Repairs Battery won't charge...

Amrac

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I have a silver eagle Dixie chopper 07, low hours. It has started not charging the battery. Put new battery in it, it will mow 2-4 hrs and then the negative battery light comes on. After mowing a short time, not exactly sure how long but not long it will just stop! I can charge the battery and it will mow again just fine, but it has became a routine. I charge the battery awhile it mows then stops! Any ideas? Thank you for any suggestions!
 

BlazNT

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First, start with checking your voltage at the battery with engine running and WOT(wide open throttle).
Second, we need engine model number to give correct advice.
 

bertsmobile1

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First, start with checking your voltage at the battery with engine running and WOT(wide open throttle).
Second, we need engine model number to give correct advice.

And even more important than this is WHAT BLOODY ENGINE IS FITTED.
Funny enough it actually makes a difference.
 

BlazNT

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I looked it up and each model number has a different engine. If I am remembering right that name has six models and two different engine makers.
 

Rivets

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If he doesn't know what engine he has, I doubt if he will be able to fix a charging problem.
 

Amrac

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I have a silver eagle Dixie chopper 07, low hours. It has started not charging the battery. Put new battery in it, it will mow 2-4 hrs and then the negative battery light comes on. After mowing a short time, not exactly sure how long but not long it will just stop! I can charge the battery and it will mow again just fine, but it has became a routine. I charge the battery awhile it mows then stops! Any ideas? Thank you for any suggestions!

Ok, all I can find is 8079386, Generac. Dixie Chopper has an LT by it also and it shows 11.9 volts at the battery, throttle wide open. There seems to be a lot of smart ppl on here and since this is the first time I've worked on a mower, I do apologize for lack of correct lingo and knowledge and hope someone can help me out! I'm not a he so this is way out of my field but it's very interesting and I think I can do it with your knowledge, thank you for your time!
 
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bertsmobile1

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Start by checking the AC output from the alternator.
There should be 2 wires coming out from under the flywheel that are the same size & colour, these are the AC feed from the alternator and they should go to a box of some sort with a single heavier wire coming out of it,
That is the DC feed to your battery
You should see 26V AC or better between the 2 wires that are the same colour when the engine is running.
Next check the DC volts on the other wire, you really need to disconnect it if it is low to double check but if it reads 13V or better between it and the engine case ( ground) it is fine and your problem is a break or short somewhere in that wire between the rectifier ( the box ) and the battery.

Get that done & get back to us
 

Bwells

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Bert, so the case of the rectifier/regulator is the 12v ground? It doesn't seem like the shroud would be a good conductor.
 

bertsmobile1

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Bert, so the case of the rectifier/regulator is the 12v ground? It doesn't seem like the shroud would be a good conductor.

Two different rectifiers
one has a dedicated ground wire so it is a 4 ( or more ) wire unit.
The others which is most common uses the case as both a heat sink & ground, these are the 3 wire rectifiers.
When they are are fitted into the shroud one of the mounting bolts will have a ground strap that grounds out against the engine usually where the shroud bolts to the engine.
On Kohler's it is a flat brass strip, either inside our outside then shroud and regularly burns out or breaks.
I always make up 2 of them and fit one to each mounting bolt
 
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