Just as in the case of your personal automobile, the battery in your Kubota tractor or riding lawn mower is an essential part of the machine. To put it simply, if the Kubota battery is not working properly, then you won’t be able to start your Kubota product. Proper battery maintenance assures that the battery works properly and continues to work right for a long period of time.
There are a number of things one needs to focus on when maintaining a Kubota battery. They include:
· Cold Cranking Amperes
· Hold Down Bracket
· Battery Terminals
· Voltage
Cold Cranking Amperes
When checking the battery you will want to determine the rating of its cold cranking amperes (CCA). This measures the battery’s ability to deliver current at a temperature of 0°F for 30 seconds.
It is important to know this because the engine of your Kubota tractor is high compression. That means that it takes a whole lot of current to get it started. It is suggested that a Kubota battery should have a CCA rating of at least 850 or even as high as 1000 if you live in a cold region of the country. Keep in mind that even if the Kubota battery is fully charged and fresh, it may be lacking the capability to deliver enough current to get it started. If your battery’s CCA is less than 830, then its time to get a replacement.
Hold Down Bracket
The hold-down bracket is supposed to reduce vibration that is transmitted to the battery during normal operation of your Kubota tractor. This is essential because too much vibration can cause the parallel lead plates inside the battery to collide leading to there destruction. There are six cells in a standard battery. Each time a cell is destroyed, the Kubota battery can experience a drop of 2.1-volts across the terminals. You definitely don’t want that to happen. So make sure your battery includes a hold-down bracket that is capable of handling the vibration.
Battery Terminals
There are two types of battery terminals, enclosed style (left) and clamp style.
It is important to check the Kubota battery terminals on a fairly regular basis to assure that there is no chalky white corrosion on them and that they are secured to the battery post. Make sure to check the connector for cracks. If you find one, replace the connector. A cracked connector will not provide a good connection and that limits the amount of energy coming from the battery.
Another thing you need to focus on as far as the battery terminals are concerned is the type of terminal connector being used.
There are two types of battery connectors –- an enclosed style and a clamp style. The enclosed style features a one-piece connector and wire lead. The clamp style features the wire sandwiched from the lead at the back of the connector.
Over time the wire that is inside a sheath in an enclosed connector can wear and break at the base of the connector. You can’t see this. So it is advised that you use the clamp style connectors because they are open and you can inspect the wire.
Voltage
Use a voltmeter to regularly check the voltage of the battery.
A good working battery should have a combined voltage of 12.6. To assure that this is the case with your battery, check it regularly with a voltmeter across the terminals.
If you get a reading that is less than 12.6-volts, then check out the rest of the charging system to make sure that everything is okay. Checking on a regular basis is imperative because it can take months or even a year before the battery runs down.
(Source and photos courtesy of Orangetractortalks.com)
