Battery / Charging Lite

arthr31 · May 24, 2005

Hey all:
Was working with my 1601d on Sunday for a few hours /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif box blading and brushhogging. A good time overall... But, while working, early in the afternoon (went from 1pm to 530) the battery / charging lite would come on, then go off. sometimes it'd come on and stay on for many minutes. I shut down, ran back to the house and looked it up. Manual says it could be fan belt (is OK), altenator (looks ok, but who am i to know), regulator (same), or battery (new).

So, I started back up thinking, well, i can continue working for now... Anyway, worked for the rest of the afternoon and never saw the lite come back on. anyone care to speculate on this? I'm going to check the battery today and see if it's down or losing charge...

also, just for clarrification, this is the lite on the upper left hand part of the 1601 panel...

as always, thanks for the advice /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif -arthr

normde2001 · May 24, 2005

Next time you run back to the house, pick up a volt meter /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif.

arthr31 · May 24, 2005

good idea!
I can test the regulator with that, right? Is there anyway to test the altenator (without removing it)??? Thanks! -arthr

Soundguy · May 24, 2005

Measure static volts on the battery, and then charging volts on the battery. static could be anything up to 12.6v. Charging volts will be 13.2 to 14.7 in general.

You can also set to an ac scale and measure the alternator output.

If you have a clamp on ammeter, or a high capacity ammeter function, you can also check charge current.

Soundguy

arthr31 · May 24, 2005

Thank you. Didn't get a chance to go out and try any tests today... Having a 'noreaster here and I have a flu. Who sez winters over?!? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif But, anyway. I'll try and hook up some test equipment to it and see what I get.....

normde2001 · May 24, 2005

I'm pretty sure your YM1601 has the rectifier, (changes AC to DC), in the regulator, so if you find it is not charging you can unplug the regulator from the alternator and briefly run the tractor, looking for approx. unregulated 20-30VAC from the alternator. If present, then regulator is bad. If no 20-30VAC, alternator is bad, (but reg. could be also). It's usually the regulator, and unfortunately, I don't know of any aftermarket units for this model.

bruce1966us · May 24, 2005

Are you sure its not the battery fluid level light coming on?

Jagmandave · May 25, 2005

My 1602D did this a couple of times when I first got it, turned out it had the wrong alt belt installed and it was slipping under load (didn't fit the pulleys correctly). I just put a new belt on and it's fine. Check the belt carefully, could be all it is. However, to change the alt belt, you have to remove the lower radiator hose, so you might as well change your antifreeze and flush the cooling system while you're at it, if you haven't done so recently.

arthr31 · May 25, 2005

hey all, thanks for the feedback. lotsa good ideas to check... now, just to make sure what i'm talking about, here's a pic of which lite is glowing intermittently. The lite which glows, has the white arrow to it.

after verifying this in both my ym180 and ym169 owners manuals, neither of these tractors even have this warning indicator on their panel. If I guess correctly, this lite is warning 'bout a bad battery?!? maybe? The battery is new, has adequate water in it too. The only thing I can check for is specfic gravity since I don't have a hydrometer (right?). Also, I still haven't had a chance to hook up a test to the battery.. maybe tomorrow, it's raining like CRAZY tonight... Thanks again. -arthr

normde2001 · May 25, 2005

That's a low battery water indicator. Japanese batteries have a low battery sensor with 2 wires going to it. there should be 2 loose wires ending somewhere near the battery. Short them together, tape them up, and the light will stay off.