L2350 wiring -positive battery cable and the spare red wire

[L2350 Excitor]

From the headlight switch orange and brown conductors power the left, right; high and low headlamps.

Black conductors are for chassis

I have high beams? Cool.

 

[Jim L.]

Orange powers the high beams.

I have to wonder why those wires got cut out.

When you get around to repairing them, buy the same gauge (size) stranded automotive wire, same color(s). Do not use any electrical splices from the big box stores or the automotive place. Use a marine-grade in-line splice that has heat-shrink on the outside and solder on the inside.

To get a really good crimp seal, you would need a professional crimper. You won't need to buy that if you do a good job with the heat-shrink/solder marine-grade splices. Just need an average crimper and a heat source to melt the solder and seal the heat-shrink.

Best wishes

 

[Dave_eng]

The side of the fusible link which does not go into the electrical harness - how is that connected

The link looks exactly like the picture but blue wire - it is screwed to the same post as the starter.

Please look at this color chart showing the amp rating for different colors of fusible links. Yours should be green and is rated at 40 amps.
You are describing a blue one rated at 100 amps.

The other thing that happens in the field is that the burnt fusible link is replaced by a loop of ordinary wire by someone who does not understand the important difference.

Your tractor's electrical system is not protected from an overload like it should be!

Dave

 

[Jim L.]

Dave said
Yours should be green and is rated at 40 amps.
You are describing a blue one rated at 100 amps.

Really good catch by Dave that should be a priority fix.

Makes me think that at some point there was a problem - and could be that the high beams had a short somewhere.

Maybe the blue fuse was what was at hand and never got around to putting green back in. Or maybe the blue is covering some problem that comes and goes.

It would be on my to-do list.

 

[Dave_eng]

Dave said
Yours should be green and is rated at 40 amps.
You are describing a blue one rated at 100 amps.

Really good catch by Dave that should be a priority fix.

Makes me think that at some point there was a problem - and could be that the high beams had a short somewhere.

Maybe the blue fuse was what was at hand and never got around to putting green back in. Or maybe the blue is covering some problem that comes and goes.

It would be on my to-do list.

The original photo by owner shows the wire feeding the fusible link looks to have been overheated.

I have never seen a Kubota 100 amp fusible link which makes me very suspicious of his blue loop.

By the time Kubota's got big enough to need a 100 amp fuse they had moved to slow blow fuses.

Dave

 

[Russell King]

Not sure what you mean about the side of the fusible link ...

But all the fusible link does is plug into a mating plug.

Think of it this way, the wire that needs the fusible link in it is cut in two, the ends are the connected to the male plug (they are not connected to each other electrically). The the fusible link is a short piece of wire that has each end connected to the female plug. When the fusible link is plugged onto the male plug the wire is again a solid electrical conductor, just a short replaceable part will melt if too many amps are drawn through the conductor.

 

[GeoHorn]

You must recognize that the wiring diagrams are not exact representations of where wires actually are both on the tractor and within the harness. They are a schematic representation (aka a sketch) to help explain and demonstrate what connects to what.

The connecting of the two wires is shown taking place at the opposite end of the main battery cable to what the owner sees but, from a design and maintenance point of view those two circuits are connected and further nothing gets into the tractor electrical system without passing through the fusible link save and except the current between the battery and starter.

When you move to more involved wiring say in an industrial setting, you will have both a ladder wiring diagram and a schematic diagram.

Neither is intended for production of the harness but rather for "in the field," maintenance and troubleshooting.

The wiring diagram Kubota production engineers would hand to the production floor would look nothing like what is in the WSM.

View attachment 45669

This is another wiring diagram from the same manual. It looks different but in reality the wire interconnections are the same.

View attachment 45670

Dave

Dave, That’s not at the battery terminal.... that’s at the starter terminal. I believe the OP is talking about a smaller wire connected directly to the battery terminal but which otherwise goes nowhere. (To me, this sounds as if it’s an automotive battery-to-starter cable which has replaced the OEM part.)

 

[Dave_eng]

Dave, That’s not at the battery terminal.... that’s at the starter terminal. I believe the OP is talking about a smaller wire connected directly to the battery terminal but which otherwise goes nowhere. (To me, this sounds as if it’s an automotive battery-to-starter cable which has replaced the OEM part.)

Yes I agree and realize the starter connection. My only point was that the WSM diagrams are not the same in terms of accuracy as the production line diagrams.

The photo the owner posted of the battery cable terminal with the built in smaller wire was what I was relying on but if that is not OEM then, along with the blue fusible link, who knows what has been done to that tractor.

Dave

 

[L2350 Excitor]

Please look at this color chart showing the amp rating for different colors of fusible links. Yours should be green and is rated at 40 amps.
You are describing a blue one rated at 100 amps.

View attachment 45728

The other thing that happens in the field is that the burnt fusible link is replaced by a loop of ordinary wire by someone who does not understand the important difference.

Your tractor's electrical system is not protected from an overload like it should be!

Dave


Hmm thanks Dave. this is what I have for that fusable link. I see it’s ligt blue but it looks legit original to me. It looks like the green wire in the earlier post.... but light blue. Do you think that’s a 100am wire?
You can also see the positive battery cable and the smaller red wire.

 

[Dave_eng]

If the blue wire is a fusible link, I would expect it to have some text written on the wire.

