4115 - dead as Elvis
- Thread starter McZook
- Start date
- Views: 5880
McZook said:
I should have replaced that 15 amp as well. That was the problem. It had cracked. $ervice came while I was out and probably spent more time laughing at me than they had to in fixing it.
Live and learn. I am getting some spares now for sure. No idea why that fuse blew out in the first place though...
Thanks to ALL for the helpful suggestions.
Snowing again.....
trlong
Platinum Member
McZook,
Glad it was just a fuse...happy snowblowing (I assume the worst is over by now, as here in VT).
On a related note; I've had my 4115 for three winters now. Battery died this late summer (endemic 4115 overcharging???...corrosion all over and had to clean and repaint). New battery in September. First snow, running just rear blade but with accessory wired ROPS lights (two front, on with headlight switch, one rear..same access. plug but I put an inline switch in to shut it off when not backing up). New battery died in that 1st snow (all cells even but way down). Added distilled water and charged back to 13.58V (all cells even).
Now, when I run with the ROPS lights connected to the accessory outlet, battery draws down and appears the alternator is not keeping up with the draw. Can't find anything on rating of the accessory outlet. Maybe I'm asking too much of it. However, never had a problem in the 1st two winters of blowing snow all night with headlights, added ROPS lights (front and rear)... Headed out now to check the alternator belt, all ground impedances, actual voltage at the accessory outlet, disconnect the stock headlights and see if there's any change in battery voltage (watching it sink with all lights on, even after full charge to all cells....). Wish me luck...any advise appreciated.
Been out of the forum for a long time...
Tom
Glad it was just a fuse...happy snowblowing (I assume the worst is over by now, as here in VT).
On a related note; I've had my 4115 for three winters now. Battery died this late summer (endemic 4115 overcharging???...corrosion all over and had to clean and repaint). New battery in September. First snow, running just rear blade but with accessory wired ROPS lights (two front, on with headlight switch, one rear..same access. plug but I put an inline switch in to shut it off when not backing up). New battery died in that 1st snow (all cells even but way down). Added distilled water and charged back to 13.58V (all cells even).
Now, when I run with the ROPS lights connected to the accessory outlet, battery draws down and appears the alternator is not keeping up with the draw. Can't find anything on rating of the accessory outlet. Maybe I'm asking too much of it. However, never had a problem in the 1st two winters of blowing snow all night with headlights, added ROPS lights (front and rear)... Headed out now to check the alternator belt, all ground impedances, actual voltage at the accessory outlet, disconnect the stock headlights and see if there's any change in battery voltage (watching it sink with all lights on, even after full charge to all cells....). Wish me luck...any advise appreciated.
Been out of the forum for a long time...
Tom
trlong
Platinum Member
Greenster,
Thanks. You're right, 20A Alternator.
What a brainfade here. No spec.'s on the accessory ROPS lights after 3 yrs installed but, assuming they are similar to what I find online, they are likely 55W to 60W minimum. At 12V, that's at least 15A for the three. Still looking to see what the wattage of the factory headlights are but, whatever they are, that leaves only 5A to run them...or some circuit is being short-shrifted. I can't believe when I bought the three lights that the dealer didn't say "hey, get a relay in that circuit to cut out the headlights when you're running the add-on ROPS lights. I should have known better.
Thanks,
Tom
P.S. (and the Alt. belt was loose, and the neg. batt block connection was in need of cleaning...still checking the rest of the grounds and various connections)
Thanks. You're right, 20A Alternator.
What a brainfade here. No spec.'s on the accessory ROPS lights after 3 yrs installed but, assuming they are similar to what I find online, they are likely 55W to 60W minimum. At 12V, that's at least 15A for the three. Still looking to see what the wattage of the factory headlights are but, whatever they are, that leaves only 5A to run them...or some circuit is being short-shrifted. I can't believe when I bought the three lights that the dealer didn't say "hey, get a relay in that circuit to cut out the headlights when you're running the add-on ROPS lights. I should have known better.
