jellyghost 378 #1 Posted April 30, 2021 The battery on my wheel horse hasn't charged for a while, and I have to jump it with every start (the battery has been tested and replaced). At the end of last season, I re-did some of the electrical connections, and it seemed to run strong but the battery still needed jumped. This year, my WH keeps dying in the middle of the mow, and now it wont even try to turn over. I am afraid that this may be multiple issues, but can someone help me trouble shoot this? Thank you! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gregor 4,846 #2 Posted April 30, 2021 What model Wheel Horse? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,604 #3 Posted April 30, 2021 If you have a battery powered ignition for the spark, it will not run with a dead battery. Refresh us on the model of your tractor, it's time to get the charging issue nailed down. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jellyghost 378 #4 Posted April 30, 2021 It's a 1978 C-101. Basically a 10 hp c series. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldlineman 1,481 #5 Posted April 30, 2021 Check battery voltage with tractor running full throttle voltage should be 14 too 14.5 VDC if not charging system is not charging battery . Then check battery voltage with tractor off, should be 12.5 or more. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynnmor 7,308 #6 Posted April 30, 2021 Put a voltmeter on the battery, when it is running the voltage should be above 13, if it is lower then you need to troubleshoot the charging system. Whatever you do, always keep your battery fully charged if you don't want to buy often. OLM beat me to it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,741 #7 Posted April 30, 2021 Once you find that the voltage isn't above 13.5 running 1. Run a jumper wire from one of the fins of the voltage regulator to the battery NEG terminal and the test again. 2. if that didn't work look for a flat three wire connector coming out of the engine. Separate it. Two of the wires from the engine will be white. Set your multimeter to AC voltage and put one lead in each white wire part of the plug. With engine running 2/3 throttle or more you should see over 30 VAC. If you have that buy a new voltage regulator. 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daveoman1966 3,752 #8 Posted April 30, 2021 Always suspect is the GROUNDING of the rectifier/regulator. If it is NOT firmly grounded to the metal hoodstand, it will NOT WORK. To be sure, remove it completely and scrape away ALL rust and corrosion from the nuts/bolts and the point of contract with the steel tractor hoodstand. 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldlineman 1,481 #9 Posted April 30, 2021 Two very good remarks above! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee1977 6,666 #10 Posted April 30, 2021 The first thing I would do is run a new ground wire from the minse post to the top of one of the engine mount bolts. You have a shaker plate mounted engine could be loosing ground there. Then do the test as directed above. I have added extra grounds to a couple of my Wheel Horses. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WheelhorseBob 1,549 #11 Posted May 1, 2021 Very good advice. Wheel Horse’s never give up, owners do. You got this! 1 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peter lena 8,634 #12 Posted May 1, 2021 agree with others above on the grounding improvement issue , especially engine corner to frame and up to battery ground rail , I use a 4 ga cable for that , and also agree with daveoman , on the regulator area , increase of grounding . since increasing grounding and verifying every connection , new, and dielectric grease , my electrical issues are gone. all 3 of my horses are set up the same way , because it works . good luck with it , pete Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,424 #13 Posted May 1, 2021 11 hours ago, WheelhorseBob said: ... Wheel Horse’s never give up, owners do... Thank you sir, I needed that! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jellyghost 378 #14 Posted May 1, 2021 Ok. I hope to start chasing the issue today. I understood about half of what was said. I need to figure out how to use a voltage tester (I think I own one) and figure out was a regulator is. This WH was rewired with a car battery and I don't think it is grounded at the normal location. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gregor 4,846 #15 Posted May 1, 2021 Some pics of everything, probably wouldn't hurt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,741 #16 Posted May 1, 2021 Regulator will look like this 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jellyghost 378 #17 Posted May 3, 2021 There may be multiple issues, but the negative ground is definitely an issue. I hooked up my jumpbox to the positive battery terminal and kept placing my negative on different parts of the WH until the engine started. The current negative is attached to the metal tray the battery sits upon. Where should it be Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,741 #18 Posted May 3, 2021 On a bolt holding the engine block to the frame.. I take a bolt out of the left side rear put in a longer one. use a regular nut lock washer to tighten the engine to the frame and another nut (i use jam nuts but any one will work to hold the ground cable to it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jellyghost 378 #19 Posted May 4, 2021 2 hours ago, pfrederi said: On a bolt holding the engine block to the frame.. I take a bolt out of the left side rear put in a longer one. use a regular nut lock washer to tighten the engine to the frame and another nut (i use jam nuts but any one will work to hold the ground cable to it. I went to do this, and I couldn't back the bolt all the way out because it hits the engine. The right side rear bolt has a wire (aprox 4 gauge) that goes from the bolt to the metal the engine sits upon. I am not sure what that would be for, but it would be convenient to ground the battery wire to where that wire connects to the metal. Thoughts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tuneup 1,433 #20 Posted May 4, 2021 Your engine is floating on rubber grommets so that 4 ga. jumper shorts the engine to the frame for proper grounding. Make sure it is good, and tight. Then, battery negative to frame. Your battery base IS connected to the frame. If the wires are OK, test the impedance from the battery negative to the engine. It should be zero with good cables. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jellyghost 378 #21 Posted May 4, 2021 2 hours ago, Tuneup said: Your engine is floating on rubber grommets so that 4 ga. jumper shorts the engine to the frame for proper grounding. Make sure it is good, and tight. Then, battery negative to frame. Your battery base IS connected to the frame. If the wires are OK, test the impedance from the battery negative to the engine. It should be zero with good cables. The battery base seems good to me too, but it doesn't seem to work. When I use the jumpbox clamp, I can't get the base to ground it. Could the paint be the problem? Unpainted parts seem to ground better. It does seen to work using the wire on the base of the engine. I am not sure what a "best practice" is here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,604 #22 Posted May 4, 2021 (edited) I prefer to run my grounds to the engine first. If you are attaching the ground to a painted surface, either scrape the paint away from where the terminal will sit or put a star washer between the terminal and the mounting surface. Edited May 4, 2021 by Achto Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jellyghost 378 #23 Posted May 4, 2021 It seems like it is working! thank you everybody. I am going to see if the problem is 100% resolved or if there is a secondary issue. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
