Anybody Else Notice This?

[Username Taken]

My tractor starts and charges fine but I've noticed that, if I watch the alternator gauge, it takes a minute or three before it starts to show that it's charging.

I suspect it has a delay. Like how some cars do. Some cars delay the activation of the alternator for some reason or another. Don't know why, they just do.

But I listened to it really closely a few times and I can definitely hear the difference when the gauge starts to show a charge. I can hear and feel when the alternator kicks on. Usually takes between 1 and 3 minutes.

And that's what gets me. Why the difference in delays?? All I can figure is, the tractor's computer senses when it needs to start charging after a start and sends a signal to the alternator.

Just curious if I need to get a trailer somewhere and take it into the Dealer before my warranty runs out in June. I'm in Florida and my tractor is in Michigan so, there's that. And for the Dealer to pick it up and drop it off is going to be at least $100 each way, I just about guarantee.

Or maybe I should just drive it.

Anybody??

 

[MichiganIron]

My tractor starts and charges fine but I've noticed that, if I watch the alternator gauge, it takes a minute or three before it starts to show that it's charging.

I suspect it has a delay. Like how some cars do. Some cars delay the activation of the alternator for some reason or another. Don't know why, they just do.

But I listened to it really closely a few times and I can definitely hear the difference when the gauge starts to show a charge. I can hear and feel when the alternator kicks on. Usually takes between 1 and 3 minutes.

And that's what gets me. Why the difference in delays?? All I can figure is, the tractor's computer senses when it needs to start charging after a start and sends a signal to the alternator.

Just curious if I need to get a trailer somewhere and take it into the Dealer before my warranty runs out in June. I'm in Florida and my tractor is in Michigan so, there's that. And for the Dealer to pick it up and drop it off is going to be at least $100 each way, I just about guarantee.

Or maybe I should just drive it.

Anybody??

We are a little confused by your "Alternator Gauge". The CX2510 does not have an Alternator Gauge. The instrument cluster includes a Fuel Gauge and a Temperature Gauge. The alternator charge is indicated by the Dummy Light you see when the key is turned to on. You may be confusing the temperature gauge as a charge gauge??

Just a thought.

 

[Username Taken]

We are a little confused by your "Alternator Gauge". The CX2510 does not have an Alternator Gauge. The instrument cluster includes a Fuel Gauge and a Temperature Gauge. The alternator charge is indicated by the Dummy Light you see when the key is turned to on. You may be confusing the temperature gauge as a charge gauge??

Just a thought.

Okay, sorry, you're right. No excuse, guess I'm just getting old.

My Tach, once the engine starts, just stays around 800 or so RPM or so. Stays there.

Then after a minute or three it jumps up to show the correct RPM and I can hear/feel a change in the engine tone that tells me the alternator just kicked in.

 

[/pine]

One off topic thing I've noticed is...there always seem to be more people going into Walmart than coming out...but the meat prices are low so I don't say anything...!

 

[CobyRupert]

One off topic thing I've noticed is...there always seem to be more people going into Walmart than coming out...but the meat prices are low so I don't say anything...!

You can’t beat their deals! Just this weekend they had a 2 for 1 special on Soylent Green.

 

[Thomas]

What RPM's setting when you let the tractor warm up?

 

[Username Taken]

What RPM's setting when you let the tractor warm up?

I try to keep the throttle where the RPM will be between 1,200 and 1,500 when I start it up. Once the Tach decides it wants to work. Sometimes I reduce the throttle after a few moments once I feel like the oil (I use 5w-40 full syn) is circulating well. Then, after a few minutes, the tach starts working which, I believe, is attributed to the alternator kicking on.

Sorry I didn't describe what was happening in my OP. My bad, senior moment.

Really not worried about it too awful much. More curious than anything. But I think it's got something to do with the delay or whether or not it's a 1 wire, 2 wire or 3 wire alternator. None of which I really understand.

I also wonder whether or not the alternator is delayed if the Glow Plugs are working...?? Maybe the glow plugs work even after the start and the CPU kicks the alternator off to prevent an overload...?? But it happens on every start, not just cold starts. It is, I believe, less noticeable the warmer the engine gets. I think.

weird

I admit that I'm a rook at this stuff

 

[Billrog]

Check and see if you blown the alternator fuse that will cause a delay in the alternator showing charge.

 

[CobyRupert]

I’d guess the alternator doesn’t have a time delay where it waits a few minutes to kick on.
I’d guess your battery is getting weaker, and drains itself more on starts.
I’d guess it’s either a load turning off (glow plugs?), or the battery gets drained on start up and the system voltage is low the first few minutes as the recharging battery is consuming most of the load from the alternator. This temporarily dips the system voltage below the voltage the tachometer needs to work at.
Weak batteries often only draw a lot of charging current for a minute or two and then appear to be fully charged, and won’t take any more current.
Or maybe it’s something else totally unrelated…

 

[Robin Veerman]

Maybe take a drive up to your tractor and plug in a battery maintainer, then return home. Leave it a week and then return to your tractor and see if there’s any change or an improvement. If it’s not any better simply go back home and call the dealer to explain the issue. If they want to see it in their shop why not return to the tractor and simply drive it over to them so that they can check out the alternator gauge or temperature gauge or the battery or the tach…. That will save you the $200 delivery fee.

