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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

Battery charger hookup

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stan

03-28-2004 07:55:55




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My JD 5020 has a 24 v elect. system. If I want to charge the batteries what is the correct way to install the charger? Do I need to unhook one battery cable?




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MarkB

03-29-2004 03:33:53




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 Re: Battery charger hookup in reply to stan, 03-28-2004 07:55:55  
I would charge the batteries separately, particularly if you have any 12V accessories on the tractor. The problem with these tractors is that when you run a 12V accessory off of one battery, that battery will get undercharged and the other will get overcharged. Charging the batteries separately will get them back in balance.



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RAB

03-28-2004 12:17:39




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 Re: Battery charger hookup in reply to stan, 03-28-2004 07:55:55  
Are you using a 24v charger?
You should not need to unhook unless fast charging (to be safe). I fast charge and jump tractors/cars with my 100 amp charger without removing a lead. Just be careful - hook up live side first and securely, then connect earth well away from the batteries to avoid battery explosion if there are any sparks. Disconnect earth side first, for same reason.
Be safe and regards, RAB

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thurlow

03-28-2004 13:33:56




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 Re: Re: Battery charger hookup in reply to RAB, 03-28-2004 12:17:39  
I'm a little confused....where do you make the "earth" connection (well away from the batteries) on a 5020???



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RAB

03-29-2004 06:54:34




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 Re: Re: Re: Battery charger hookup in reply to thurlow, 03-28-2004 13:33:56  
Confused, Front axle might possibly do, but I could think of more appropriate places, if I new the layout on a 5020. If there is a problem locating earth potential on this tractor, except at the battery, please advise (and why)?
Regards RAB



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Jon H

03-29-2004 10:51:41




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Battery charger hookup in reply to RAB, 03-29-2004 06:54:34  
RAB, the 5020 and any other early 24V diesel JD has an odd isolated 24V system with no earth ground connection through the generator or starter case to the tractor. The only place the batteries are grounded to the tractor is at the cable that connects the two 12V batteries together. This allows 12V acessories to be powered from the battery cables at the starter,with one cable being negative earth to the frame,and the other being positive earth to the frame. This is the flaw that made for short battery life with this system. It was nearly impossible to get the 12V accessory load equal on both batteries which led to the lightly loaded one being overcharged constantly and the heavily loaded one undercharged. It was normal for a set of batteries to last little over a year with the stock system if the 12V accessory load was fairly heavy. The starters and generators also suffered from brush dust causing current leaks to the starter/generator case that would tend to discharge the batteries. Once converted to 12V with one side of the system grounded to the tractor frame,the problems ended. Several that I have converted to 12V now get up to 10 years out of a pair of batteries and the alternators are so much more dependable than the generators. JD realized the 24V system was a bad idea and all 69 and later models were factory equipped with 12V and alternators, JD also sells a factory kit to convert from 24 to 12V. As stated in my post below,there is no problem making an earth ground connection at the starter and frame to charge the batteries.

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Bob

03-28-2004 14:13:30




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 Re: Re: Re: Battery charger hookup in reply to thurlow, 03-28-2004 13:33:56  
Charge at the starter. Once you figure the connections out, you can charge either battery from there.



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JMS/MN

03-28-2004 09:12:32




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 Re: Battery charger hookup in reply to stan, 03-28-2004 07:55:55  
Do like Brokenwrench says, and no, you do not need to unhook any battery cables.



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Brokenwrench

03-28-2004 08:13:32




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 Re: Battery charger hookup in reply to stan, 03-28-2004 07:55:55  
You will have to charge one battery at a time. Hook up is the same as any 12v battery,+ to +, - to -



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RAB

03-28-2004 12:19:17




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 Re: Re: Battery charger hookup in reply to Brokenwrench, 03-28-2004 08:13:32  
Not with a 24 volt charger!!!
Regards, RAB



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Jon H

03-28-2004 19:07:27




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 Re: Re: Re: Battery charger hookup in reply to RAB, 03-28-2004 12:19:17  
Those old JD's with the center tapped 24V system are a challenge to charge batteries without danger of explosion or runaway. With the batteries mounted under the floor with tight clearences,the chance of sparks and explosion are greater if you try to attach the charger at the battery. It is better to attach the charger to the battery cables at the starter. The cable attached to the solenoid has a negative connection and the one connected to the stud on the starter side has a positive connection. If you are charging the batteries with a 24V charger,you connect the pos clamp to the starter stud and the neg clamp to the solenoid stud. If you intend to charge the batteries seperatly with a 12V charger,you connect the neg clamp to the starter solenoid stud and connect the pos clamp to a good ground on the engine untill that battery is charged. To charge the other battery you connect the pos charger clamp to the starter side stud,and the neg clamp to a good ground on the engine untill the other battery is charged. If you are using a 12V charger,do not exceed 30 amps charge rate as the center tap wire will not take much more than that. By connecting the charger at the starter you eliminate the danger of battery explosion,but then have the danger of shorting the starter trigger connection to the battery and causing the engine to crank up and run over you if the tractor is in gear. The world will be a better place when the last one of those 24V,battery destroying abominations is converted to 12V neg ground with an alternator.

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Bob

03-28-2004 19:31:24




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Battery charger hookup in reply to Jon H, 03-28-2004 19:07:27  
Jon H,

I was going to mention the (+) and (-) terminal locations at the starter in my previous post, but I stopped at mentioning connecting the charger at the starter AFTER DETERMINING which terminal is which. You are correct in your listing of the positive and negative terminal locations, UNLESS SOMEONE HAS REVERSED THEM. I work on a lot of 4020's, and 5020's, and almost more often than not the polarity of the connections at the starter is revesed from the standard factory setup. Apparently, there's a lot of people out there that like to tinker with the factory setup!

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Jon H

03-28-2004 20:00:30




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Battery charger hookup in reply to Bob, 03-28-2004 19:31:24  
Very good addition to the other posts Bob,thank you. One should never assume that the stock polarity is still in place on a system where simply reverse installing the batteries or cables at the starter,and repolarizing the generator will reverse the system polarity. It is always wise to check that the system polarity is correct using a voltmeter before connecting a charger to those old JD 24V diesels.

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