John Deere 318 voltage regulator

[Hjfowler]

Do you have a pic of the old regulator? Not sure I've seen one different than this type.

I do have a picture, but I can't figure out how to add a photo from my phone. I'd have to wait until I'm at work to use the computer.

 

[Coyote machine]

When I was a kid 15+ years ago my dad bought a battery for his mower and he had to add the acid, I haven't seen one since.

Thanks for the correction, I personally have never dealt with one but have seen one or two my dad bought.

No Problem.
I just don't want anyone accidentally deciding to add acid when all they should be adding to low battery cells is water.
I used to do what you mentioned above, years ago; but I think they did away with that for safety issues and now all batteries are already filled with acid/water mix at the factory and are called wet batteries.

 

[Hjfowler]

I do have a picture, but I can't figure out how to add a photo from my phone. I'd have to wait until I'm at work to use the computer.

It's a bad picture. But those are the connectors. One is undone as I took this picture when I was taking the connections off while doing a valve adjustment.

 

[Coyote machine]

Great, thanks. I'm getting a multimeter today. So test it before starting, then fire it up and test it at WOT? Or should it be at a different throttle range? I really don't want an explosive issue haha.

For point of info, the voltage mostly stays the same regardless of throttle position. The only time it varies greatly is when a 'load' like headlights are being used and the battery would be 'drawn' down if the voltage regulator didn't compensate for the draw down.

Batteries do best from 100% state of charge to about 80% and then back to 100%, supplied by a properly functioning charging system.
Otherwise the battery life is shortened by being allowed to undercharge, say down to 60% then back to 100.

Cold and hot temps wear harder on batteries than do relatively moderate ambient temps. That's why auto charging systems fail/ batteries die in very hot weather or extreme cold. CCA, Cold Cranking Amps is one thing used to determine the appropriate battery for a particular engine/use. Air conditioning and heater fans in winter months draw a lot of amps, which is flow of current through a circuit. Current is literally heat transfer through wires to an output/use, heater fan moving heat to warm a vehicle. Headlights draw lots of amps - heat out of the lamp = energy consumed from the battery. That energy is restored by the engine burning gas/diesel, to resupply energy lost from the battery, (discharging to say 75% state of charge), then being charged back to 100%.

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