 

[Billrog]

There's power to the alternator the sec. you turn the key on , so if it doesn't charge until running the fuse is blown.

 

[Highgear]

1200 - 1500 rpm at start ! Yikes ! I would never let it rev that high at start !

 

[Oaktree]

Okay, sorry, you're right. No excuse, guess I'm just getting old.

My Tach, once the engine starts, just stays around 800 or so RPM or so. Stays there.

Then after a minute or three it jumps up to show the correct RPM and I can hear/feel a change in the engine tone that tells me the alternator just kicked in.

I'm confused. Does the engine speed up after a couple minutes, or is the tach reading low at first? A change in engine tone would imply the former.
I don't know what the electrical differences are between a CK and my LK series, but on mine there's nothing fancy on the charging system to make it only start charging after running a few minutes. Are you sure it's got anything to do with the charging system at all? It's not like there's much, if any electrical draw once it's running. Maybe hydraulic fluid is thick-ish when you first start and is loading down the pump a bit?

 

[Username Taken]

I'm confused. Does the engine speed up after a couple minutes, or is the tach reading low at first? A change in engine tone would imply the former.
I don't know what the electrical differences are between a CK and my LK series, but on mine there's nothing fancy on the charging system to make it only start charging after running a few minutes. Are you sure it's got anything to do with the charging system at all? It's not like there's much, if any electrical draw once it's running. Maybe hydraulic fluid is thick-ish when you first start and is loading down the pump a bit?

No, the tach freezes at 900RPM more or less. After a minute or three, the tach will show correct RPM. Before that -- No, it won't. It just stays in that one spot. And when it does start working, I can hear/feel a very, very subtle change in the engine. Like a load but more likely, the alternator kicking on. It lights up, it goes from 0 to 900 (more or less, don't remember) but it stays there until what I think is the alternator kicking in.

It is electrical, I know that. I've been around professional mechanics for decades and, while I am by no means a mechanic, I can tell when something isn't working quite right.

Like I said, it starts and charges just fine. Perfectly, in fact. It's just that little quirk I was curious about.

I'm thinking maybe the ECU shuts down the alternator for a certain period if it thinks the Glow Plugs are operating. Otherwise, to the ECU, it could put a strain on the alternator.

Don't know why it would show up on the tach, though. weird

 

[Oaktree]

Have you put a voltmeter on the battery or output of the alternator to see if the voltage jumps up when you notice the engine sound change? That would tell you if it's the charging circuit or something else.

 

[Username Taken]

Have you put a voltmeter on the battery or output of the alternator to see if the voltage jumps up when you notice the engine sound change? That would tell you if it's the charging circuit or something else.

I will when I get up there.

Thanks for trying to help and I'll let you know what's what when I find out.

Buddy of mine is a cracker-jack diesel mechanic so when I see him next, I'll ask him. I'll most likely get a big 'DUH' so I'll probably have to wait until I get up there in June or so.

It's not a big deal yet. If it ever will be. Just kinda curious.

Thanks again

 

[Retired guy]

Okay, sorry, you're right. No excuse, guess I'm just getting old.

My Tach, once the engine starts, just stays around 800 or so RPM or so. Stays there.

Then after a minute or three it jumps up to show the correct RPM and I can hear/feel a change in the engine tone that tells me the alternator just kicked in.

The change in RPM is due to the hydraulic fluid warming up and offering less resistance to flow drawing less engine power to run the pump.

 

[pirogue1]

Not the fan belt by any chance? I had Ltd of trouble with my belt with a new CX2510. I purchased a 25-7400 belt from NAPA and had no more trouble with the tach which is driven by the speed of the alternator.

 

[Tinhack]

Ditto on the belt. It could be loose and slipping. Slipping causes heat and once the belt is hot, it grabs and charges. Check the belt.

 

[deezler]

Okay, sorry, you're right. No excuse, guess I'm just getting old.

My Tach, once the engine starts, just stays around 800 or so RPM or so. Stays there.

Then after a minute or three it jumps up to show the correct RPM and I can hear/feel a change in the engine tone that tells me the alternator just kicked in.

Haha, no worries man we've all had that kind of brain fart when it comes to engine instrumentation.

I'm commenting to this post before finishing reading the thread, just to point out that a change in engine tone does not only indicate a minor load increase from alternator load and thus battery charging. It could be many things, but most likely IMO is a change in fuel injection pattern/timing associated with the physical warmup of the engine.

If you want to know if the alternator kicked in, clamp a multimeter to your battery and watch the voltage right after startup. My bet is that the alternator is working more or less right away (why would they delay this?).