Battery problems

[Npetersen]

My battery will not keep a charge, it runs for about 20 minutes and just dies. I've charged it the last couple nights and it fully chares up.. It just won't hold the charge.

I had it tested and they said it tested fine.
It's a blueline champ with a Kohler engine.

Any ideas why it isn't holding a charge and what I should do?
Thanks.

 

[FredC]

sound more like you have a charging system issue

check wiring/stator/rectifier/fuse

who tested/said its fine? Did they only test battery?

 

[SMRBAP]

what he said ↑

Our old back up tms that had the briggs engines, we had the same problem about every year, was a voltage regulator $18 or so for an aftermarket one I believe. Any small engine repair shop should be able to isolate and diagnose quickly.

 

[Ron Werner]

can buy a CTEC charger, they are programmed to charge and condition the battery
if its not charging while you're running, or if your unit is shutting off, then see above. Your unit shouldn't be running off the battery once started.

 

[KevinD]

Your unit shouldn't be running off the battery once started.

It does if it is a battery ignition and not a magneto ignition

 

[Ron Werner]

my Judson is battery ignition or battery started, just like every vehicle out there. Once started there is some device to generate DC voltage, and also keep the battery charged. If that isn't working the engine will run literally off the battery power until the battery dies.

 

[KevinD]

That's his problem. His charging system is not working so it dies after 20 minutes running off just the battery.

 

[Jim Martin]

start it up and put a multimeter on the battery.........see if the alternator is charging it......chances are it is not............

 

[Becker]

My old TM did that on a fairly new engine.

Close inspection found a corroded ground wire, not the main ground, but a ground connected to the charging system.

Before I had time to find the problem and repair it, I simply connected a battery charger to the battery to get me though the jobs I had.

I figured it was the charging system, nope.. Just a bad ground.

 

[joeynbgky]

That's why.. I like my tm running off the vans battery. And the alternator on the tm keeps it charged

Samsung galaxy S 4

 

[jcooper]

It also could be a bad cell in the battery, happened to us on a 5 month old battery. Wouldn't keep a charge for more than an hour. It would show it had juice on the tester, but under load not enough.

Get the batter tested somewhere else. Make sure...