Battery or Voltage Regulator? Electrical problem.

Yesterday, I went to start my 'tractor and the battery was flat. Jumped it and it started right up, but the ammeter went right to 30 amps.

A few minutes later, the tractor just died. Found it to be an electrical problem. Jumped it again, but it died only seconds after removing the jumper cable. Repeated this several times to confirm it was electrical and not a stuck float or anything else. In the process, I noticed the ammeter now read zero when the tractor was running.

I had the generator rebuilt last year, so I suspect it's OK. I charged the battery overnight, then checked the specific gravity today. 2 cells are a bit low, but weren't so bad that I'm conviced it's the battery. By the way, fluid level in the battery is fine.

The battery is 5 years old and has had a hard life. It ran the tractor with a bad generator for about 2 years (of light use). So, the battery supplied all of the juice to start and run the tractor.

Any thoughts? Thanks,

Russ

The better thing would have been to charge the battery at least some.. then jump.

Now that she is charged.. repolarize, take a volt reading..and get her started. Now.. take another volt reading? nothing? Try full fielding the genny? nothing? leave it full fielded and jump bat/arm? charge? If so. bad reg... ( cutout is open )

Soundguy