2005 Dixie Chopper Silver Eagle with Koehler motor. I bought a brand new battery and started right up and mowed. Next time I ran it battery was dead. I hooked the battery to a charger and the charger clicks on and off like there is a short. Any ideas what the problem is?
2005 Silver Eagle Battery Will Not Charge
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bertsmobile1
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You either have a short in the wiring that flattens the battery when standing ( usually the rectifier )
Or the alternator is not generating / recharging the battery
Specific to Kohlers
Most models mount the rectifiers into the plastic blower housing and then run a brass strap from the rectifier to a mounting bolt to ground the rectifier.
These are prone to cracking through over time
Now for your battery .
Smart chargers are not smart and will not recharge a dead flat battery
Usually you can trick them
One method that works well is to leave it hooked up to another good battery overnight so it will get a small charge enough to get the not smart charger to work .
Or buy a dumb charger or buy a very expensive charger that has a setting for dead flat batteries .
Or the alternator is not generating / recharging the battery
Specific to Kohlers
Most models mount the rectifiers into the plastic blower housing and then run a brass strap from the rectifier to a mounting bolt to ground the rectifier.
These are prone to cracking through over time
Now for your battery .
Smart chargers are not smart and will not recharge a dead flat battery
Usually you can trick them
One method that works well is to leave it hooked up to another good battery overnight so it will get a small charge enough to get the not smart charger to work .
Or buy a dumb charger or buy a very expensive charger that has a setting for dead flat batteries .
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I got one thos socall smart chargers here to ATV batteries. Yes it will not charge a flat battery. Mine will only 12v flat to 6v as that is a battery size it is design to charge in addition to 12v. Since I got a 60w solar panel I usually bump the falt up to above 6.5 v then the charger will charge to 12v battery level. Still I use my early 70's 12v battery charge most of the time.
Hammermechanicman
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I bought a supposed high quality smart charger and it crapped out the third time i used it. I have a 50 year old gas station booster/charger that is going strong. I would like a nice smart charger but one that won't take a dump after a few uses. Price not really an issue.
bertsmobile1
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Old chargers that allowed you to set both the voltage & current are done by making a trasnsformer with multiple secondary coils and a very complicated switch to bring individual or multiple coils into the circuit .
Tis is why they weigh a ton, got to be 40 lbs of copper wire in them.
Modern chargers use power transistors that are by nature very frail .
Most are glued onto a heat sink with a conductive glue usually made with silver or gold so is very $$$$$$
It also is not particularly strong mechanically so dropping the charger can crack the glue causing the transistors to cook in no time flat.
Because they all use a feed back loop off the actual battery to adjust the charge it is very difficult to protect the circuits from reverse wiring and the diodes used are generally not up to the job & way too slow .
The ones with a reverse polarity relay & breaker are the best but expect to pay big dollars for them ,
So stick to you old mechanics charger and if you are worried about cooking a battery then use one of those timer switches to shut it off after the hour you think the battery will need , about 1.5 x the amp hour rating is usually a good place to start .
I use a couple of timers to keep the motorcycle batteries charged.
15 miutes at full power once a week is a lot better for the battery than a 24/7 trickle
Hammermechanicman
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I actually have 4 chargers. 2 wheeled booster chargers and 2 lunch box chargers. All old and abused (one had a boat and trailer backed over it) plus about a dozen of the HF cheap float chargers. They all work. I just want one that i can connect and leave all night and not over charge and fry the battery. Which i have done.......more than once.
Take the battery back since it's new.
Try another battery or jumper cables.
Did you leave the key on over night?
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Another couple possibles.
Charging system has failed or electric PTO clutch partially shorted over taxing charging system. Either one will severely drain a new battery during operations.
Charging system has failed or electric PTO clutch partially shorted over taxing charging system. Either one will severely drain a new battery during operations.
Did not leave the key on. I did jump it and it ran fine but did not charge the battery.