Battery not recharging! CC Z Force L 54" Zero-Turn

[Hisimage22]

Hey all, new guy here! I'm Drew W from Western Maryland and I own a small landscape business, Oasis Lawn & Outdoor. I have a 2018 Cub Z Force L 54" Fab Zero-Turn with almost 500 hrs.. I service about 30-35 lawns including a football field... and mower is giving me an *absolute fit right now.

The recharge system (I'm guessing as I've bought 2 brand new batteries) is malfunctioning. I have done some research and repair, replacing the voltage regulator (used part replacement) and a brand new stator, both of which I understood could be the problem. I've greased and tightened my terminal connections, and like I said bought 2 batteries to try and see if that was the problem. Right now I'm jump starting my mower with a battery cell and keeping it on as I mow since the PTO apparently also needs the battery to operate. Sometimes the PTO will disengage automatically in the middle of mowing, and I won't be able to re-engage it (Battery - low code).

**Please! Please, please is there someone out there that could send some life-saving advice my way?? I'm in the dead-center bullseye of my mowing season and I'm a sitting duck. Thank you so much in advance. Blessings.

- Drew

 

[bertsmobile1]

Untill you fix it get a cheap solar battery charger and swap batteries between cuts or hook the spare up to yor truck so it can recharge when you drive from job to job.
Running with a battery that is too flat to start youe engine will burn out the stator.

Now 2 parts to solving this problem
1) checking that the charging system is generating
2) making sute that power gets to the battery

First check that you are generating
The alternator will have 2 wires the same colour, usually yellow
Back test them at the rectifier plug with the engine running full speed and a fresh fully charged battery
Meter set to AC should see at least 26V AC between each wire & 13 V between each wire & the engine
Now cange to DC and check the single wire ( red or purple ) it shoul read 13 V minimum between it and the rectifier case and the same between it and the engine

Do that & get back if the results are not as written

IF the mower is generating & rectifing properly then the problem is the wire that carries the power back to the battery
Some go directly to the battery cable on the solenoid & others go through the key switch ( silly idea )
Generally I replace the power return wire with one that has a ring terminal on it and link the rectifier directly to the battery power cable on the starting solenoid .

 

[MikeBrummett627]

At the risk of appearing condescending, it is entirely possible your battery is a AGM.
If it is; and your charger is not set on AGM, the battery will not charge properly. My Cub Cadet ZT1 54 has
a small AGM that came with it. I hope this helps.

 

[StarTech]

And it could be not even the charging system. But a partially short PTO clutch.