Engine Preheat

[Malvern Michael]

Ok guys, can anyone tell me if it is normal for the engine preheat light to come on Every time the tractor is started even when the engine is hot?

I am asking because I did a day of trailer loader work on Sunday when I was stop starting my Branson quite often and the following day the engine wouldn稚 start because the battery was flat, I am guessing that the preheat coming on every time I start will drain the battery

My Branson is a F47CHN and is 9 months old

Thanks
Michael

 

[TomIre]

Mine comes on every time I start the tractor even if it's hot from running. Wouldn't think it's enough to drain the battery though.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Unless my tractor is going to sit quite a while, while I work I leave it running, especially if it's only a small job.

I want the diesel warmed up when I'm done with a small job and I want to make sure the batt. is charged back up too.

But then again, my FARM tractors don't need a glow plug, even to cold start.

SR

 

[LouNY]

I have noticed that mine comes on even on a warm start for a few seconds,
if you had been starting and stopping your engine enough to run the battery down I would expect that the frequent starting was a much larger battery draw then the engine pre heater..

SR a lot of our farm tractors have manifold heaters or glow plugs.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

My farm tractors have a glow plug, it's just not needed to cold start them, my Agco's crank right up without using it.

I can't say the same for my tinker toy tractors though, that dam indirect injection requires the use of a glow plug!

SR

 

[LouNY]

Our Internationals and New Holland start much better with them especially when it gets down close to zero.
My Oliver required it when it got close to cold.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

My loader tractor that you see in my picts a lot, I've never had to use it, not even down to zero. The other Agco you see in the picts, I have to use the glow plug in the colder part of winter, but never otherwise.

SR

 

[Roadworthy]

Going back to the OP, there is no indication how long the tractor was running between starts. If the starter and/or glow plugs run the tractor must then run for a period of time to charge the battery. Starters and glow plugs do make a huge drain on the battery. There is also the matter of the age and condition of the battery. Take it to a shop and have it load tested. It's possible your battery is just too old.

 

[ericm979]

On my 3725 the preheat light goes on for a shorter time when the engine is warm. If the engine really is hot I often just start it even though the preheat light is on. It starts right up with no smoke, unlike the few times I have forgotten to wait for the light when it's cold. If you do that, it's obvious that you did something wrong.

 

[Branson Bob]

What I assume to be my glow plug indicator light ALWAYS goes on no matter how long the tractor has been running. The duration is always 5-6 seconds.

If I have been running the tractor for a long enough period of time, I don't bother waiting for the glow plug indicator light to go dark because I assume glow plugs work on the principle of a resistive heating coil/heating element and draws a fair amount of current to generate heat... heat which is not needed when the engine is already warm.

If I'm incorrect in this assumption I'd be glad to be corrected by someone who KNOWS differently.