Dear bstover, Following is a procedure for finding a 24 Volt System battery drain. The drain tests are done with the tractor off and the tractor wired as per THE COLORED DIAGRAM and NOT the black and white diagram. The positive terminal of one battery should be hooked to the "belly" of the starter and the negative terminal of the other battery should be hooked to the starter solenoid. There should be a cable connecting the two batteries together in series, Is this how you have it wired? There should be a small wire between the mid-point of the batteries and the chassis. Is there?

To check for a drain on the ground or positive side do the following: 1)Unhook the cable on the belly of the starter from the positive terminal of the battery. Connect a voltmeter with the positive lead to the battery terminal and the negative lead to the unhooked cable. It should read 0 volts. If the meter reads 12 there is a drain on the positive side of the system. 2) Affirm the integrity of the small wire and its connections by placing the meter's positive lead to the positive terminal of the battery(you have reconnected the cable) and the negative lead to a bright spot on the chassis. The meter must read 12 volts. Does it?

3) Unhook the small wire from the chassis and put the positive lead of the meter on the chassis and the negative lead on the unhooked little wire. If there is a drain the meter will read 12 volts. Start at the generator and in hook the A2 terminal. If the 12 volt reading goes away, the problem is in the insulation of the generator. If the drain persists go to the regulator and unhook the ground wire. If the drain is still there unhook the big cable from the belly of the starter. If the drain goes away the problem is leakage in the starter itself often caused by dust from the starter brushes. If the meter still reads 12 the only thing left is a bare spot on the cable itself touching the chassis. This could be fixed by 20 cents worth of electrical tape

Do these tests and report back. If it hasn't worked for a long time there may be multiple problems that can be found by more testing.
 

That is a wonderful write up Sir.
It would be fantastic if you did a copy and past of it and posted it into the thread created by bstover.

Then when someone searches for a thread about 24volt drain, all the good info would be in [u:fecd4274c4]one[/u:fecd4274c4] thread.
 
Thank you for the reply! The 2 batteries are hooked up in series as per the colored diagram; however there is not wire between the mid point of the batteries to the chasis. What gauge should this be and should it be fused?

I will try the tests out next weekend.

Thanks again,

Bruce
 
Thanks for the compliment. I have an article in the April 2013 issue of "Green Magazine." There are also two follow up articles in later issues. Reprints are available. Also for many years I have taught a hour and a half class at Gathering of the Green in Davenport, Iowa. My phone number is 785-363-6030 and my e-mail is [email protected]. If I am not home leave a number and I will return your call.
 
(quoted from post at 23:14:54 01/14/18) Thanks for the compliment. I have an article in the April 2013 issue of "Green Magazine." There are also two follow up articles in later issues. Reprints are available. Also for many years I have taught a hour and a half class at Gathering of the Green in Davenport, Iowa. My phone number is 785-363-6030 and my e-mail is [email protected]. If I am not home leave a number and I will return your call.

I may just attend the GOG just to hear how the 24V system has changed from the positive ground claims at GOG and in GM.
 

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