1450 not charging
 

My 1450 has not charged correctly since I bought it. Once in a while I have to charge the battery because it is getting too low to start the engine. I have done the tests show here.

Charging test

I got 0.0 Ohms on the static test, 18.7 V at the AC terminals on the regulator and 14.2 V going to the battery. The last 2 tests were done at idle or a little above idle. Am I correct in thinking that the stator is bad?
Thanks for any help.


On edit, I just realized that I should have checked the voltage at full throttle.:blush:

check your grounds expcalily the one on battery to frame if its loose it won't charge good number you had there didn't look bad how old is the battery maybe it not good.

At WOT it checked 35 V in to the regulator and 14.3 V coming out of the regulator.

I'm going to check the wiring and grounds tomorrow. The battery is less than 1 year old.

AC voltage over 32 VAC at the stator is good at WOT.


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The DC output from the RR unit suggests it has the ability to change the AC volts to the correct DC voltage at the B+ tab on the RR

The question is if the B+ terminal is connected back thru to the battery to allow charge current to flow to the battery.

One way to check for continuity in this charge path is to shut off the engine - turn the ignition switch to the RUN position with the engine off and check for the battery voltage (12.6 or so) AT THE RR B+ terminal.


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Battery voltage at the B+ terminal will confirm the battery is electrically connected to the RR unit.

If the voltage at the B+ terminal is incorrect, wiring between the RR unit and the ignition switch could be bad or the ignition switch internals may be corroded.

If the battery voltage is 14.something volts while the engine is running, and the battery will not charge, load test the battery and replace if needed.

Nice diagram! Explains the checks very nicely!

at the risk of offending anybody, get it running and watch your charging indicator. if showing discharge, "wiggle" the key a bit. it's a quick check and won't hurt anything.

Well I was either chasing a problem that wasn't there or it was the battery. I have checked the circuit like save_old_iron said and got 12.6 V. Checked the battery after it had run for a while and got 13.2 V, so it is fully charged. I changed the battery for the one out of my 127 earlier this week and it is almost new. The other one was almost 3 yrs. old.

On a side not, does anyone know how many amps the starters normally draw? Mine pulled 15A for just a fraction of a second after my Dad turned the key and then dropped to about 10A after it got the engine turning. Sound right?

Again, thanks for the help!

Thanks to save_old_iron for the diagrams! I might be a pretty good machinist and I'm comfortable with 3-phase wiring, but I feel totally lost with some of the most basic electrical problems with a Cub Cadet or a car.

First off, you are welcome. I think the old adage of a picture worth a thousand words comes to mind here.

I'm curious how you tested the amps draw. Was it with a shunt in the starter circuit? or thru a multimeter?

I have a shunt setup to make quick starter measurements. Many variables come into play including age of the battery, condition of the starter, condition of the wiring and ambient temperature.

Most measurements I have made on small engine starters come in around 25 - 35 amps. The 15 amp draw you mentioned is on the low side - which would be common with a near exhausted battery. Another key fact you mentioned was the amperage dropping off quickly to 10 amps. This indicates the battery did not have the capacity to keep delivering even a lower than normal current to the battery.

Good call on swapping out the battery. Three years does not sound like a long time but with LGT batteries, that's about right.

Hey "Save Old Iron" Gotta tell you that when someone on here has an issue and you respond, it is first class all the way. You always put up great diagrams and explanations.
Great to know that you are on here and thanks a LOT. What you post in response to one individual will always be there to help the rest of us.

Regards,

I have an Amprobe Amp meter that I clamp over the starter wire.

Amprobe

I was thinking that it would probably draw more to get everything turning and less while you continue to crank. At that time the battery was only showing around 12.5 V because of several starts and stops without letting the engine run too long. I know the battery is full now, so I'll try to check it again this morning when I go to the garage.