NEED HELP WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEM

Travis_R · Jan 1, 2007

Hey ya'll,

My 97' 485 DI has a small (hopefully) electrical problem. Its been sitting up under the shed all winter now. I started it this morning to go pull out my uncle's charter bus that was stuck in the mud. I got back under the shed and noticed that my ammeter needle wasn't in the (+) side, which meant that it wasn't charging.

I killed the tractor and tried to start it again. It wouldn't do anything. I turned the key to the on position, turned the light switch on and NO LIGHTS CAME ON. None of the gauges are working either. The needles don't move at all with the key switch in the on position.

The flashers won't work either. The key doesn't have to be on for the flashers to come on either.

I CAN START THE TRACTOR BY JUMPING THE STARTER SOLENOID, meaning that the battery is good. It was bought last year anyway...........BUT after the tractor is started, no lights, gauges, or flashers will still not come on.

I checked the fuse box. THE MAIN FUSE WAS BLOWN. I put a new one in it. Still the same problem. No lights, gauges, or flashers will work.

I also tested some electrical circuits with my tester (the type of tester that has a light bulb that lights up).

Im at a stopping point as of now. I don't know what else to do. I am pretty sure that it is a minor problem. I'm gonna go out right now and see if I can fool with it some more.

I have a Service Manual, but its no help.

ANY ADVICE OR SUGGUESTIONS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

THANKS,
Travis R

illinifish · Jan 1, 2007

If it has sat in an outside shed you might have a squirrel or mouse chew thru a wire. I would trace start tracing wires.

Travis_R · Jan 1, 2007

I thought about that. But the tractor started the first time when I went to get it. When I got back, I killed it and tried to start it with the key again and thats when nothing happened.

I wonder if it could have anything to do with the clutch safety start switch?

It might even be the keyswitch itself.

Im gonna go right now and take the dash apart and start trying to trace some wires. Maybe I can come up with or notice something out of the ordinary.

Travis R

Travis_R · Jan 1, 2007

Ok. Ive did all I can do. I do not know what else to look for.

None of the wires have been chewed on by rats or anything else.

Here is a thought:

The KEY SWITCH does NOT have to be ON in order for the FLASHERS to work, and like I posted earlier the flashers are not working. SO, shouldn't this eliminate the key switch?
What i'm saying is that if we could get the flashers to work, maybe everything else will start working.

What makes the flashers work?

Again, I can start the tractor by jumping the starter solenoid. But even when the tractor is running at idle or any RPM, no gauges or flashers or anything on the instrument panel comes on. The MAIN FUSE WAS BLOWN but I changed it with a new one (15amp). STILL NOTHING!

PLEASE HELP ME. I AM GOING TO NEED MY TRACTOR PRETTY SOON!

Travis R

Soundguy · Jan 1, 2007

Trace back from the flashers. There must be a short or open in the wire. In the case of a short.. look for the main fuse to be blown again.
Find where the charge wire comes from the alt/genny, and see what it's connection point is.

They don't call "Lucas" the prince of darkness for nothing.

Post back what you find and we can go from there.

Soundguy

Travis_R · Jan 1, 2007

There is a total of 3 wires coming off of the alternator/generator. One is a ground, one plugs into the alt/gen that has a (+) symbol stamped on the plastic cover of the alt/gen, and one plugs into the alt/gen that has the letters (IND) stamped on the plastic cover of the alt/gen.

Which one of the 2 wires is the charge wire?

Travis R

gemini5362 · Jan 1, 2007

First thing to do is check the main fuse again and see if it is blown. If it was blown once the chances are that whatever made it blow the first time is still bad and is blowing the new fuses. you can check out the fuse by checking continuity through it. If the fuse is good check the fuse holder. If it has some corrosion on it then that will keep you from getting voltage. Let us know what you find out ?

Travis_R · Jan 1, 2007

How do I check the continuity?

Im pretty sure that the main fuse is NOT blown again. It didn't look like it was anyway. I put one wire of my tester on the Positive (+) side of the battery and I put the other wire of my tester inside the Main Fuse HOLDER. The light on my tester DID LIGHT UP.

So, apparently the fuse box is getting power to it.

Travis R

gemini5362 · Jan 1, 2007

Travis_R said:
How do I check the continuity?

Im pretty sure that the main fuse is NOT blown again. It didn't look like it was anyway. I put one wire of my tester on the Positive (+) side of the battery and I put the other wire of my tester inside the Main Fuse HOLDER. The light on my tester DID LIGHT UP.

So, apparently the fuse box is getting power to it.

Travis R

If I understand your tester then that is not a good thing that it lit up. First lets see what your tester does. It does not have a battery does it ? I am assuming you can put one lead on the plus terminal of the battery and the other lead on the negative side of the battery and the light will light up. If the above is correct then I understand your tester. Try the same test you just did but put one lead of the tester on the Neg battery terminal. make your tests with the lead on the negative terminal of the battery for now. Put the other lead in the main fuse holder and see if the tester lights up. If the tester lights up then we can see what is wrong. I am of the opinion that the light bulb will not light up. I dont know what type of fuse holder you have if it is for a circular glass fuse then take the fuse out and put the lead to either side of the fuse holder see if the bulb lights up if it doesnt then go to the other side of the fuse holder. I am assuming that the light will light up on one side of the fuse holder. If the light does light up on one side of the fuse holder put the fuse back in on that side and then put the lead of the tester on the side of the fuse that is sticking out. If the light does not light up you have a blown fuse. If the fuse is not blown post that on here and we can troubleshoot from there. If the fuse is blown then switch the tester lead on the battery from the negative terminal. Take the other lead of the tester and go to the section of the fuse holder that you did not use when you tested the fuse. touch the lead of the tester to that holder connection and see if the light lights up. If the light lights up you have a short somewhere. Something that a lot of people might not know is that light bulbs can burn out and one end of the element in the bulb touches ground that is an instant fuse blowing short. If you have a short try disconnecting the wires going to flashers and those kind of lights. If you cannot disconnect the wires easily pull out the bulbs and then with the wires disconnected or bulbs out check with the tester again and see if the light stays out. If the light lights again then you may have to check each individual wire coming out of the fuse holder or that the fuse holder feeds into on a terminal block. This was quite a few decisions and the overall idea was that you had a short if the checks with the tester show up different than what i suggested then post what you have and we can try to tell you something else to check.

Soundguy · Jan 2, 2007

If your tester is a 'test lamp'.. then if you put the clip on bat+ and the tip on the fuseholder,.. and it lit up.. then I'd say that you have a short to ground somewhere after the fuse holder.

Soundguy

Travis_R said:
How do I check the continuity?

Im pretty sure that the main fuse is NOT blown again. It didn't look like it was anyway. I put one wire of my tester on the Positive (+) side of the battery and I put the other wire of my tester inside the Main Fuse HOLDER. The light on my tester DID LIGHT UP.

So, apparently the fuse box is getting power to it.

Travis R