup:

 

[rmonio]

Good Idea, and only takes seconds to do.:thumbsup:

How do I check the charging system?

BTW - I talked to the dealer today and they added the electrolyte before they gave me the battery. They said that it should have had a charge.

Also, the fact that the date was 5/10 on the battery was a surprise. He said they would order me a new one and swap it out.

For now the tractor is running fine, but I would prefer a newer battery vs. one that is almost already 5 years old.

Thanks for the feedback!

-Bob

 

[George2615]

How do I check the charging system?

BTW - I talked to the dealer today and they added the electrolyte before they gave me the battery. They said that it should have had a charge.

Also, the fact that the date was 5/10 on the battery was a surprise. He said they would order me a new one and swap it out.

For now the tractor is running fine, but I would prefer a newer battery vs. one that is almost already 5 years old.

Thanks for the feedback!

-Bob

Bob,
Get a digital volt meter and measure the voltage across the battery when not running. It should read something like 12.4 (your reading may be different). Then start the tractor and read voltage again. It should now be higher than your first reading. At least 13V -14V. That tells you the charging system is working. If you don't have a digital meter an analog one will work. If you don't have any meter most auto parts stores sell cheapies for under $20.