Mahindra 4530 is killing batteries

daydk1 · Jun 26, 2016

I bought a 2014 Mahindra 4530 in December 2015 from a dealer. The tractor had been used on the lot to move things around. It had five hours on it. When they sold it to me, the battery was dead and they had the charger on it. I didn't think anything about it. When they delivered the tractor, the tractor started fine. I started it and used a couple of days and then parked it for about two months. When I went out to start it again, the battery was dead. Nothing. No click. I tried to jump it and nothing. I tried charging it and it wouldn't charge. I took the battery out and replaced it with a new one from O'Reillys. The guy at O'Reilly's said the battery had a dead cell. I used the tractor a couple of weekends to do some garden tillering and some bush hogging and it started fine every time. The tractor has been parked for a month. I went to start it today and again, nothing. No click. The parking brake light lights up, but it got weaker the longer the key stayed on. What could be killing the batteries on this tractor? There are no lights left on. I've read on a form where the glow plug relay might be sticking and killing the battery. I'm not a mechanic, so I don't know much about electrical systems. I'm calling the dealer and complaining tomorrow. The tractor is still under warranty, but I'm about 2 hours from the dealer. I thought I would see if anyone else has had an issue with your Mahindra tractors killing batteries.

davesl708 · Jun 26, 2016

Your machine is probably computer controlled. That will drain the battery in time.
If you have a loose ground wire that can cause the computer to wake up and drain the battery as well.
If you plan to leave it sit for a month or more would probably be best to disconnect the battery.
A battery switch is the most convenient way to do it.

daydk1 · Jun 26, 2016

It seems to me that a brand new tractor should not be having this issue.

davesl708 · Jun 26, 2016

Even your cars computer/security system will drain the battery in about 4 to 5 weeks setting idle.

Navasot · Jun 27, 2016

You sure its not a safety switch this time?

daydk1 · Jun 27, 2016

I'm pretty sure. The shuttle shift is in neutral. The range selector is in neutral. The PTO is off and I had the clutch pushed in and the brakes pushed in. I think it's the battery because the only light that comes on the dash is the parking brake light and the battery light and the parking brake light was dimming.

k0ua · Jun 27, 2016

Step 1, measure the battery voltage under load. If it is truly dead, Charge/replace to get tractor going.
Step 2: Measure current draw with key off. If there is a current draw, perform calculation on how long battery will last with this current draw. Determine if current draw is normal or abnormal. In other words if there are computer devices that should draw a small amount of current and you determine it is normal, then start tractor once in a while or put solar or other charger on it if you are not going to use your tractor for a month at a time.

If there should not be any parasitic current draw, then you will have to track down what is drawing current. An often overlooked current draw is defective diodes in the alternator.

You could get a battery cutoff switch as a workaround.
Two months is too long to go without starting your tractor and hoping it will start. Yes I know some will start and work fine, but I would not go that long without a start and without a charger on a battery.

A stuck glow plug relay would discharge a battery in a few minutes. The current draw would be from 60 to 80 amperes. No battery would last long with that kind of draw.

daydk1 · Jun 27, 2016

Thanks James. I'm not that mechanically inclined. What do I use to measure the current draw? I'm thinking about getting a cutoff switch and a trickle charger. Do you think it would be enough to just put a trickle charger on it and not do the cutoff switch? I'm hoping I can jump this thing off. It is a pain in the a$* to get the battery out and the tractor is in a shed that is not close to electricity to charge the battery without taking the battery out.

k0ua said:
Step 1, measure the battery voltage under load. If it is truly dead, Charge/replace to get tractor going.
Step 2: Measure current draw with key off. If there is a current draw, perform calculation on how long battery will last with this current draw. Determine if current draw is normal or abnormal. In other words if there are computer devices that should draw a small amount of current and you determine it is normal, then start tractor once in a while or put solar or other charger on it if you are not going to use your tractor for a month at a time.

If there should not be any parasitic current draw, then you will have to track down what is drawing current. An often overlooked current draw is defective diodes in the alternator.

You could get a battery cutoff switch as a workaround.
Two months is too long to go without starting your tractor and hoping it will start. Yes I know some will start and work fine, but I would not go that long without a start and without a charger on a battery.

A stuck glow plug relay would discharge a battery in a few minutes. The current draw would be from 60 to 80 amperes. No battery would last long with that kind of draw.

Navasot · Jun 27, 2016

Clean your ground cable, then test the alternator. Also on your battery does it have a lot of build up on the connections?

daydk1 · Jun 27, 2016

No, the connections are clean. I just put this new battery in the tractor in March or April. I bought the tractor in December and the battery I took out had a dead cell. I'm hoping it has not cooked this one.