First, understand there are two types of battery chargers - the trickle and the float. Take your VOM, digital or analog, either will work for this test, and set to VDC. Measure the battery voltage static. A good, fully charged 6V battery should show 6.4 VDC. Your basic garage-type trickle charger is not going to do squat if the battery is weak and won't hold a charge which usually means it is dead. A trickle charger, if not designed with an automatic shutoff feature, and left unattended, will overcharge the battery and boil out the water and electrolyte rendering it junk at that point. You just can't add more electrolyte, it doesn't work that way. Next, take your battery to a trusty, local ALT/GEN/STARTER shop and have them test it on their special machine under load. The test usually takes less than 5 minutes and there is no charge, pun intended : > ) GRIN. Technically it is Specific Gravity that fails. You can test with an Hydrometer, a large syringe-type device with a clear bulb on the top with 5 or 6 small colored balls in an Acetone solution. The chart you get with it shows what each color and how many are suspended and how many sink. I prefer to let my shop guy do that on his test machine. If a shop test shows a bad/dead battery, plan on investing in a good brand, not a cheap/bargain house off-brand. Those tens to have poor life spans, 2 years is typical. Good brands include INTERSTATE, DEKA, EAST-PENN DURACELL, EXIDE, and a few others. Once you do that the next best investment you can make is to get a good FLOAT CHARGER; the DELTRAN Battery Tender JR; is their 6V version, and about $30. Understanding battery life and how it works is crucial to your machines. The worse thing for battery life is to leave it set for a week or more as it will begin to deplete the electrolyte and lead plate cells. Keep it connected when tractor is in barn, not running so the battery is ready to go when you need it. The constant draining and recharging will kill battery life fast otherwise. Another major malfunction on batteries is the failure to have a correct belt tensioning device attached to the charging unit, whether using a Generator or an Alternator. You will never charge the battery otherwise. Lack of a proper fan belt and correct tension will also affect your water pump. You will have overheating issues as well. Never overfill the cells in your battery but check often to maintain proper level. Be sure to keep a Thermostat in the system as well. Some fellas subscribe to the old farmer's wives tale that removing your Thermostat, mainly in winter, will improve performance of your engine. False. The Thermostat was designed for optimum engine performance. Keep it installed and use correct coolant type as well. Your battery is the life-blood/heart of every machine. Without a properly functioning battery, you will not have much success running your machine.
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Today's Featured Article - A Question for Dads This recent topic from the Tractor Talk discussion board is being highlighted because it is an awesome display of the caliber of individuals that have made this site their own. The young person asking questions received positive feedback and advice from total strangers who "told it like it is" with the care many reserve for their own kids. The advice is timeless... so although it isn't necessarily antique tractor related, it will be prominently displayed in our archives to honor those who have the courage to ask and those who have the courage to respond in an honest, positive manner.
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