Rancher99

Dead battery because I left the key on on my tractor . I know this isn't a truck related question but it is a diesel tractor. The battery is not easily accessible, can I charge the battery through the alternator hot lead and putting the negative side on some chunk of metal on the tractor?

Thanks my cows will be grateful.

1-2-3

you can, it's technically the same as putting a short piece of wire on the end of your jumper cable then connecting it. The drawback will be you can only send so much down that smaller wire. it may be enough to get something in that battery to crank it. once it goes the tractor can finish it off.

Rancher99

Solved the question. The answer is yes but you need the negative connected in some spot to the alternator.

1-2-3

why the alternator. Just touch ground to ground. I've jump started a car b4 by touching bumpers, then making an arc from a coat hanger and touching it to both positives.

madhat

Why didn't you just pull start it? Why couldn't you get to the battery?

Just wondering, no real reason...

olddodgetrucks

many tractors have hydrostatic steering,engine not running ,no steering

Purplezr2

Can you even pull newer tractors with trans like the powershift.

madhat

Good points. Apparently, it's been a while since I've been on the farm...

roysleight

If you can reach the starter hook the positive the the big wire there. Should be better connection to battery.

rocket82

HAHAHAHA thats awesome!!! I never even thought of that!!!

Rancher99

Went off of the alternator. In John Deers brilliant design, they decided to make taking out the battery a 30-min chore and a lot of work. Good thought on the pull start, some of them you can (older). Thanks for mentioning the starter that would have been a better idea though the alternator worked.

infidel

All my newer tractors have hard to get at batteries. I use the hot terminal on the starter motor and a metal ground to charge them or use for jumping.
The starter motors are even easier to get to than the alternator and have a bigger wire size to carry the load if jumping.

Jim Lane

I trust by now you got your tractor started.

For jump starting this tractor in the future I would access the battery and then connect a set of 1/0 welding cables using appropriate lugs to the battery then somewhere accessible I would mount one end of an Anderson connector with a protective cap.

Now if you are ever in need of a jump you can now access the battery by simply plugging in a set of custom jumper cables with Anderson connector on one end and battery clamps on the other end.

I have a set of jumper cables like this on my truck.

If you have ever noticed almost all military hardware have this option installed on them only the connector is universal, it is called a NATO slave connector, also military DC voltage is 24-volts.

http://www.btcelectronics.com/SB-ORD.asp

http://www.tacticaleng.com/c5/Inter-...-AMPS-p96.html

Also all of the MEP gensets have this option

Jim

Hodge

[QUOTE=infidel;2954869]"All my newer tractors"

Wow, I have a new respect for you, Bill! And I didn't think that would be possible! You are the Yoda of DTR!

Purplezr2

why not set up a set of jump post like alot of kenworth truck has because the battery box is behind the farings.