3150 draining batteries Cancel The title field is required!

1. Kyle Fick

   

   4 posts
   
   8/9/2014 10:08 AM

   We have a Toro 3150 that will tend to drain down batteries at odd times. Started a few days ago, did a test on the electrical system and it seemed to be generating the same voltage as a like machine when in idle and high speed. Put a load test on the battery and it was weak, changed it out, all was a good for a while, and then it happened again. I'm currently without a technician, and I will say I'm not good when it comes to the electrical issues on equipment or tracing through the schematic charts in the manuals.
   
   I can jump it to get it going, will run fine, then bang. I've tried cleaning the battery terminals, adding some dielectric grease to some of the wiring harness connectors, but that is the extent of my knowledge. Could a component such as the up and down lever be the issue with a short or something? That's when we seem to notice things. Thanks to any responses on where to start backtracking from.

   
   
   
   
2. Chris Wiedenmeyer

   

   0 posts
   
   8/9/2014 12:08 PM

   We have had like problems on different machines. Could things worth looking at would be a new key switch, loose wires on the key switch, or a loose wire at or near the starter. Kinda throwig darts it may sound like but all of those have been issues in the past for me.

   
   
   
   
3. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   8/10/2014 9:08 AM

   The voltage regulator on the backside of the motor is bad. Little black box with a few wires coming out of it. Between the motor and the muffler.

   
   
   
   
4. Roland McPhearson

   

   9 posts
   
   8/11/2014 8:08 AM

   If it's generating appx 14v when revved up like you say you may have a short that drains the battery slowly overnight. The proper test for that is an ampmeter inline between + batt terminal and +batt cable. In the meantime you can disconnect the + cable from the battery when mower is not in use.

   
   
   
   
5. Frank McQuiggan

   

   2 posts
   
   8/11/2014 9:08 AM

   I would check all the ground wires make sure your getting a good charge to the batteries. After you jump it off and run it for a while check the battery condition with the load tester, if it is showing good then I would say the cables are good and your getting good charge to the batteries. Additionally if you are going to disconnect cables at the end of the day I would disconnect the negative first and then the positive and hook it back up positive then negative

   
   
   
   
6. Henry Heinz

   

   0 posts
   
   8/12/2014 5:08 AM

   I'm tending to lean towards, Andy. The regulator is near the exhaust and the heat, in my opinion causes them to go bad often. Unplug it and use your volt meter, you should get like 32 or higher out of the stator plug, if so the stator is good and putting out. replace the regulator and you should be good. The other recommendations are good ones too, but it most cases for me, I've found the culprit to be the regulator. Usually a burned wire, or the epoxy material is somewhat melted away are some signs that's it's bad or on the way out.
   
   Regards,

   
   
   
   
7. Nowakowski Michael J

   
   8/12/2014 7:08 AM

   Had a similar issue this spring, changed out the key switch and have not had a problem since.

   
   
   
   
8. Kyle Fick

   

   4 posts
   
   8/12/2014 10:08 AM

   Thanks everyone. Ended up replacing the voltage regulator with one I had here on an old machine. Seemed to be the cure for now. Gonna throw some heads on it and give it a try.