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Ryan, When you say the battery just drops dead when the cable is attched, I first question just how good the battery is ??? along with bad grounds n bad/burned/loose connections. The first thing I would do (after checking connections, see below) is have the battery Load Tested at a shop. I say this cuz if its in any decent shape at all, when you connect a very low resistance load (enough to zap it quickly) or a dead short across it, there would be severe heat n sparks n arcing and even a potential battery explosion and/or burned cables. If it hardly sparks when you attach that cable (i.e. low current drain) but its still instantly zapped of its energy storage n voltage, I REALLY SUSPECT A BAD BATTERY which a load test will indicate, unless theres a bad ground or cable or connection. Look n see if theres electrolyte above all the plates and if any cells exhibit a gray or milky appearance????? ????? ??? If a minor high resistance short were present and you made that last battery cable connection, there could be a small spark, but the battery (if any good at all) should still stay up for quite a while depending on the shorts resistance and resultant current draw. It will help if we know just what kind of spark or heat or sizzling happens when you attach that cable????? ????? ????? ????? ?? Next, there shouldnt be any current draw load out of the battery (to drop its voltage any at all) when you connect it UNLESS theres a SHORT like in the wiring,,,,, ,,or the starter switch,,,,, ,or a battery cable etc. Unless the starter switch is bad, the starter shouldnt be engaged until the switch is activated and its a real low resistance path that draws high current which could zap the battery fairly quickly BUTTTTT TTTTT if thats so, I would expect some heat or sizzling and/or pretty good sparks when the battery cable is attached. Other things to look at are the battery cables for any missing insulation or shorts to the tractor or burn marks etc. SECOND SUSPECT: Often when one thinks the battery is bad and/or she wont crank the starter etc IS CUZ THE GROUND CONNECTION IS BAD OR BURNED OR HIGH RESISTANCE. A bad or loose or corroded frame ground or the battery cable or even a loose ground at the battery or anywhere will cause loads to not operate and voltages to be low and might make one think the battery is zapped, when in fact, its a bad or loose or burned ground. ANOTHER SUSPECT: Most all smaller loads and the big starter load take off where the big battery cable attaches to a starter switch. I would check that connection and the cable from the battery to the starter and both battery cable ends at the battery. If theres a high resistance connection present, voltage drops across it leaving lesser voltage at the actual loads and one may think the battery is bad, when again, its a connection NOT the battery itself causing the problem. SUMMARY I would remove, clean n wire brush, n reattach each n every battery n starter n ground cable n switch n starter connection,,,,, ,,,,, ,,NEXT if the battery is suspect have it load tested and/or try another know good battery suspect and check its electrolyte and for gray milky cells,,,,, ,,NEXT Did I mention check the ground lol and if the ground cable is attached to any thin or rusty sheet metal, remove it n reattach to a solid heavy frame member bolt etc GOTTA HAVE A GOOD SOLID GROUND N GROUND CABLE N CONNECTIONS!!!!! ! FINALLY, if its NOT a battery or cable or connection or a grounding problem, just that the starter doesnt crank (That what you mean???) have a voltmeter on the battery and/or the lights on and watch what happens when you engage the starter switch..... ..If the lights dim way down and/or the battery voltage drops drastically, I suspect the starter is bad HOWEVER if the lights dont dim much nor the battery voltage drop, I suspect a bad starter switch. Check the cables n connections n grounds and the battery and let us know, good luck n God Bless John T Retired Electrical Engineer
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