L2850 battery problems

Trtr0611

New member

Equipment
L2850
Feb 17, 2022
22
0
1
Tennessee
I typed this yesterday and it didn't send:
"Did you hook up the battery backwards at anytime?
Sounds like you have sorted out the alternator and regulator."

You're going to need to go through every component and light.
Lights you should be ok on, and switches too.
But regulators, timing relays, other relays, and alternators don't like to be hooked up backwards.
I’m curious, I noticed not long after I got this tractor that the cable to the chassis(ground) was red and the cable to the starter was black. Is it possible a previous owner could have modified things to run backwards? The first battery I replaced I didn’t pay attention tii oh this and tried to hook it up correctly. I did not work that way.
 

GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
12,776
5,562
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
it really sounds like the PO bought/used/replaced the original battery with a 'reversed post' battery. Instead of returning it, getting the physically correct one, he 'bodged' the cables to use the tractor. Then later sold it.
You ..assumed black was ground, red was +12 when you replaced battery however that was true..sadly ...poof..magic black smoke...
 

GBJeffOH

Active member

Equipment
L4060, EA Grapple, 6' LP Brush Hog, 8' snow plow, 6' LP tiller, EA Forks, Spraye
Nov 17, 2014
250
87
28
Jefferson, Ohio
I got everything connected and when I put the cable on the battery post it crackled a little and about 5 seconds later the alternator started smoking. I put new wire to the alternator because the old one was damaged. I’m the pic, you can see the 40amp fuse and the alternator wire. Not sure what the smaller red and white wires are. They are connected the same way before I was having trouble. The single red wire after the three terminals runs to a wire harness with a red/white wire. Everything other than the smaller wires are following the wiring diagram in tue manual. I’m not sure what’s going on but it’s getting really frustrating. I can take the hot wire off the starter and with the battery cable I can jump start off the solenoid. Any ideas? I’m running out myself.
Are you hooking up the battery backwards? It should be - to ground.
 

GBJeffOH

Active member

Equipment
L4060, EA Grapple, 6' LP Brush Hog, 8' snow plow, 6' LP tiller, EA Forks, Spraye
Nov 17, 2014
250
87
28
Jefferson, Ohio
I needed a new battery and cable for my L2850 and when I attached the cable to the post the tractor started and it fried the wiring to one of the harnesses. After closer inspection, the lead that goes to the clutch safety had slipped off and the cable was making contact with the tab and arcing. The pic shows the wire nut melted. My question is what does that wire power? Is there a fuse that was possibly blown and could there be any other damage to any components?
I think the wiring harness should be pull out of the tractor. The wire loom pulled out and replace the melted wires. You can see the red wire is melted. Chances are it melted some other wires.

Don't hook the wire to the battery until you find the problem. Hook it up thru like a 5 amp circuit breaker or fuze. It will blow you you have a problem.
 

Trtr0611

New member

Equipment
L2850
Feb 17, 2022
22
0
1
Tennessee
I think the wiring harness should be pull out of the tractor. The wire loom pulled out and replace the melted wires. You can see the red wire is melted. Chances are it melted some other wires.

Don't hook the wire to the battery until you find the problem. Hook it up thru like a 5 amp circuit breaker or fuze. It will blow you you have a problem.
I reworked some of the wiring. A previous owner took out the light switch and who knows what else. I put a 40 amp fuse between the hot wire from the starter to the alternator and power to everything else. I replaced the wire to the alternator but the alternator may be toast. I want to get the poles reversed to the correct way. I’m selling the tractor and I don’t want to sink a lot of money into it. If someone else wants to spend more money than it’s worth to make it right that’s fine. It served its purpose for me.
 

Trtr0611

New member

Equipment
L2850
Feb 17, 2022
22
0
1
Tennessee
it really sounds like the PO bought/used/replaced the original battery with a 'reversed post' battery. Instead of returning it, getting the physically correct one, he 'bodged' the cables to use the tractor. Then later sold it.
You ..assumed black was ground, red was +12 when you replaced battery however that was true..sadly ...poof..magic black smoke...
So should I buy another reversed post battery and leave as is, or try and make the poles correct? The damage has been done. If I disconnect the alternator, the tractor starts and runs just fine. Now if the electronics are intact I have no idea. As I said, Im selling the tractor and I just don’t want to spent tons of money on it.
 

Trtr0611

New member

Equipment
L2850
Feb 17, 2022
22
0
1
Tennessee
Just an update. I disconnected the alternator from the hot wire coming from the starter. I took a brand new battery and hooked it up correctly——negative to ground, positive to starter. There was power to the panel and it started right up. I then disconnected the positive from the battery and reconnected the alternator. When I touched the cable to the positive post it blew the 40 amp fuse link from the starter. So I’m pretty sure it’s the alternator. I honestly don’t think alternator has been working properly the entire time I’ve had it. Anyway, I had someone come look at it and sold it. I explained to them the issue with the alternator and monetary adjustments were made. End of story. Now to enjoy my new Kioti😃