+ ground melting at battery 6V

veener79 · May 31, 2008

I just got a 240 Utility and I ran into a problem. I noticed that when I got the tractor that the positive ground wire had some meling around the bettery termal. Today I did some work with it and I noticed that both the positve and negative calbes are getting hot to the touch to were you all most can not touch them. But the tractor cranks over fine when cold but you have to let it cool for it start up when running for a while because it will not turn over. I am just wondering what the issue might be. I do have to say the starter gets very warm also.

I have not had a lot of work with 6V possive ground systems so I just need a little help getting my thinking right for the system. I would love to make a new wire harness for the tractor if I can find out how.

504-2 · May 31, 2008

The starter is sticking on, bad solenoid most likely or bad switch.

veener79 · May 31, 2008

Thanks,

I do have to say the solenoid is loud when I try to turn it over and it does not.

One other thing to add that might get the problem down but when I get the click sound from the solenoid I am some time getting a spark arking on the + cable to the battery termamal. The past owner did take out the key ingnition and I have a one off switch for the engine and a push buttom to turn over the engine. I want to get dash all back to OEM though.

Bob · May 31, 2008

OBVIOUSLY, you need to clean and tighten the battery terminal connections. Besides that, the cables MAY be too light, or not making contact INTERNALLY, between the copper conductor and the lead cable end 'cause they're "shot".

And, wear the appropriate eye and face protection when working around a battery, ESPECIALLY when there's arcing and sparking going on!

KEB1 · May 31, 2008

Melting around the battery terminal is a dead giveaway for a poor connection. If the cables themselves are hot, they're way too small. Being positive or negative ground has nothing to do with it, but being 6 volt does. Warm engines are tighter than cold ones and typically harder to turn over if the battery is marginal or the cables are too small.

6 volt starters draw twice the current than equivalent size 12 volt starters do, plus a lot of automotive type cables are designed for small car engines which use relatively small starters & don't draw a lot of current.

6 volt starter cables should be at least 1/0 or 2/0 wire size. What you typically find at the corner auto parts store is #4, which is three or four sizes too small for a 6 volt system.

Any place that deals with heavy equipment or over the road trucks can make you cables. Just give them the length and the size of the lug(s) on the end. NAPA can order them, but they're expensive. I've also made my own using welding cable and crimp/solder terminals.

Keith

veener79 · May 31, 2008

Wow thanks. That I bet explains all the issues. Right now on there is about a 4 gag wire. Just like you would find on a car or truck. Did not know it needed that heavy if wire and looks like the paster owner did not either. I will check with farm and fleet in the morning to see if they have that high of gauge and if they do get it.

Anonymous-0 · May 31, 2008

My local NAPA had the sturdy cables in stock. Not cheap, but have worked fine.

Gerald J.

+ ground melting at battery 6V

veener79

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504-2

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veener79

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Bob

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KEB1

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veener79

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Anonymous-0

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