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 | RonaldC
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 7 Tennessee 
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2003-05-11 54647
I have a JD 850. I have noticed when I am using the tractor or after shutdown I smell a rotten egg odor coming from the battery. I have an idiot light that shows no indication of any problems in the charging system. The battery is a maintenance free battery, and the tractor does not seem to be malfunctioning in any manner. The tractor starts up first time with no problem. Any ideas or suggestions? Is there anyway I can check to see if the battery is overcharging, and the alternator is working properly?
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| slowrev
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 231 Winchester , KY
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2003-05-11 54680
Use a voltmeter and read the voltage accross the battery with the tractor running. If it reads over 15 volts the battery is overcharging. I t should read between 13.5 and 14.5 or so volts with the engine running and about 12.6 - 13 volts or so with the engine off.
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 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada 
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2003-05-12 54714
I agree, the most likely candidate is a bad voltage regulator causing the battery to over-charge. This over-charge situation will cause the battery to give of Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) which is an extremely poisonous substance.
Best of luck. ....
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| slowrev
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 231 Winchester , KY
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2003-05-12 54718
Right Murf, Very explosive too.
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| RonaldC
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 7 Tennessee
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2003-05-12 54744
Thanks for the help. Our local John Deere shop was struck by a tornado last week so I had to go to several different places to get the alternator checked out which tested good. All indications are the voltage regulator. Is there a way to check that out, a new one cost over $94.00. ....
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| slowrev
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 231 Winchester , KY
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2003-05-12 54764
How old is the battery ? It could be the battery. Have you read the battery voltage with a volt meter ? You can get one at radio shack for about 20.00, and will find many uses for it over the years. If the battery charging voltage is high then it is the voltage regulator since you had the alternator checked out.
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| RonaldC
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 7 Tennessee
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2003-05-13 54775
The battery is several years old but checked out good. I went ahead and ordered a voltage regulator. Thanks again for all your help, I need to get it running and get back to work grass is getting to high. OBTW I went to three different places and had the alternator and battery checked out they all said they were bad. I finally had to go to a larger city and found a business that delt strickly with alternator of the type I am using before I found out it was good the rest of the business that checked it said it was bad, and would have gladly sold me a new battery and alternator. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-05-13 54776
The voltage test described by slowrev basically checks the regulator. If the battery can be assumed to have normal internal resistance and the alternator is OK, then the regulator is working if the voltage doesn't exceed a speced value above idle rpm's. My shop manual procedure calls for 15.5V measured when there is a 30A load (for a 35A rated alternator) on the system and after burning the headlights for a minute before the tractor is started. Conditions where the regulator has to regulate have to be created for the test to be completely valid. Other tractors may have different specs.
If the voltage output test fails the shop manual procedures go on a current output test and if that fails there are a series of other tests for the regulator and alternator. The tests are easy enough but shop manual procedures should be followed. Creating a 30A load may be a little tricky without a carbon pile, but then the 30A's isn't exactly rocket science.
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| RonaldC
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 7 Tennessee
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2003-05-13 54799
The regulator was the problem,,thanks again. ....
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