Battery replacement for TC40DA

[Danica]

Hello everyone, I'm sorry for asking such a dumb question and i sure hope you can help. I did search the forum first.

In a nutshell:

1. My tractor in storage for nearly two years. Battery 99.999% sure is dead.
2. Need new battery cuz i have to start it this Thursday
3. Am at my mom's house and far away from a NH dealership of tractor supply store.
4. Need to buy a replacement battery like at NAPA (?) or big box store
5. I don't know what all the numbers mean: CCA, Group # etc.

I just need to know what on earth i can buy that will make it start!

Thank you so very much in advance!!!!

Danica

 

[MarkV]

It would help to know what model tractor you are working on. My experience has been if you bring the numbers from the battery to a retailer they can get you the proper size. If nothing else, take the battery itself and they will match it.

MarkV

 

[Danica]

Hi Thank you for your reply. The trouble is the tractor is 90 miles away and I have to buy the battery here and take it there to it.

Danica

 

[SandburRanch]

Hello everyone, I'm sorry for asking such a dumb question and i sure hope you can help. I did search the forum first.

In a nutshell:

1. My tractor in storage for nearly two years. Battery 99.999% sure is dead.
2. Need new battery cuz i have to start it this Thursday
3. Am at my mom's house and far away from a NH dealership of tractor supply store.
4. Need to buy a replacement battery like at NAPA (?) or big box store
5. I don't know what all the numbers mean: CCA, Group # etc.

I just need to know what on earth i can buy that will make it start!

Thank you so very much in advance!!!!


Danica

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Give the NAPA store a visit and any salesman worth is salt can probably, with your tractor Model No., look in his books and determine which battery your tractor needs.

 

[Danica]

You were absolutely right!!! I called NAPA just a few miles away and whammo, he told me he had one for me at just $98 bucks!! Yay. One last question: is there a difference between a 'wet' and 'dry' battery in terms of power (that's CCA:cold cranking amps, right?) And if the tractor came with a 'wet' battery is a dry one ok?

Danica

 

[yooper1]

You need a wet one.

I believe auto parts stores get some batteries in that do not have acid / water in them and these they sell to mechanics who fill them themselves. These are probably what they are calling "dry".

It is not worth any price difference to get a dry one and then try and find and buy acid and then fill the battery and the need to charge it once it is filled.

 

[Hematite]

As long as you have the battery number from NAPA, if NAPA can't put the acid in or provide an already "wet" battery, you can check other sources in your area.

I would have to think that the NAPA dealer could fill a "dry" battery but it would then cost more for the acid.

 

[jinman]

You were absolutely right!!! I called NAPA just a few miles away and whammo, he told me he had one for me at just $98 bucks!! Yay. One last question: is there a difference between a 'wet' and 'dry' battery in terms of power (that's CCA:cold cranking amps, right?) And if the tractor came with a 'wet' battery is a dry one ok?

Danica

Danica, your battery is a Group 51 battery. Anyone can sell you a Group 51 that will fit. There are several quality levels of batteries within one brand. Currently most manufacturers offer a "gold" version that is full replacement within 3 years and then a sliding scale out to 8 years on replacement costs. There are also Sealed Lead Acid and Dry composition batteries that will cost much more than the typical lead acid. Those can be had for around $150 up and are very reliable with no danger of acid leakage. Optima is a brand name of a Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) battery that is carried by Autozone stores and many others including Sam's Clubs.

If you just want a replacement battery, buy the cheaper group 51 and then if you leave your tractor for a period of time, disconnect the ground terminal to help keep it from discharging. I will warn you that some of the cheaper batteries may be more prone to outgassing acid vapor into your radiator. There's plenty of info on that here if you want to do a search.

Good luck and be safe. Always disconnect your ground (black) wire first and replace it last. That will ensure that you will not get a huge spark/discharge if you touch metal with your wrench while working on the positive (red) terminal.

 

[Danica]

Thank you for all that valuable advice!! I will take all of it into account and wrote down the information about black first. I would not want to get shocked. By the way i just did go to NAPA and bought the battery and he said if i did touch both metal terminals at the same time i would NOT get shocked which seems kindof wierd but he did it and didn't get shocked so i'm amazed i guess!

Thank you so much for all your help!!

Danica

Danica, your battery is a Group 51 battery. Anyone can sell you a Group 51 that will fit. There are several quality levels of batteries within one brand. Currently most manufacturers offer a "gold" version that is full replacement within 3 years and then a sliding scale out to 8 years on replacement costs. There are also Sealed Lead Acid and Dry composition batteries that will cost much more than the typical lead acid. Those can be had for around $150 up and are very reliable with no danger of acid leakage. Optima is a brand name of a Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) battery that is carried by Autozone stores and many others including Sam's Clubs.

If you just want a replacement battery, buy the cheaper group 51 and then if you leave your tractor for a period of time, disconnect the ground terminal to help keep it from discharging. I will warn you that some of the cheaper batteries may be more prone to outgassing acid vapor into your radiator. There's plenty of info on that here if you want to do a search.

Good luck and be safe. Always disconnect your ground (black) wire first and replace it last. That will ensure that you will not get a huge spark/discharge if you touch metal with your wrench while working on the positive (red) terminal.

 

[SandburRanch]

QUOTE: Good luck and be safe. Always disconnect your ground (black) wire first and replace it last. That will ensure that you will not get a huge spark/discharge if you touch metal with your wrench while working on the positive (red) terminal.
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Jim
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Danica - Please re-read Jim's reply. I'm afraid you aren't understanding what he is saying which could result in injury.

Touching the positive and negative posts to metal simultaneously will cause a high amp. current draw. The resulting sparks sometimes results in battery explosion by gases given off. Touching the terminals with our hands simultaneously doesn't usually cause ill effects, especially if our hands are dry.

If you are still in the gray area on this no harm done. Just be certain you understand before connecting the battery.

I saw first hand what can happen the day I had to lead a welder to a water hydrant with his eyes full of sulfuric acid.