(ET) Tractor power problems

[Anthony Bailey <a636ccr semovm semo edu>]

Mornin' All, my tractor (WheelHorse C-185) had developed a power 
problem here lately. Its acting the batteries are just about dead, 
even shortly after charging. It doesn't have enough power to go in 
the top gears now and the Low gear that I normally run it in won't 
climb the hills in our yard any more. I've still got the problem of 
the power useage meter being in the red (when driving) or in the 
upper yellow (with just the mower on).

I hooked my dvm across the power useage meter (maybe I should have 
unhooked the power useage meter?) and wrote the readings down. If 
these are correct then I'm using quite a bit more current than I 
should be. I would just replace the batteries if they're dying but I 
don't want to put new batteries in and have them die also. The 
batteries I've got installed were used when I bought them about a 
year ago, but they've seemed to work okay.

80-115mv mower running but not cutting grass
50-229mv running drive motor in neutral

I measured the batteries without a load and with the mower and just 
running the drive motor (in neutral). These measurements would drop a 
volt or so when the load was turned on and then come back up to the 
reading.
Thanks for any suggestions, Tony

B6 no load 6.23V        B4  6.19V       B2  6.31V       B1  6.27V
   mower   6.14V            6.12V           6.20V           6.17V
drive mtr  6.03V            6.01V           6.07V           6.04V

B5 no load 6.21V        B3  6.20V
   mower   6.12V            6.07V
drive mtr  6.02V            5.94V
--
this is coming to you from Anthony Bailey KC0HZP 
(mailto:a636ccr semovm semo edu)
Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, Missouri  63701