Electrical Gremlin

   / Electrical Gremlin #1  

GBHRPS

Bronze Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2010
Messages
85
Location
Southern Ontario, Canada
Tractor
CC Z Force 48
Gentlemen,

Z Force 48 with a 26 HP B&G engine has needed to be jump started for the last three weeks or so. Today I tried to get to the bottom of the issue.

The engine cranks weakly for 4 or 5 seconds, doesn't start, and then the selonoid starts to click, and then nothing.

Jumping with another battery, the rig has no hesitation and fires right up. The on board battery shows 12.46 volts, or about an 80% charge. I get 12.46 volts from the battery negative terminal to the selonoid, and from any ground on the engine to the positive terminal on the battery.

When starting to crank the engine with the on board battery I get 5.9 volts that drops off rapidly from the starter side of the selonoid to ground, with the same readings between the starter and ground.

I'm thinking that the selonoid needs replacing as all cables and terminals were disconnected, cleaned and reattached with no change in the starting sequence.

Can anyone verify, or am I missing something?
 
   / Electrical Gremlin #2  
Sounds like a bad battery. How old is the battery? You can take it to a auto parts store and have it tested.
 
   / Electrical Gremlin #3  
yup.. i agree. bad battery. if the voltage drops like that, that would be my bet. Just had the same issue with my work van. it was a 5 yo battery with a 96 month warranty. but bad just the same
 
   / Electrical Gremlin #4  
When you used the second battery to start it, did you bypass the solenoid? Did you bypass the solenoid using the original battery? If you didn't either time, what makes you think it's the solenoid?
 
   / Electrical Gremlin
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Guys,
I think I've tracked down the problem. The battery was not getting fully charged.

I started a second check of all terminals in the starting circuit and discovered a plastic zip tie partially sandwiched in between the battery negative post and the cable end. The original owner, or the factory, put the tie around the terminal to hold the pressure switch wiring to the seat bottom from getting crushed under the seat corner.

I really don't know how I missed it the first time around (old timer's disease?).

Regardless, an overnight trickle charge and the tractor almost couldn't wait to get started today. It bears watching to ensure that the battery is being properly charged, but I'm almost certain I've found the problem.

Thanks all for your help!
 
 
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