6 volt battery

Stones Throw Farmer · Jan 5, 2011

I have a Super A with the original 6 volt system. It doesn"t charge well so I"ve taken to leaving it on the trickle charger which has a maintenance cycle. This worked well for the last few months but recently the battery began leaking fluid at the caps when left on the charger. Any thoughts? They battery is new last summer.

Thanks

Tom Fleming · Jan 5, 2011

Sounds like your trickle charger isn't trickling. Over charge or too fast a charge will boil a battery dry. I can't say for sure, but it sounds like your trickle charger is either manual, or the auto charge regulator isn't working.

Bill Lisbon · Jan 5, 2011

I had a problem keeping the battery up on one of my tractors. What I did was buy one of those little timers you plug in right to the wall, and plug the charger into it. I set the timer to charge the battery about 2-3 hours a day, this works well for me.

darrellt · Jan 5, 2011

I wanted to keep the 6 volt system on my resored Cub as original as possible. After a messy failure of the regular 6 volt battery I wanted to try something different. I installed the Optima AGM 6 volt battery. The benifits include no liquid to spill,small size, double CC amps,very slow self discharge,long life, no internal plates to fail. A great example of modern technology. The down side $160.00.

gene bender · Jan 6, 2011

You need to remove the caps when charging the battery as it sounds like you have overcharged and need to clean it with baking soda as the batt box is probably starting to get eaten out from the discharge. You dont need to keep a charger on if you arent using the tractor if the charging system doesent work get it fixed probably need new brushes and bearings in the gen. Better check the fluid level as its probably low from overcharging. Get a hydrometer and check the cells for SP this will tell you if the battery needs chatging.

riverbend · Jan 6, 2011

I'm with Gene. Fix your charging system. If it's not charging I'd look at the voltage regulator and the generator brushes first.

Greg

Wilson · Jan 6, 2011

you surs the charger is 6 volts not 12??

Stones Throw Farmer · Jan 6, 2011

Yea there is a switch to select one or the other. Which I checked and is still in the 6 position. The odd thing to me is that this operated fine for a month or two before becoming problematic.

Janicholson · Jan 6, 2011

If the battery ids charged, it will be at 6.3 volts (or very close) when it is not being charged, and everything is turned off or it is disconnected. If the charger is then hooked up, and it has a maintenance function, it should read about 1/2 volt higher than the voltage noted above. If it is more like a volt and a half, it is not in maintenance mode.
New batteries can be bad. Do not over fill the cells. Do not fail to nutralize and clean off the acid now spilled. Use a hydrometer to check cell specific gravity. Charged cell gravity should be at or near 1.275. 1.260 is OK
Variability between cells should be no more than .025 + or -. Jim

charles todd · Jan 6, 2011

I second the Optima battery option. I have a Yellow Top in my truck and I plan to replace batteries as they fail with Optima's. If you search online, you can find good deals. I gave about $170 shipped for my 34/78 Yellow Top. Beat any other price I had found and it was less than 2 months from mfg date. I have heard testimonies of over 10 years on one.

Good luck,

CT

6 volt battery

Stones Throw Farmer

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Tom Fleming

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Bill Lisbon

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darrellt

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gene bender

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riverbend

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Wilson

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Stones Throw Farmer

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Janicholson

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charles todd

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