Go Bottom790 Battery
 | Rob Munach
Join Date: Posts: 1 
|
2001-03-20 25681
I just picked up a new battery and positive cable from my JD dealer as a warranty replacement for the constantly corroding stock battery. The new battery appears to be an average size automotive battery (about 1 1/2 times as big as the original) Interestingly, it says "John Deere Motorsports" on the label.
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo790 Battery
| Glenn Fitzgerald
Join Date: Posts: 1
|
2001-03-21 25701
I've seen this battery concern expressed many times on the board since I purchased my machine last October. I read your message this morning and thought I should ask my dealor about the 790 battery. The dealor didn't know(or pretended not to know)anything about the problem. Is John Deere not recalling the batteries/cables on the 790 machines but just replacing upon experiencing the problem? Is it a problem with tractors manufactured at a certain plant or during a certain time period? I have a real problem with the battery leaking and the acid being drawn in through the radiator by the fan(poor placement by Engineering)!! I can only imagine what they would want($$) for a radiator! Did they answer any of these questions at your dealor? Does anyone else have information that can help us out? thanks... ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo790 Battery
| Jim Warrell
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 14
|
2001-03-23 25794
Glen, I have a 2000 JD 4300 with the same battery problem. The dealer offered me a new, the same weeping oozing style battery that the tractor came with. He admitted that there had been other complaints besides myself. He also said that the smart thing to do would be to get rid of the battery. I bought a Delco Freedom battery, 700 cca,this battery is similar in length and height but deeper. I made a frame and bolted it in place. Made a hold down bracket for the top. Cleaned the + cable and a little JD black paint. You need to leave clearance between the radiator and battery for air flow. The battery looks good and works great! No more corrision! By the way it was a mod.# 35 6yr battery. Jim in Middleton, Idaho ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo790 Battery
| Jim Warrell
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 14
|
2001-03-23 25795
Glen, I have a 2000 JD 4300 with the same battery problem. The dealer offered me a new, the same weeping oozing style battery that the tractor came with. He admitted that there had been other complaints besides myself. He also said that the smart thing to do would be to get rid of the battery. I bought a Delco Freedom battery, 700 cca,this battery is similar in length and height but deeper. I made a frame and bolted it in place. Made a hold down bracket for the top. Cleaned the + cable and a little JD black paint. You need to leave clearance between the radiator and battery for air flow. The battery looks good and works great! No more corrision! By the way it was a mod.# 35 6yr battery. Jim in Middleton, Idaho ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo790 Battery
| Glenn Fitzgerald
Join Date: Posts: 1
|
2001-03-24 25810
Jim,
Thanks for all your information. I'm wondering if the charging system isn't regulated very well or if it's just a defective battery. I sent an email to the factory this morning regarding the problem, I'll let you know what JD has to say.
....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo790 Battery
| Jim Warrell
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 14
|
2001-03-27 25979
Glen, The charging system is fine. I have owned numerous batteries of this same venting design. Exide, Sears Die-Hard, also a couple of RV batteries with different filler caps. They all do the same thing. Last night I hauled a friends tractor, a 2000 JD 790 with only 45 hours on the clock. He had just bought it from a private party. I looked thru the grill and noticed a large gob of corrosion on the positive cable and the hold down bracket! Told him to get it cleaned up asap and get a Delco Freedom battery. Also I have e-mailed John Deere and am waiting for a reply. Jim ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo790 Battery
| D. McIntire
Join Date: Posts: 1
|
2001-04-07 26430
I tried to send a comment last week but couldn't figure out how to reply, lets see if I can send this. I have a Cub Cadet 7234, (23HP 4WD, w/FEL), incase you aren't familiar with it and I had the same battery problem. I think I had had it about a year and I opened the hood one day to check something and the old corrosion was really growing. I always keep it garaged I was really amazed about why I had it. I just took the battery out and cleaned it up, painted the area and it has been pretty good since although I see I have a little there again. I think it must be a common problem to the compacts although I'm not sure why. I don't know that this will help any but I wanted you to know you weren't alone with a battery problem. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo790 Battery
| Rob Munach
