ZD28 Charging System

[griff04]

I’m new to forum, thanks for having me.

I recently acquired a ZD28 from an online farm equipment auction. Been methodically going through it and checking it out. One thing i noticed right off the bat was all of the safeties have been bypassed. So far I’ve been thru all the fluids and filters and started looking at the charging system which I don’t believe is working correctly.

I’m basing the not working correctly on checking the voltage on the battery positive terminal with the mower running at 3/4 throttle with the voltage showing 12.35, it reads the same measuring across the battery terminals with the motor not running. Ive already had to recharge the battery after cutting with it only one time which is another reason I’m doubting the charging system. I’m assuming that the battery is good.

I’m wondering if while the PO was taking out the “safeties” if they may have damaged some other wiring? I’ve looked around on the mower and can not locate the voltage regulator, can someone with a ZD28 tell me where it’s located please? Also, I’m not that good at wiring schematics, can anyone tell me if the 40amp slow blow fuse is somehow connected to the charging system, it is missing but mower still starts up and runs. Also the 20amp fuse for the charging system was missing which i replaced and it hasn't blown.

TIA,
Griff04

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Can you post the wiring diagram ??
Does the battery recharge properly with a 'bench charger' ? Should be 13.2 or better ..
time passes..
found the WSM on kubotabooks...
so has a dynamo--->voltage regulator--->15 amp fuse--->
page 233 ,section 5-s15 says 14-15 volts @15 amps

so.. replace your 20 with a 15 a fuse !
check for proper fan belt tension. if it's a little loose,won't charge properly.

 

[jaxs]

Can you post the wiring diagram ??
Does the battery recharge properly with a 'bench charger' ? Should be 13.2 or better ..

I agree , see if a charger brings battery up before digging into wires.

 

[griff04]

Can you post the wiring diagram ??
Does the battery recharge properly with a 'bench charger' ? Should be 13.2 or better ..
time passes..
found the WSM on kubotabooks...
so has a dynamo--->voltage regulator--->15 amp fuse--->
page 233 ,section 5-s15 says 14-15 volts @15 amps

so.. replace your 20 with a 15 a fuse !
check for proper fan belt tension. if it's a little loose,won't charge properly.

I’ll have to recharge the battery with my charger to see if it will get 13.2 or better.

Replaced the fan belt with new due to the old being cracked and split. Tension is good.

Fuse has been replaced and still good on the fuse slot for Charging, see attached pic.

The 40amp slow blow is missing, local Kubota dealership has them on order. Is it in the charging system, my understanding of it is it there for protection in the event the battery cables are on wrong?

Also, the service manual mentions checking the battery charging at 5200rpms, it doesn’t have a rpm gauge, but it only read a little over 12 running at 3/4 throttle.

 

[griff04]

Also it is equipped with a battery charge “light” that should come on if the battery is not charging which is off right now but with the wiring being all “butchered” up I don’t have a whole lot of faith in it.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

!!! The 40amp slow blow is missing !!!!

You NEED that to feed charging electrons TO the battery !!!
Just follow the RED wire from regulator-->15a fuse--->bottom of slow blow fuse
oopsy , no fuse means electrons can't get to starter and then battery

 

[griff04]

!!! The 40amp slow blow is missing !!!!

You NEED that to feed charging electrons TO the battery !!!
Just follow the RED wire from regulator-->15a fuse--->bottom of slow blow fuse
oopsy , no fuse means electrons can't get to starter and then battery

That’s sorta what I was thinking, it’s just odd that “it” along with the 15amp charging fuse were both missing….sorta hiding something else?? The wiring on it is mess, there’s a hot wire off the battery running to the key switch, then an extra wire running off the key switch over to the starter, the fuel shut off solenoid is not working…it’s just a mess. I understand that at times “you got to do” what you have to but this is ridiculous….I guess that’s what I get for being so anal about the simple things.

 

[griff04]

That’s sorta what I was thinking, it’s just odd that “it” along with the 15amp charging fuse were both missing….sorta hiding something else?? The wiring on it is mess, there’s a hot wire off the battery running to the key switch, then an extra wire running off the key switch over to the starter, the fuel shut off solenoid is not working…it’s just a mess. I understand that at times “you got to do” what you have to but this is ridiculous….I guess that’s what I get for being so anal about the simple things.

