On Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:42:44 -0600, rw wrote:

wrote:
On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:11:18 -0600, rw wrote:


Frank Reid © 2008 wrote:

One thing I know is that I don't have a battery charger to keep my
boat battery up to speed on a trickle charge. I don't have the boat
so I don't have the charger. Right now, the battery on my lawn
tractor is dead and its not in a place I can get my car.
Frank Reid

Carry your car battery to the lawn tractor. Don't forget the jumper cables.


Er, no, not unless you have another car (or fully-charged car battery) on
standby. And if you choose to ignore that advice, first and foremost, verify
that the "lawn tractor" is 12VDC negative ground and not 6VDC positive ground
(he didn't mention what the "lawn tractor" is). The smart move, whatever
voltage, is to check the water level in the tractor battery, and if it's OK,
take the tractor battery to whomever you wish that has a good charger and have
it charged. While it's charging, unass $50-$80.00 and go get an "electronic
charger" (I have and like this one, but YMMV -
http://www.bdonlinestore.com/product...DT+VEC1095ABD& - I think I
paid around $50.00 on sale at your favorite Mart...). If it's bone dry, go get
another battery, if it's just a bit low, top it off before charging it
(distilled water, if available).

Jumping a tractor from a car (or boosting one from the battery out of your car
if you don't have a tester, etc. or a spare, even if you _know_ it's 12V pos.
grd.) is a risky move - YMMV, but I've seen and heard of enough "weekend
farmers" (or innertube models) wind up with a dead tractor battery and a dead
truck battery...what's really funny is when they wind up with a dead cell phone
battery, too, and have to walk, like, a mile or something...

TC,
R

First, I was giving Frank credit for knowing the difference between 12v
and 6v.

Second, unless his lawn tractor is an antique, it's 12v.

Third, it's perfectly safe to jump start a lawn tractor's 12v system
with a car battery. 12v is 12v (nominal). I've never owned a lawn
tractor, but I've jump started motorcycles from car batteries several times.

On the other hand, we're talking about Frank.

First, I don't know what Frank's tractor is as far as make, model, etc., but I
seem to recall him having "a tractor" rather than a "riding lawn mower" (but
again, as you say, we are talking about Frank...). IAC, there are lots of Ford
and John Deere (as well as many other brands) tractors out there, in many sizes,
that are 6V _positive_ ground, 24V, etc. with generator systems rather than
alternator systems, and while some might and do consider them "antique," they
are still in wide use. That said, I will grant that the odds are that his is
likely 12V neg ground, but other setups aren't as uncommon as you might think,
esp. with "homeowner"-type owners (as opposed to farming and other agri-business
use).

But more importantly, given how tractors are used, stored, etc., the electrical
problems often involve various shorts that can zap a battery, etc. He gave no
explanation as to why the battery might be dead and taking a battery out of your
vehicle, esp. without having tested the tractor for problems, and using it to
"jump" a dead tractor battery can lead to being left stranded, even if the
electrical systems are the same voltage/ground. And I have owned and/or
maintained a number of tractors and other such equipment, and their associated
implements, of various sizes, makes, and models, and have done so for about 30
years, and have been around such equipment since, well, birth.

As I said, I wouldn't do it - Your, and Frank's, MMV...OTOH, there won't be much
mileage for someone with a dead vehicle battery AND a dead tractor battery...he
couldn't even do a Vince Gill imitation and take the John Deere...

TC,
R