Jump starting tractors

[CH4Ohio]

I have a spare marine battery that I keep charged. It's easy to haul it out to a piece of equipment and jump from it instead of another vehicle. Wonder what your mechanic would think about that?

I should clarify. . . I keep this spare battery around because I find that's it's usually easier to just set this down next to a car, tractor, etc. and hook to it rather than jockey the vehicles close enough and raise both hoods, etc. I just find this to be easier.

Not doing it because I'm worried about damaging anything, but . . . now that I think about it . . . I would rather hook this spare battery up to my tractor than run jumpers from my new Ford pickup with all the fancy expensive electronics.

I've had 3 of those rechargable battery jumper pack things. None lasted long and none of them were very impressive. I don't think you can beat a fully charged full size battery and a set of jumper cables -- that's my "portable jump charger".

 

[WranglerX]

I have a Jump Box, so far it has never failed to stat anything I needed to start, it also has USB outlet for device (phone) charging and I can use the 12 volt socket to power any GPS or what ever device that requires 12 volts... BUT is does not stop me for jumping vehicle to vehicle whether it be tractors, trucks or cars as a jump is a jump...If something fails it was going to happen anyway....

 

[ctgoldwing]

Hi,
When jumping from the vehicle with a good battery make sure to keep the ENGINE OFF. Because, when you hit the starter on the dead battery unit the booster battery will drop down to about 9.5 to 10.5 volts depending on it's starter draw. This will force the regulator on the booster unit to signal full charge. In addition, when the dead unit starts it too will go to full charge since it also is looking at two low battery voltages now in parallel. This combination may result in very high charge voltages on both vehicles. These high-charge voltages are not necessarily friendly to sensitive electronic components. Bottom line, most of the time you can get away with having the boost vehicle running while jumping. But why chance it.

cheers,

I'm having a hard time visualizing this. When you connect your jumper wires, regardless of whether the jump vehicle is running or not, those two batteries are indeed in parallel. Electrically speaking they are one unit (the jumpers connect them together). Certainly there is going to be a large charging current drawn when you start but isn't that the regulator's job to limit the charging voltage? I don't see how the voltage would get any higher than normal.

 

[CobyRupert]

I'm having a hard time visualizing this. When you connect your jumper wires, regardless of whether the jump vehicle is running or not, those two batteries are indeed in parallel. Electrically speaking they are one unit (the jumpers connect them together). Certainly there is going to be a large charging current drawn when you start but isn't that the regulator's job to limit the charging voltage? I don't see how the voltage would get any higher than normal.

Confused me too. I was wondering where the high charging voltage came from?

 

[Doughknob]

I'm having a hard time visualizing this. When you connect your jumper wires, regardless of whether the jump vehicle is running or not, those two batteries are indeed in parallel. Electrically speaking they are one unit (the jumpers connect them together). Certainly there is going to be a large charging current drawn when you start but isn't that the regulator's job to limit the charging voltage? I don't see how the voltage would get any higher than normal.

U b right. No problem with jumper running. Some old wisdom even suggests one rev up the jumper vehicle, assuming the jumped battery is at low voltage and can easily take a higher push for a short time - voltage regulators have a 'range' they work in, but do indeed have an upper limit.

 

[Tx Jim]

Back when I was employed buy a JD dealer for 21yrs I jumped off several JD tractors some of which were the models you mentioned without harming either vehicles charging systems. I jumped off a few since I started custom baling in '87. I think the secret to not harming alternator or regulator is attach jumper cables + to + &- to - attaching 1 negative cable last.

 

[grsthegreat]

ive jumped cars, trucks, semis, tractors...even a side by side. never have had any issues. the only issue i ever had was when i jumped a seadoo. i fried the controller. was an expensive lesson. i never try to jump start generators either....due to controller issue...

 

[WranglerX]

Just jump start tractor or any other vehicle as described in so many how to documents.... As soon as jumped vehicle start remove cables, there should not be any damage in either vehicle from an "short term" voltage variations causes by charging system in each vehicle trying to equalize....

 

[number two]

A little humor:I jump started My 1978 GMC Astro with my dad's 1971 VW Bus-sure looked funny in the parking lot,that little van hooked to that big truck!
I also had to jump that truck again once with the reefer trailer I was pulling,glad my cables were long enough.
Batteries are lots better now.
Those 4 Group 31's in the truck new were 475 CCA's each-puny by today's standards.
Thanks for reading.

 

[brokeasajoke]

Alternators only supply when needed as they monitor the state of the battery. Never had a problem and even run vehicles in series for 24 volt systems. Maybe the voltage regulator went screwy and was like 16+ volts or something. I call bull. I jumped my churches John Deere mower with my F250 running yesterday. Zero issues except it cranked much faster than normal.