After looking closer the slow blow fuse is actually in it, the end cap was just missing. I pulled it out and checked the continuity across it and it checked good. I left the charger on the battery overnite, checked voltage @ 12.8 voltage. Checked voltage on the positive cable with it disconnected and mower running, 0 volts. Gotta to dig deeper…will post my findings.

 

[Matt Ellerbee]

Had a ZD331 at work that had the voltage regulator under seat and off to one side. May try looking there.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

12.8 is 'low', though WHAT 'charger' did you use ? Also you should disconnect battery from the wiring, usually easiest to pull the ground. There could be a parasitic load preventing battery from getting a full charge.
I've got an unknown aged Kubota battery that reads 13.2 after it's FULLY recharged.
If you use a 'trickle' charger of 'maintainer' it could take days to properly recharge the battery.

You may have a bad cell in the battery, or low on acid.

 

[griff04]

After looking more closely the slow blow fuse was in it but the end cap was knocked off of it. I ohmed the fuse and it was good. I may have found the issue, after looking around I found a loose wire on the regulator connector…..actually both sides of the connectors. Not worried about the regulator side, going to replace it, the machine side will be the fun one. Going to have to somehow repair it or replace it all together.

Any suggestions on the connector repair/replacement would be appreciated. Not sure how to remove the pins out of the connector.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

If they're flat pins, usually a dental pick can depress the locking tab and you pull out the pin
If they're round pins, a brass tube of the right size, slid over the pin will depress it's locking tab, and pin will pull out.

Red wire is probably the +12 high current pin.

Now, whoever sells the regulator 'may' have the tractor side mating connector. If not, check the WSM for th chart of electrical connectors. It may have a 'cryptic' name/number for the connectors which is the mfr nd series of the connector. The BX23S WSM does...so hopefully the ZD28 WSM does.

 

[griff04]

If they're flat pins, usually a dental pick can depress the locking tab and you pull out the pin
If they're round pins, a brass tube of the right size, slid over the pin will depress it's locking tab, and pin will pull out.

Red wire is probably the +12 high current pin.

Now, whoever sells the regulator 'may' have the tractor side mating connector. If not, check the WSM for th chart of electrical connectors. It may have a 'cryptic' name/number for the connectors which is the mfr nd series of the connector. The BX23S WSM does...so hopefully the ZD28 WSM does.

 

[griff04]

I’ve poked, prodded, and pulled to no avail in getting the connector pins out. I’m afraid I’m going to damage the others if I keep going at it. I looked in the WSM but the only thing referenced is the entire wiring harness.

As much as I hate to I’m just going to butt splice and go around the connector with some a single I found at AutoZone….not OEM but it should work.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

another option, cut the connector off, use 6 , female 1/4 spades. just be sure to get them in the correct spot !

 

[griff04]

another option, cut the connector off, use 6 , female 1/4 spades. just be sure to get them in the correct spot !

Yes, could do that…gonna try with just one for now, hopefully I want “mess” that one up.

 

[griff04]

Yes, could do that…gonna try with just one for now, hopefully I want “mess” that one up.

Could replace the entire connector but there’s very little room to work.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

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[griff04]

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So I got the new regulator installed today along with “patching” up the wiring connector with the bypass today. I feel good about the bypass wiring in the connector. This didn’t fix my charging voltage issue, still don’t have any voltage coming back around to the 40amp slow blow fuse which feeds the battery???

My next check will be the dynamo to ensure that I have voltage out of it feeding the regulator. From the research I’ve done on the dynamos they are pretty simple but haven’t seen anything in regard to “AC output” on them. Does anyone know what they should be putting out and a procedure for checking them?

 

[Atlanta Panther]

I know this is a long shot but FWIW, check the fuse bar with the 5 fuses. In the last 2 years I've had to twice take the fuse block off and all the fuses out to clean them thoroughly and also put some contact cleaner in there. I think the problem is that these machines are quite old (mine is a 2002) and as they sit around the contacts corrode as they get oxidized. In addition, mowing is inherently a dirty job as clippings, dirt, etc., all get tossed around and some winds up fouling the fuse contacts.

I think that this is a poor design to have those fuses just sitting exposed like they are. Kubota should have encased the fuse block with at least a cover if not a case. If anyone has come up with a good way to protect the fuse block via a cover or case I'd love to know about it.