Join Date: Posts: 1
|
2001-04-08 26451
I thought I had my 790 battery problem licked when the dealer gave me a new, and what appeared to be, a high quality automobile battery. This weekend,after about 1 hour of use after the battery install, I noticed that the paint on the front of the tractor near the suitcase weight hanger was blue. I opened up the hood and found the entire battery copartment covered with acid. The top of the battery was also a pool of acid. I quickly washed it down with baking soda, but I am left with a bunch of sheetmetal that needs to be replaced. I guess it could be sanded and re-painted, but new is better. Anyhow, before I turned off the tractor, I checked the voltage at 2600 rpm. It was 14.4V which I believe is reasonable. I am going to the auto parts store on Monday to buy a completely sealed champion battery. It is $130 but apparently it can be used upside down. Hopefully, I can get my dealer to replace the sheet metal and pay for the new battery, but I would really like to know what it is about my tractor that is causing the batteries to leak so badly. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo790 Battery
| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
|
2001-04-08 26456
Some of the maintenance free and sealed batteries are light on cranking and cold-cranking ratings compared to similar physical sized conventional batteries. I'd check to ensure that both amp hour and cranking arm ratings are similar to factory specs. This battery issue is sort of a mystery to me. I don't doubt that the problems exist, but they seem unusual. At least the way I think about it is that a conventional battery doesn't seep acid unless it's at an extreme angle irrespective of the cap or other vents. Also a battery vent doesn't emit appreciable acid fumes unless it's charged at a rate where it becomes hot. And, positive terminals don't corrode much if terminal grease is used. I really don't understand this one, but of course, I've been wrong or unknowledgeable many times. I also don't know if a 35 amp alternator (or whatever the alternator capacity is) is capable of boiling an (850 CCA battery or what ever it is) even if the regulator were stuck. On the other hand, a regulator test might be good for a tractor that makes puddles of battery acid. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo790 Battery
| Rob Munach
Join Date: Posts: 1
|
2001-04-08 26470
A further investigation into my battery acid problem reveals that the new JD battery that I recieved simply leaks like a sieve. I had the battery sitting at about a 10 deg. angle on my driveway and watched as acid ran right out of the cell covers - and they were tight! Geez, no wonder I has acid all over my battery compartment!
....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo790 Battery
| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
|
2001-04-09 26495
Yikes! I wonder if it's possible that the batteries are simply over-filled by whom-ever and where-ever they're filled with acid. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo790 Battery
| Ken Butner
Join Date: Posts: 1
|
2001-04-09 26504
I have had similar battery woes with my 4300. A couple weeks ago, I looked in the battery compartment because I seen some corrosion on the frame of the tractor under the battery compartment. Both cables had huge amounts of corrosion, the mounting bolt nuts in the frame were totally destroyed, the pan that the battery rest on had deep rusting, the oil cooler fins had a few spots of heavy corrosion, and the bolts on both battery cables were almost eaten into completely. I cleaned the battery compartment with baking soda and flushed the area with a large volume of water. I sanded all the rust, repainted everything, replaced the damaged/destroyed nuts and bolts, and bought a new NON JOHN DEERE brand battery. I verified my full throttle charging voltage at 14.2V.
I ran the tractor for about nine hours this weekend and have not seen any signs of leaking from the new battery. This was more damage than I wanted to see on a 1.5 year old tractor. Glad I at least caught it when I did.
-Ken ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo790 Battery
| John Miller, III
Join Date: Posts: 1
|
2001-04-10 26544
Rob,
I find it hard to believe... "two" defective batteries? Is it possible, the charging system is "borderline" and slightly overcharging... I guess you'll soon find out with your new "sealed" $130. battery, if the sides start bulging out, the generated gas has to go somewhere... ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo790 Battery
| Rob Munach
Join Date: Posts: 1
|
2001-04-10 26552
I thought two defective batteries was too much of a coincidence also. However, since the second battery was orders of magnitude worse than the first, I did some checking. It appears that the second one was way overfilled and the caps do not seal tight. With the battery sitting at a 10 deg angle, acid will drip out of the caps.
I will keep an eye on my charging system - just in case. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo
Go Top
Share This