charging issue

cdmintmi · #1 02-22-2011, 11:00 PM

Ok Im not totally sure this is the right forum for this question. I do know Im not a mechanic, but I like to tinker and Im trying to learn. I have a Onan elite 140 on a cub cadet with a new battery. After searching here I have ran the test to see if stator and regulator are working properly. Resistance of 0.0 ohms from stator (good right), 14.5v from regulator middle pin (thats ok to right?). I found another site that said to check resistance from middle pin on regulator and negative baterry cable with ingition open but not running. Ill try that tomorrow but what gets me is that with the engine running I get 14.5v to the baterry which means that everything is working. But as soon as I turn the engine off voltage slowly continues to drop at battery. Is this a ground issue? Any help here would be great.

cdmintmi · #2 02-22-2011, 11:52 PM

Also can you get a service manual for a '95 cub 2140 in .pdf format? or does anyone happen to have one already?

R Bedell · #3 02-23-2011, 06:03 AM

Manuals for the newer Cubs can be had from here....... Cub Manuals

When checking charging issues, the voltage at the middle pin to ground is considered with the motor running and at WOT. It should be in the neighbor of 13.7VDC.

cdmintmi · #4 02-23-2011, 12:33 PM

yes at WOT middle pin to ground was 14.5vdc. is that a problem?
Like this morning, I checked battery it was at 12.1 volts, not enough to crank it, so I jumped it off from my truck. With the engine running WOT battery goes up to 14.5volts. To me that means stator and regulator are good and sending charge to battery, right? But when I cut the engine off and put meter on battery it slowly trickles down from 14.5 until its back to 12.1 or so. That make sense?

cdmintmi · #5 02-23-2011, 02:47 PM

ok I took some time to day to do some more cleaning of the connections. All seem to be good. Cleaned ignition posts, hour meter, pto switch, regulator connectors to stator, ground on block, and every other one that I could see. I did the stator/regulator test again and the results were the same as in the original post. So Im stumped agian.

The po has lost the headlight assembly and lens so I was looking a little closer at the wires going to the lights and found this. One conection to headlights ( i think the right one) was still in the harness, but the wires going to the other (i think left light) had been cut. Im assuming he did this becuase the lights were gone adn didnt want the wires getting into the PTO. Ive added a picture to show. Could this cause a problem? I dont think it would but im not sure, Im assuming he ran it like this so it must not be the problem. But Im not sure.

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cdmintmi · #6 02-28-2011, 10:46 PM

ok guys thanks for your input. Looks like everything is good now. I think Im going to try and fix the lights. As you can see in the picture below that I posted ealier, the po (my dad) has cut the wires going from one headlight to the other. As you see this mower is missing one of the actual connectors that the light bulds plug into. Is there a part number for this connector or is it something that has to be bought with the harness? Ive looked just about everywhere but cant seem to find a number for just that, only the whole wiring harness. I found a new lens on flebay for much less than cub wanted so I bought it. It will atleast look a little better now without that gaping hole in the front, but Id like to see if I could get the lights to work. Ive never really dealt much with wiring and Im assuming here (and I know what that ussually leads to), but it would seem all I would have to do is connect two wires to where the old ones have been cut and run them to another connector? Im pretty sure I can handle that part unless there is some trick to conecting the conector that I dont know about.

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ol'George · #7 02-23-2011, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdmintmi

yes at WOT middle pin to ground was 14.5vdc. is that a problem?
Like this morning, I checked battery it was at 12.1 volts, not enough to crank it, so I jumped it off from my truck. With the engine running WOT battery goes up to 14.5volts. To me that means stator and regulator are good and sending charge to battery, right? But when I cut the engine off and put meter on battery it slowly trickles down from 14.5 until its back to 12.1 or so. That make sense?

A fully charged battery is 12.62 volts.
@ 12.1 v. you need to charge it with a small 1 amp charger for say 12-16 hours then check it after sitting undisturbed overnight.
Do not use a high amp charger, as it will not do a small battery good.
Possibly the "NEW" battery sat on the suppliers shelf for a year and it is not up to par,and never will be.
I've seen it many times.

_DX3_ · #8 02-23-2011, 06:35 PM

I've had several new batteries that were DOA...