Who's a small engine guru?

[slagmaker]

The battery tender Semp posted is the best brand but you can get a Schumatter (sp) for about 20 bucks at wally world and it will do the same thing. I have one for each of my batterys. When the season is over for that battery I take it out and hook it to the charger. I leave mine hooked up all winter and have had no problems with premature battery failure. I get about 6 years out of a battery.

The chargers I have can also be mounted in the vehicle/equipment that you are using. Makes it handy when all you need to find is an extension cord cause the charger is already there.

[Bopeye]

As the guys said.......the alternator being bad is rare......... If the battery sat all winter it is low on charge.
With these new (cheaper made)  batteries......If your mower is not charging at the proper rate in combination with the battery being low.... you could be charging at a slower rate than the power you are using. (More Common and a easier fix) 
Think of it as band with or something you know more about and you will get it.......
I have to charge my mower, tractor, and ATV'S, batteries once or twice over the winter months to keep them healthy......
Usually the second charge is due to a similar problem as you describe.

It has been spoken, let it be written, NOW it is law. 

[Dave]

So let it be written,





So let it be done!

(didn't want to change the movie theme, but Bopeye forced it - was going to ask if that Deere cuts with a Kaiser Blade, mmmmm, mmmmm)

[FinsnFur]

It dont cut, I say it dont cut much of anything right now Dave

Looks like I'll be opening her up. Shadragger that wire actually ran into the dash cluster.

[coyotehunter_1]

See if this helps... 

[FinsnFur]

Where'd you get that?
I dont know if there's going to be a difference or not, maybe in the age, but mines not hydrostatic. She's an old one with a gear jammin clutch.

[Bills Custom Calls]

Find that diode on your tractor and start there
I am not sure how it will be connected  plug in,screws holding wire ends on,or it is an inline fuse
once you disconnect it you can check it with an ohm meter

[coyotehunter_1]

Where'd you get that?

Google search I'm not heavy into small engines but I have had my share of seat time on tractors. 

That schematic shows points/condenser (no electronic ignition) so it should be an older model. Most go by year model or Ser. #
Hopefully it's the same layout as ours (minus electric clutch).

I had about the same thing happen once. I found some of the ground lugs were corroded where they bolt to the frame, I had voltage but lost my ground. It took quite a while to find under all the dirt and rust.

[alscalls]

OK piss on it mine runs fine..........

[coyotehunter_1]

OK piss on it mine runs fine..........

[shaddragger]

CoyoteHunter definitely makes a good point about the ground lug being a possibility.  One way to find the charging wire is to find the + wire from the battery to the solenoid. The charging wire will be a small wire that connects to the same solenoid post as the + battery wire. Chase it from the solenoid back to the connecter at the engine. If you have an amp gage you can backtrack from there as well.

[Bopeye]

OK piss on it mine runs fine..........

[golfertrout]

lol

[HaMeR]

Diane's neighbor has a JD111 & I would ask him for ya but he's too big a jack wad to waste my breath on anymore. Besides he would just lie to me again.

[FinsnFur]

Shaddragger, you were right about that wire. When I looked the other day I kind peered down in there with a flashlight.
Tonight I started taking stuff apart looking for for everything that has a wire connected to it.

I found the starter solenoid under the battery tray, took that out, took the solenoid out, took off the charging wire, replaced it completely, cleaned up the solenoid and remounted it, and put all the wiring back to it.

I got the battery ground back on, started to work on the positive side and as soon as I touched the post with the terminal end of the wire she arced
I thought holly crap something is drawing bad.
I touched them together again for a couple seconds to make sure I was only touching the battery post and didnt short on anything else, and all of a sudden the sweetest smelling smoke you ever seen in your life started drifting up out of the flywheel in a slow motion mesmerizing dreamy like state.

Well at least we figured out what it was. 

[Bills Custom Calls]

So what shorted out Jim
What actually burned up

[FinsnFur]

My guess is either the alternator, or a wire to it or in it. I'm gonna get another mow out of it before I open it up, it still runs I just have to charge the battery first.

[Bills Custom Calls]

Maybe you will get lucky and the wire just burnt off and you can replace it and all will be fine 

And if your luck runs like mine you will have burnt up the most expensive piece or it is no longer available 

[coyotehunter_1]

And if your luck runs like mine you will have burnt up the most expensive piece or it is no longer available 

That's ok... spare parts are available... Diane's neighbor has a JD111 

[FinsnFur]