Because the fusible link is a fuse, it is not going to be up-sized like a normal wire.

I cannot absolutely say that the color chart I posted is followed by Kubota on older machines.

You can unplug the link and examine it for evidence of the wire having been replaced at some point with a normal piece of wire.

A new fusible link is not expensive ansd would give you peace of mind.

Dave

 

[L2350 Excitor]

I think that red wire was just electric taped to the main cable. When I started trying to diagnose why my battery doesn’t seem to get a full charge I saw The broken clamp - unwrapped rhe wire - saw the corroded headlight wires and I e been trying to figure what went where. What needs to be reconnected. I bought a new alternator but my two year old battery still doesntvseem to be holding. Full charge


The original photo by owner shows the wire feeding the fusible link looks to have been overheated.

View attachment 45729

I have never seen a Kubota 100 amp fusible link which makes me very suspicious of his blue loop.

By the time Kubota's got big enough to need a 100 amp fuse they had moved to slow blow fuses.

Dave
[/QUOTE]

 

[Jim L.]

The fusible link must be replaced with a factory part. Then you'll know what the real part looks like.

I bought a new alternator but my two year old battery still doesntvseem to be holding. Full charge

So we're all on the same page, did you install the alternator? What is the manufacturer and model of the new alternator? Was the regulator replaced? More questions to follow based on answers to these questions.

 

[L2350 Excitor]

I don’t think I will replace the fusable link because the wire in 1994 was light blue vice green. In any case it’s not the reason I’m not getting a powerful start from the battery right?

Alternator is a dB electrical - compatible with my L2350 DT. I don’t know where the regulator is so I I’d not replace that. Multi meter says the battery is at either 12.79 or 13.79v I don’t remember which - and doesn’t change when the engine is running

The red wire off the original battery cable seems to never have gone anywhere and was not within 5 feet of the fusable link.

 

[Dave_eng]

I don’t think I will replace the fusable link because the wire in 1994 was light blue vice green. In any case it’s not the reason I’m not getting a powerful start from the battery right?

Alternator is a dB electrical - compatible with my L2350 DT. I don’t know where the regulator is so I I’d not replace that. Multi meter says the battery is at either 12.79 or 13.79v I don’t remember which - and doesn’t change when the engine is running

The red wire off the original battery cable seems to never have gone anywhere and was not within 5 feet of the fusable link.

While the wrong fusible link, (providing it is a link), is not affecting the charging system. Those, me included, who suggested the change do so knowing what 100 amps flowing though your tractor's wiring could do.

You know little about the charging system you now have............ you do not know if the new alternator comes with an internal regulator or if you have an old style mechanical one utilizing points like an old car ignition system.

Stick the points closed on some regulators of this style and you will watch the smoke starting to rise from your wiring harness and wisihing for a 40 amp fusible link.

Your battery, regardless of its state of charge, can deliver an extreme amount of energy if given half a chance.

What exactly are you looking for...... On one hand you feel you know what to do but ..............

Dave

 

[Jim L.]

The regulator and alternator go together. The regulator controls the amount of current passing thru the field coil in the alternator. The field coil intensity and the mechanical energy supplied by the belt control the output of the alternator. There has to be a correct amount of excitation to output the required voltage and electrical load current under varying conditions.

If the regulator is not doing its job, then it will appear that the alternator is bad. This is why the request for more details concerning the present charging system.

I've seen a copper cable the diameter of a finger turn into a puddle on the floor because of lack of surge control. By pressing for the replacement of an inexpensive fusible link, we are trying to help keep the tractor from being able to set itself on fire.

 

[L2350 Excitor]

Ok - I replaced the fusable link now it’s a green wire and the tractor I’ve been driving for 8 years will not catch fire because of a 100 amp wire.

The alternator was a DB electrical and I’m afraid it didn’t come with an instruction Manual - just said it was a compatible OEM with the L2350 DT.

The overall problem I have is that the tractor gets running for 30 minutes then if I turn it off she won’t start. I can jump it after a bit but while hot it’s just a clicking starter. Cools off 90 minutes ? Starts right up. Doesn’t have to overheat or be dripping antifreeze or boiling - just hot and turn it off.
Only other clue is if it stalls I can start it immediately - like if I turn the key in 3 seconds - 6 seconds - just clicks. It’s been like this for 8 years and I can’t figure it out.
Open to thoughts and suggestions - much thanks for your knowledge, wisdom and deep experience!

 

[Dave_eng]

Thank you for the fusible link change.

Please appreciate for those providing advice on these forums most feel a big responsibility to not have things turn out badly.

We don't know you and your skill level and so usually want to be cautious in what is suggested.

Please report on battery voltages when engine running both at idle and max rpm's.

Do you know how to jump the starter? It is the easiest way to determine if the starter is the issue or a safety switch or relay somewhere.

Jumping the starter involves risk! All safeties are bypassed. You can end up with a run-a-way tractor and/or being run over.

Best to have a driver in the seat with brakes applied.

Use a short length of wire or the shaft of a screw driver. Expect a small spark.

Engine should crank instantly. Engine should start if key is ON.

If it starts by jumping when with the key switch it only clicks that is a big clue to solving your issues.

Dave

 

[L2350 Excitor]

I will have to get it to not start and give it a whirl