Voltage drop when starting 12 volts to 3??

Case450 · Dec 14, 2014

Got the Case 450C crawler loader into the shop after having the starter rebuilt.

I had the woodstove going for the last week and it's really nice and warm and everything is thawed quite nicely.

I went to stoke the fire not twenty minutes ago and thought i'll see if the dozer starts....took the battery off the charger and put it in, hit the key and barely got 'er over. I put a voltage meter on it and it went from 12.64 volts to 3.32 when the starter key was turned. It just sounded like a dead battery.

I am going to buy a brand new battery tomorrow and see what that does in it. I think my batteries might be pooched.

David G · Dec 14, 2014

I would concur.

JDemaris · Dec 14, 2014

Where did you hook the two voltmeter leads when testing the voltage? At the battery posts themselves I hope? I'm just trying to rule out the possibility of a bad connection somewhere. If the connections are good and battery truly bad- a voltage check actually touching the battery posts (NOT THE BATTERY TERMINALS) will show that low voltage. I ask because a battery so bad it drops to 3 volts will rarely come up to 12.6 volts with no load. Easy way to check is stick a load-tester on it. Putting a 300 amp load on the battery ought to result in a drop to no lower then 9 volts.

Case450 · Dec 16, 2014

I connected to the battery posts themselves.

I put a brand new battery in it and went to turn it over and she was awful sluggish. That same battery fired over the loader easy peasy. Both machines were in my heated shop when I put the new battery in 'em.

Something isn't right with this little dozer. I think I have a bad connection somewhere. The starter was literally just rebuilt so it has to be a bad connection but when I gave everything the quick once over I didn't notice anything. I'll have to spend some time and examine every detailed connection.

JDemaris · Dec 17, 2014

If there was a bad connection somewhere - it would NOT cause a low voltage reading at a battery post. That cannot happen. Hard cranking could indeed be from a bad connection but that would result in your battery voltage being abnormally high, not low.

Mike M · Dec 18, 2014

Just because a starter was rebuilt does not mean something is not right in there yet. Could have a thru bolt touching a winding ? maybe they got some bad parts ? I have had a couple of bad armatures over the years.

dozerbill66 · Dec 22, 2014

Check your ground cables , may need to be cleaned with wire brush or sand paper .

Voltage drop when starting 12 volts to 3??

Case450

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David G

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JDemaris

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Case450

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JDemaris

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Mike M

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dozerbill66

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