No power after battery change on New Holland Workmaster 33

[BChisholm76]

This tractor is a 2017 model. We've had some cold weather and the battery was down on my tractor. Took the battery off (don't have electricity at my barn) and brought it home to charge. Next day Hook it all back up and nothing. No power to dash, no fuel pump running. check wiring harnesses starting at front of tractor all the way to the fuses under the dash, everything looks ok and no blown fuses. Take battery off and put a different battery on and same thing, third time I hook it up and get some power to dash, go to turn the key, there is a "click" then nothing. No more power to dash. checking the connections I'm moving the Neg. battery terminal that grounds into the frame and hear beeping from the parking brake not engaged. Tighten it down and back to nothing. Change Battery cable to 1ga. wire and still nothing. I feel like its something to do with this ground into the frame but I've tried new cable, cleaned and cleaned the connections, screws, anything that can be scraped and cleaned. One time the dash lit up it said E4 U12 then shut off again. Any help would me MUCH appreciated!

 

[JC-jetro]

1- I doubt if you have a main fusible link on the positive terminal. There is an slight potential there.
2- Did you do a continuity of negative battery lead to where it is connected to the frame? I am just thinking the copper may be busted internally and does not carry a high load. You can alternately take a jumper and wire and connected the negative terminal to a good ground by-passing your battery ground.
3- Did you do a load test on battery? do you have a voltmeter? see what the battery voltage is and how much it drops if you try to start. you would need an assistant to turn the key while you are checking the voltage. Make sure the gear is in neutral if you have a manual transmission.

it appears you have done all the right things you should do.

 

[grsthegreat]

I second a load test. Just having 12v standing means nothing. Replace battery. Also, ohm out cables. I had a ground cable fail internally, no damage to rubber cover.

 

[BChisholm76]

There is no fusible link on the positive terminal. I have not done a continuity test on the battery lead wire but have replaced it with a new one.

I had assumed the battery was back so took it down to the auto parts house to have them check the battery, their machine said battery was good.

Have bought a voltage meter this afternoon.

 

[seville009]

Long shot, but since you’ve checked the cables, make sure all of your safety switches are not set and preventing it from working. Wiggle the shifter and leave it in neutral, make sure the pto is off, etc. Safety switch wiring may have broke somewhere.

Since you’ve had sporadic electricity, it’s probably not the safety switches, but who knows.

 

[grsthegreat]

Safety switch wont make dash lights go out. Can you grab battery post connections and wiggle them at all. If they move, it’s not making good enough contact.

 

[BChisholm76]

checked the safety switches and all seem to be correctly set. Its a HST, pedals are set in middle, shifter is in N. PTO is off. Battery connections on the post are tight. Would it be worth trying to move the Neg wire that runs from the battery and ground it in a different place on the frame?

 

[grsthegreat]

Couldn’t hurt. Did you try removing ground, sanding spot clean and sand cable end?

 

[BChisholm76]

I did sand the spot where it grounds, cable is brand new just bought today. I didn't sand it to the point that it is bare metal but definitely enough that no debris would be there.

 

[grsthegreat]

Hmmm, and you can’t twist the cables on the battery by gripping and twisting them by hand?