My battery was low on my tractor. I put it on a charger and it appears to have come back. I measure the voltage on the battery and it is 12.6. When I put it in the tractor and turn the key on so the headlights come on and the display gives an initial reading, it reads 11.8. I have my meter on it as well and the meter still reads roughly 12.6. Is this normal (i.e. different in readings with lights on). When the battery was low, the display would read 11.3 and it had a hard time cranking it.
I have found some additional information to help answer my original question. My battery now tests at about 12.7V according to my multimeter. The display reads about 11.7. Why the difference? Well the electronic display on the dash is using power as well as the two headlights. I unplugged one headlight and the display jumped to 12V. I unplugged the other and it jumped to 12.3V. At this point, the display is still using power. So I think what I have observed is totally normal.
What I have found is in some instances is I have to jump the tractor because the voltage, on the display, gets down to 11.6 or 11.5. So I have unplugged the headlights (simply unplugged the hot terminal at each headlight). I should be good for now. Note, I have never used or needed the headlights. If I do need them, it takes about 15 seconds to reattach both wires.
