Craftman Battery Drain

[pickenspolitics]

I have a 42" cut/ 14.5 HP 917.270532 riding mower.

When I park it the battery will be fully charged, but two weeks later the battery will be dead. I changed the battery and the amp meter shows it is charging when the mower is running.

This only happens when the seat is down.

My hunch is the following... The grill is missing and the wire to the front lights is not connected to anything. See photo (you'll see the loose wire in the bottom left).

Do you think that is the cause? If so, can I plug that wire? I don't plan on spending the money to buy a grill with lights (never cut at night).

Do you think it is the seat switch?

Any other suggestions?

Alex

 

[Rivets]

Really doubt that the light plug is your problem. More than likely it is the seat switch. I would start by tracing the wires from the seat back to the key switch with your eyes and fingers. Try these tricks first to see if you can isolate the problem, but it may take time. You could disconnect the seat switch and then see if the problem is still there after a week. If it is then it is not the seat switch, but something else in the line. Do you leave the parking brake and/or the tranny in gear when you shut off the unit. The reason I ask, is that they are also wired in the same circuit as the seat switch and there could be a bad wire there also. It could also be the key switch that is not completely shutting down all circuits and allowing a battery drain. Do you have or can you get a VOM METER or a test light? Both would make it much easier to troubleshoot this problem.

 

[pickenspolitics]

OK, I'll try these things in this order.

1) Disconnect seat switch and wait a week to see what happens.

2) Keep in gear and wait a week to see what happens. Then take out of gear and let sit to see what happens.

3) Put in park and wait a week to see what happens. Then take out of park and let sit to see what happens.

I have a test light. What do you suggest I do with that?

Alex

 

[Rivets]

What you want to do with the test lights, with the unit shut off, test all the connections to see if any are live, which would be causing the power drain.

 

[pickenspolitics]

I looked at all the wires I could see, and any exposed wire I taped. I don't think that was the problem, but I want to rule that out.

Please give me an example of what I would test? The key is off.

 

[Rivets]

What we are looking for is any connection that could be draining the battery down. If you can get at the key switch that is where I would start. With the key off only one terminal should be hot, that is the B (battery) terminal. Any other terminal that lights up the test light indicates a problem. If you can't get at the key switch you can start by checking the the seat switch, clutch switch, and neutral safety switch. Are you sure you have a good battery, how old is it?

 

[pickenspolitics]

The battery is 2 months old. It holds a charge with the seat up.

Thank you,
Alex

 

[reactor]

When the seat is down, the seat safety switch will not activate unless someone is sitting on the seat. Even if it is activated, that would not be the cause of battery drain, as when the ignition switch is off, all circuits are dead.

Therefore, I would say, something on the bottom of the seat is shorting out the battery terminals. Do you have the red rubber terminal cover on the battery cable?

Make sure the metal bottom of the seat is not contacting the terminal. You may also have a worn spot on the cable that is contacting either the bottom of the seat, or another metallic part of the mower when it is pushed by the pressure of the seat. In which case, replace the cable or tape any worn areas.

 

[motoman]

ok guys, here goes again and I know it can put off some people...Use your VOM (digital volt meter) to first see if there is battery drain. The drain is "current" flowing thru the circuit when it should not. We know just a little drain over 24 hrs or several days will deplete the battery. Even the cheapest VOM has a "current" hookup, but is slightly different from the voltage or continuity (beep) function-you can get the beep equivalent with a test ilght.

Get the little instruction pamphlet that came with your vom and read how to change the test leads over to "current." Unhook the ground lead from the battery and let it dangle. Take one test lead from the vom and attach it to ground terminal of the battery and the other test lead to the dangling bat cable clamp . With the ignition key OFF and the vom set to current read the vom. Unlike a car which keeps a small current going for the clocks etc, it would seem the tractor should read zero. If you get a reading try wiggling and moving the suspect wires around while reading the vom .

Disconnecting a connector will not cause current to flow as the wire is "open" (not connected to ground return). If the above setup causes your vom to stop working in current mode you may have a current drain in excess of the vom fuse (2-10 amps). The vom comes apart for a new fuse.

 

[pickenspolitics]

I got back to this problem again.

Just bought a new battery and the drain is still occurring. So it is not the battery.

From the battery there is power on the thick red wire (positive battery wire) going into the ignition block. There are three other connections on that ignition block and none of the others have any power with the key off.

I disconnected the seat switch and with the key off, that wire has no power.

The positive battery wire goes to the ignition block, and coming off that connection is one small red wire (which has power) and that goes to the ignition switch. With the key in the off position, I volt meter tested all the other wires coming out of the ignition switch. None had power except the red wire going in.

I am missing the front light. With the key off, there was no power on that wire.

I do have the red terminal cover on the battery cable at the ignition block, but not on the positive on the battery. When I park the mower, the seat is always up and the battery still drains.

At this point, my guess is the ignition switch is good, the positive wire from the battery to the ignition block must have a nick in it that I can't see.

I have the tractor in netural and I will see if that has anything to do with the drain.

What else do you suggest?

Alex