Thanks,
Tom
P.S. (and the Alt. belt was loose, and the neg. batt block connection was in need of cleaning...still checking the rest of the grounds and various connections)
ccranch321
New member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2007
- Messages
- 3
Guy's, I'm no expert but here is what happened...mine died exactly as described in these posts...running down the road with the flashers (located on the rops) on for safety. Dealer replaced a battery cable and some fuses. When it happened again, I finally read the book, replaced the 15A fuse, and took it back to the dealer......the flashing lights were not flashing normally, dealer found a short in the left light (even had the nerve to tell me it was not a warranty item - but no charge).......no problems since then.
ps: great to find this forum and alarming to read it's only a 20A alternator!!
Thanks........Carl
ps: great to find this forum and alarming to read it's only a 20A alternator!!
Thanks........Carl
McZook,
2 things. First welcome to TBN and glad your tractor is back from visiting Elvis and the space aliens. Second, you didn't "FIX" anything. The fuse blew for a reason. Sporatic electrical gremlins are the worst nightmares to identify the root cause. You will need to spend time with a multi-meter and inspect each and every wire on the 15amp circuit. A PIA? Fer sure! But, if you don't, you can easily blow it again out in the road and pop every spare too.
2 things. First welcome to TBN and glad your tractor is back from visiting Elvis and the space aliens. Second, you didn't "FIX" anything. The fuse blew for a reason. Sporatic electrical gremlins are the worst nightmares to identify the root cause. You will need to spend time with a multi-meter and inspect each and every wire on the 15amp circuit. A PIA? Fer sure! But, if you don't, you can easily blow it again out in the road and pop every spare too.
trlong
Platinum Member
John_Bud,
Agreed. Fuses don't blow arbitrarily. There's a problem somewhere in the system.
As for my 4115; Alt. belt was way loose (should have known to keep track of). Cleaned up the Neg. battery cable to ground/block. Accessory outlet is rated for ...??? (have call in to J.D. to get more info). Alt. is rated for 20A and it's likely that the 3 ROPS add-on lights are pulling too many amps. Still trying to find out what the actual wattage is of the 3 lights I added (two forward, one switched rear...all off the standard light switch). Back to checking connections before the weather changes...
Tom
Agreed. Fuses don't blow arbitrarily. There's a problem somewhere in the system.
As for my 4115; Alt. belt was way loose (should have known to keep track of). Cleaned up the Neg. battery cable to ground/block. Accessory outlet is rated for ...??? (have call in to J.D. to get more info). Alt. is rated for 20A and it's likely that the 3 ROPS add-on lights are pulling too many amps. Still trying to find out what the actual wattage is of the 3 lights I added (two forward, one switched rear...all off the standard light switch). Back to checking connections before the weather changes...
Tom
sandman2234
Super Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2005
- Messages
- 6,111
- Location
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Tractor
- JD2555 and a few Allis Chalmers and now one Kubota
If I were going to add a bunch of lights to my tractor the way you guys are, I wouldn't tie them into the existing system. I would come straight off the batttery with a fused wire, to a new switch. This would eliminate over stressing the system on some other circuit. My reason for this is simple. I don't think any of the tractor manufacturers are going to build a reserve into their circuits of enough capacity to allow me to run the type of lights you guys are running. Plus running a completely separate wire circuit makes it a lot easier to chase down later and eliminates all the other bugs that might arise.
Keep your new wires tucked away from hot sources, and out of the path of limbs getting dragged under the tractor. Make sure you fuse it correctly!
David from jax
Keep your new wires tucked away from hot sources, and out of the path of limbs getting dragged under the tractor. Make sure you fuse it correctly!
David from jax
OCDLubeman
Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2002
- Messages
- 46
ccranch321 said:
I bumped this thread up to maybe assist the original poster and other 4115 owners.
I also had this exact same problem last August, 2007.
A wire inside one of the ROPS light had worn insulation with an exposed wire. The sheet metal brackets inside the light housings can come loose and while bouncing around the damaged wire will short out inside the light housing.
I suggest taking those lights apart. Inspect each wire very carefully...I missed my damaged wire several times. I taped the sheet metal ground brackets with electrical tape to keep them in place and/or to cover any potential short interface.
I now have another electrical problem, maybe related to this light problem, and will start another thread.
