Battery issue - 03 Tiger Cub - 23hp Kawasaki

[skooter94]

So last week I bought new coils, that took care of one problem. I bought a new battery and a voltage regulator. So I mowed Tue, Wed, Thurs about 2 hrs each day. I went to load up the mower tonight and the battery was dead again. Any other ideas?

 

[SeniorCitizen]

Check the battery voltage before and after starting. If the charging circuit is working your DC Volt meter should read around 13.5 volts, possibly plus, across the battery posts with the engine running half to full throttle. When finished mowing and you park it for a length of time disconnect the negative battery cable that you used to connect with a small C-Clamp. Run it like that until you wear it out or trade it for a better one.

 

[skooter94]

I did trade the battery all ready. I bought one and it went dead. Had it checked and it said to replace. Had it about a week and a half. Traded it and replaced the voltage regulator. It's a mid grade battery.

 

[motoman]

If you have a meter DVM put into "current" set up (move one wire jack to the indicated socket-meter manual will show how). Do the simple battery drain test by disconnecting the neg bat cable and hooking the DVM (in series) between the neg bat post and the loosened neg bat cable. DVM set on milliamps. Key off. Observe any "drain" current on DVM. Don't think you should see current (pros chime in pls). A reading indicates something is allowing current to flow and we know how even a very small amount (think glove box lamp) will pull down a battery. If so, the harder part begins, looking for a bad/intermittent switch/component that is drawing current when it should not.

 

[SeniorCitizen]

A bad diode in a mid 1980s GM alternator will drain a battery. Don't know for sure about Kaws but a diodes purpose to deter reverse current flow.

 

[SeniorCitizen]

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[skooter94]

I charged the battery fully and with it running it was reading 12.3 volts and the voltage regulator was putting out 14.2. What do you guys think about maybe the switch is draining the battery?

 

[Mad Mackie]

Check the voltage across the battery with the engine running at 3/4 to full throttle, it should be more like what the regulator is putting out. With the engine off, a quick system check is to unplug the regulator output and check voltage from it to ground, first key off, should be zero volts, then key on, should be same as battery voltage. Have you checked the charging system fuse? The one in the yellow wire at the fuse holder. Do you have the wiring diagram for your machine?

 

[skooter94]

I do have a diagram. I will check that fuse tomorrow

 

[Mad Mackie]

Charging system positive output travels a long ways before it arrives at the battery. Follow me on this:
With a running engine, the regulator output goes to the engine harness adapter which connects to the machine harness, then to the fuse with the yellow wire, to the keyswitch. There is passes thru contacts in the keyswitch while in the run position, back out thru the fuse in the red wire back thru the engine harness adapter and then to the positive terminal on the engine cranking solenoid, be the solenoid engine mounted or separately located and then into the large battery cable and into the battery.
Anything in this path can cause problems, the keyswitch itself, connector plugs, terminals and poor ground connections.
Mad Mackie in CT