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Bull54CA 
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Joined: 22 Jan 2021
Location: Missouri
Points: 6
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 Topic: CA electrical problem
Posted: 22 Jan 2021 at 5:47pm |
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I have a 1954 CA. I'm having problems with it always draining the battery. I have new cut out on the generator, rebuilt the generator, have everything as original per the owners manual except I switched the points for that electronic ignition. Test meter shows it is sending current to the battery while running and gauge shows that too but if I use it a few hours it won't crank at all. I'm at a loss as to the cause of this problem.
Also I read on an other place that it is not possible to pull start or crank a CA but didn't explain why. I know I never could pull start it, tried many times. Thank you for any help you could give me.
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jaybmiller
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Greensville,Ont
Points: 21450
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Posted: 22 Jan 2021 at 6:03pm |
going backwards... you can pull start a CA, BTDT. Think I was in 3rd gear,reasonble row, then 'popped the clutch'...she started fine...
if tractor won't start after running for a few hours, then the genny ain't charging the battery or the battery is bad.
big question for me is did you 'reflash' the rebuilt genny ?? Hmm... do you have it setup for +ve or -ve ground. Which battery terminal IS ground ?? Kinda real important.
Mine was 12 volt CA ('51) -ve ground..same as all cars and trucks today. Some I believe were +ve ground so you need to check that out PDQ.
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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Scott B
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Joined: 14 Sep 2013
Location: Kansas City
Points: 1001
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Posted: 22 Jan 2021 at 7:34pm |
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As for the crank start, never started it that way but I’ve got the hand crank and the tractor has the slot to insert and turn.
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D17 Series 1
Allis B- 1939
Allis B- 1945
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Jim.ME
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Joined: 19 Nov 2016
Location: Maine
Points: 934
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Posted: 22 Jan 2021 at 7:35pm |
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Is your CA still the original 6 volt positive ground system, or has it been converted to something else for a system? A thought is, if it is negative ground now and the ammeter leads were not swapped from when it was positive ground, the ammeter would show charging when it is actually discharging.
When it is running, and showing charging on the ammeter, what is the voltage at the battery?
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steve(ill)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: illinois
Points: 77627
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Posted: 22 Jan 2021 at 7:42pm |
ELECTRONIC IGNITION ? 6 or 12 volts, positive or neg ground..
You cant PULL START a tractor with a DEAD BATTERY if it has a distributor ignition.. If the battery is LOW, just wont crank, then it should work... but you need VOLTAGE to the COIL to get it to fire.......... Not the same as a MAGNETO tractor.
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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KMAG
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Joined: 26 May 2020
Location: Elizabethtown,
Points: 655
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Posted: 22 Jan 2021 at 8:07pm |
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Time to troubleshoot.
Assuming battery is not shorting internally...
1. Charge battery/jump engine to start it.
2. Getting more than 6v or 13v (depending if original or 12v converted) at battery at 1/2 idle?
No, check battery connections and ground connections with multimeter and clean if needed. Fixed? :) or if no, then 3.
3. Getting voltage out of generator? Remember, it needed to be polarized after being rebuild. Yes - wiring/connection from gen to battery is bad or bad voltage regulator (see #4). Use multimeter to identify where fault is located.
No. Re-polarize generator and see if charging. If not, fix/replace gen.
4. If gen charging, the check volfage regulator for not allowing battery to receive voltage. If bad, replace it. If good, your wiring to battery has a fault. Identify location with multimeter and fix/replace.
5. Still not fixed, see if someone can visit to identify problem if you're unable to fix it. It should only take a few minutes to narrow down the problem as the system is very basic.
Edited by KMAG - 22 Jan 2021 at 8:08pm
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Bull54CA
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Joined: 22 Jan 2021
Location: Missouri
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Posted: 23 Jan 2021 at 8:40am |
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It is still 6 volt and positive ground. I did check the leads to the amp gauge and they should be right. That's the way it was when Dad bought it. I did polarize the generator... If I did that right. I read about it online, never had a tractor where I had to do it before. It's been that way since Dad bought it years ago. Now I have it and still can't get it right. If I put a new battery in it will work for a while but then go dead. If the battery is good it cranks about 3 turns and starts right up. It is a shame because it runs perfectly, I overhauled it before I painted it...it showed 29 on the dyno with stock parts. But this battery problem is driving me crazy, electrical is not my strongest area.
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Jim.ME
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Location: Maine
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Posted: 23 Jan 2021 at 9:12am |
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Again, When it is running, and showing charging on the ammeter, what is the voltage at the battery?
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Alvin M
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Joined: 24 Jun 2018
Location: PA
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Posted: 23 Jan 2021 at 9:25am |
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Light switch has low and hi charge out is hi It has to be grounded to charge make sure the cover is grounded where it mounts
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Bull54CA
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Location: Missouri
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Posted: 23 Jan 2021 at 12:23pm |
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When I pull the light switch out the amp gauge shows it is charging. Multimeter at the battery shows a little over 7.
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Farnerwarren
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Joined: 01 Jul 2022
Location: Glasgow
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Posted: 01 Jul 2022 at 7:41am |
A similar thing happened to my thermal camera, but I switched the battery with another one, and the problem is gone now. I am not sure that this battery is fully compatible with the original device, but it does work, and it lasts even longer than the original one when it was new. I have a friend with https://www.electricianclasses.com/journeyman-electrician-license-requirements/, and he just gave me this battery and told me to be careful and install it only once. So I did, and since then, it has worked just fine. I don’t know how that works, but maybe he knows better what to do in such cases.
Edited by Farnerwarren - 04 Jul 2022 at 7:05am
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