Tractor wont start w/ battery

[pOpsFiveO 0]

Hello all!

I have a '84 B-165, 42" deck with a Briggs and Stratton. Recently purchased a new battery (beginning of summer) all was well. Tires went flat due to rot and the machine sat there for about 3 weeks. Someone left the light switch on (probably one of my granddaughters, they love the tractor rides) and the battery went dead. Got new tires, went to start no good. Jump started it with my pick-up, ran fine for hours. Went to start again, dead. Put battery on charger over night, tried again, nothing. if I jump with pick-up, it will start, just not with battery.

Anyone have any similar experiences? Is the battery, which is just months old, the culprit? Is there something else I should be looking at? Any thoughts/suggestions appreciated

[953 nut 59,327]

    Have you checked the water level  in the battery and cleaned the cable connections? Could be some corrosion preventing the battery from passing voltage to the starter. If you have a volt meter find out what the voltage is at the battery prior to charging and after, or you could look at the brightness of the headlights to get an idea of the condition of the battery.

Good luck and let us know how it comes out. 

[pOpsFiveO 0]

I did check the battery, water is fine, vm reads 12.67 v when tested. The lights DO NOT come on atm, but when I jumped the tractor and it was running, they were working fine

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,393]

These diagrams should match your tractor
http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/files/file/303-tractor-1983-b-series-wiring-detailed-pdf/

Notice the lights are powered by AC current from the flywheel stator so the engine must be running for lights to work.
Your battery voltage sounds OK as long as it does not drop too much when cranking to start.
There may be a problem with one of the safety switches in the starter circuit.- Pto switch or the neutral/clutch switch.

Garry
 

[KC9KAS 4,744]

‌@pOpsFiveO,