12v or 24v

My JD 2130 came with 2 875ca batteries hooked in parallel. I'm having a starting issue. It turns OK for 1 or 2 turns and slows quickly to nothing. I can jump it then with the truck, and it starts OK. The batteries load test good. A friend's 3010 is connected in series he says for 24v. Should it be connected in series or parallel? I've also seen comments about reconnecting the ground to the starter, could this help?

Hello scott-al,
The fact that the engine starts with a jump should tell you something.
Battery voltage is reching the starter ,with the jumpers, with no problem.
When you use the batteries it only cranks a couple of times. So the problem may be between the batteries and the cables.
Crank the engine and when it stops check the batteries and cables, see if any connection is getting hot. Don't lay on the connections long, it can be hot enough to burn you. I'm thinking a loose or dirty connection between any of the battery posts and one of the cables.
A voltage test at the cables and the battery post, should give you the same reading.
Are you sure the batteries were tested correctly?
The load test should have been done on a fully charged battery at 1/2 the CCA of the battery rating. The battery to pass the test would have to have at least 9.6 volts after a 15 second load test at 70 degrees F.
Guido.

Relocating the ground cable is a much more efficient way to conduct AMPS to the starter than a rusty battery box.

Also rocking steering wheel rapidly from back and forth helps relieve hyd pressure or you could install a manual de-stroker screw in the main hyd pump.

12 volts is all the factory starter can handle and you don't want to attempt 24 volts.

Thanks. The load test was definitely not 15 seconds. I'm not sure of the amp load, but most of the testers I've seen like the one that was used were 100-150 amp. That may be the trouble. I'll carry them back and watch closely(because I really suspect one of the batteries), and get a longer ground cable.
The cables on the tractor are single with 2 connectors. Would I gain anything by running individual cables?

(quoted from post at 15:07:54 10/23/10) My JD 2130 came with 2 875ca batteries hooked in parallel. I'm having a starting issue. It turns OK for 1 or 2 turns and slows quickly to nothing. I can jump it then with the truck, and it starts OK. The batteries load test good. A friend's 3010 is connected in series he says for 24v. Should it be connected in series or parallel? I've also seen comments about reconnecting the ground to the starter, could this help?

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12V. You friend isn't your friend. He's trying to smoke the electrics on your tractor. Turn him around and kick his dumb *ss.


It's possible the batteries are not getting charged due to short stop-start cycles.
The charging system maybe low on output due to alternator problems but.................More likely due to a slipping glazed belt/alternator pulley. Don't waste your time and money cranking the belt down super tight to prevent slippage. You will be in the market for a water pump and alternator.
If there isn't a destroker on the hydraulic pump. Install and use it. It's a whole $15.00 and worth hundreds of dollars.
Finally. Take the rinky dink chassis connection off the sheet metal. And run a heavy cable down to the starter mounting post. Don't bother stopping at the Walmart battery cable bin for a 4 gauge cable either.
Last of all, the batteries have to be in good condition. Matched in size and age too.
My uncle had starting problems with the 1640 a decade before I purchased it. One battery connection was a dud and it was starting on one battery.
Unless you go through and actually measure voltages. You can clean, replace and guess all day and miss the poor connection.

Hello scott-al,
Cable size is more important,then adding a second ground. Although it won't hurt a thing to get a second cable to make another path to ground.I suspect one of the batteries as well.
A volt test while crancking will let you know which one is falling down on voltage.
Guido.

The JD 3010 could have a 24 volt starting circuit. It is older and a Waterloo designed tractor. Your 2130 is a Mannheim designed tractor. They never where 24 volt and you would fry the wiring harness.
Like the others have told you. 1) Install new/good battery cables from each battery to the starter and ground to the starter bolts. NOT THE Factory two post on one cable. Two single cables. 2) You need a good load test on your old batteries. Two ways to do that. A) While installed in the tractor take a volt meter and see what the voltage is on each battery while cranking. Anything below 10-10.5 volts is bad. B) Take them to someone that has a good carbon pile battery load tester. It is not one of the little ones you hookup and flip a toggle switch. The good ones will have a turn knob that you dial down the load on the battery. They will give you a good test.
I had a JD 2630 tractor and it started hard until I ran individual positive and negative battery cables. When these tractor where in daily use around here I kept a set of cables for them in my service track. Switched a lot of them over. The orginal design was even worse than the two post cable. It used two cables and one hooked under the battery post clamp bolt. They would work for the first few months and then you where just using one battery.