4020 electrical problem

Hi, I have a 1964 4020, that has been having electrical problems. My father-in-law replaced the wiring harness, but it still has a current draw somewhere.
I installed a battery disconnect on the right ground cable (24 Volt system) , to keep it from always running down when not being used frequently. This seemed to work ok, but now I have
the left battery sparking at the posts, when I push the start button. (no starting action) Would this sound like the starter is no good?

The 24 volt system has many ways to draw the battery down,,switch it to 12 volt and life will be better...

(quoted from post at 17:22:28 03/18/18) I have the left battery sparking at the posts, when I push the start button. (no starting action) Would this sound like the starter is no good?

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Sounds as if you need to clean/tighten battery cable on post.

I agree with Tim that it would make your life much simpler if you'd change it from 24 volts to 12 volts

I cleaned my 24V 4010 starter and cured a battery drain problem. Left battery was always low...starter needed a Bendix and some brushes. Cleaned it all up and lubed it and Presto!...No more battery drain. I guess there was enough coppery brush dust and dirt inside to cause a draw.

I've come to respect the 24V John Deere system after hating it for years as a dealer tech. Ain't any worse than a 12V system really. And in reality it is two 12V systems that's only 24V at the starter.

If it is sparking at the battery posts you have a bad connection there.

Most it likely has burned the battery post inside the clamped-on cable end. Sometimes, an arc like that with tear a good chunk out of the post.

Or, sometimes the connection between the cable itself and the cable end will corrode internally and fail.

You are lucky the battery didn't explode, that's REALLY unpleasant!

On a side note, battery cutoff switches are available with 4 terminals... two large high current ones, and 2 smaller ones normally used for the charging system. When in the "OFF" position, all 4 terminals are disconnected from each other.

Connected as shown in my crude diagram they disconnect BOTH batteries from the chassis for even more short circuit (fire) protection and battery drain elimination. I've done several this way with great success.

<img src = "http://oi66.tinypic.com/ay7rwp.jpg">

<img src = "http://speedwayspares.net/media/com_hikashop/upload/joe-46215_03.jpg">

The charge, actually melted some of the post! Now I may need to buy a battery, as the post is smaller than the clamp!

(quoted from post at 18:27:31 03/18/18)
I cleaned my 24V 4010 starter and cured a battery drain problem. Left battery was always low...starter needed a Bendix and some brushes. Cleaned it all up and lubed it and Presto!...No more battery drain. I guess there was enough coppery brush dust and dirt inside to cause a draw.

I've come to respect the 24V John Deere system after hating it for years as a dealer tech. Ain't any worse than a 12V system really. And in reality it is two 12V systems that's only 24V at the starter.

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You must have the batteries connected "not as built", 'cause it's the RH battery that's "supposed to" drain!

(quoted from post at 18:56:01 03/18/18) The charge, actually melted some of the post! Now I may need to buy a battery, as the post is smaller than the clamp!

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A "battery post shim" MAY save the day, at least for a while.

Available at some Walmarts and auto parts stores.

Gotta clean things up REAL good first, though!

If the cables get loose at the battery they will spark and if they get to loose they will fry tbe battery post in about 2 seconds so keep em clean and tight

My belief is the starter is quite probably OK though it is asking for attention!

As Ragnarok (I think) noted..... a need to clean the starter is likely the real cause of the initial dead (or weak) right battery condition. Very typical of these. Sounds to me like you have two relatively unrelated problems. ONE.... A starter that needs a good dusting, cleaning, likely new brushes and lubrication which may well solve the right battery's chronic dead (or low) condition. TWO.... just plain old loose/bad connections on that left battery like SVCummins said.

To hopefully help explain things a bit...... The right battery cable that attaches to the starter's side post keeps all the guts of the starter ENERGIZED at all times! Yup, energized 24/7 and 365! When those innards get a good brush dust coating, a current path is established through the dust and those determined electrons find their way to where we really don't want them to go and they slowly drain that right battery! May take 'em days or weeks but that's where they go. Your solenoid disconnect stops that drain but it is not a cure. It just stops the draining of the battery when the machine is not in use. If the starter is tired enough inside, he may be lower on torque than when new and higher on the current drain as well. It's crying for attention.

As a check...... If you remove the cable from starter's side post (disconnect at the battery first) and you check the resistance between that side post of the starter and any part of the frame, I suspect you'll see a few hundred Ohms at most. THAT is your current drain on the right battery! Good solid cleaning and drying of the motor with a new set of brushes & some lubrication of the bearings will likely make an almost new starter of it for surprisingly little cost if you do it yourself!

The arcing at the posts & cables on the left battery just sounds like a bad connection that started to arc when you put the load to it by pushing the button to start.

Hope that explanation helps.