[Luke Skywalker]

Good Day.

Last fall, we arrived one morning to a "dead flat" battery on our 575R. We managed to get it boosted, ran it for 30 min to charge, shut it down and threw a digital voltmeter on it. Dropping like a stone... figured a dead short in a battery cell. Replaced battery - (hint: It had all the classic symptoms of a battery with a dead short...)

In the meantime, we also developed the habit of using the battery disconnect switch, and then over time, we got cocky and started leaving it hot overnight. It was fine for a while, then one morning a few weeks later, flat again.

We noticed that our grid heater wire had got warm and melted the end off at the relay, so we replaced the relay, and put a good righteous soldered-on end on the wire. This was thought to be the gremlin as the battery was dropping capacity so fast it wouldn't start after a few hours of being stationary, and would be dead flat overnight. Hmm - probably that relay that got it's internals half melted...

Went several months after this of leaving the battery disconnect in the on position, and had no issues. This week, after having been run a few days earlier, went to move it - dead. Through an ammeter in the circuit at the battery, and we have 10 amps going somewhere with the key off. Checked the alternator out - often a prime candidate, and it checks out.

We can start trying to isolate this thing by process of elimination, but before we do, are there any high risk offenders that should be investigated? - Ag Leader Elevator moisture sensor (wired direct), - our EZ Guide / EZ Steer is on a keyed circuit, 2 way is wired hot, but shouldn't consume 10 amps (but we will check that one out).

Any other sources of intermittent 'leaks' on these machines?

Luke (aka Ken in SW Ont)

 

[w-mFarms]

its your EZ steer hands down,
had the same issue with mine,
is that green light on the bottom blinking when combine off?

 

[seedcleaner]

Need another "hint"! Lol

My 740 had a very bad solenoid that operates the grid heater. iirc, the grid is powered by solenoid, solenoid gets powered by terminal on starter. I ran a new big hot wire from starter to solenoid as the factory one was small.

Check ground cable under cab, connecting cab to frame, but likely not the problem.

I would start pulling fuses to find the issue.

Replace battery if you haven't would be an easy try.

I would always kill power at night, especially on your machine, as it sounds high risk for a fire.

 

[Luke Skywalker]

EZ Steer - confirmed it was on keyed circuit, but disconnected it just to be sure... Not the EZ Steer.

Eddie - when the battery went flat last fall, that was our first move, replaced the Jen-u-wine CAT 8D with another. Expensive reminder to "diagnose first, replace needed parts later". Both batteries are good, as long as they aren't connecte to the combine with the disconnect left in the 'on' position.

Will start pulling fuses/breakers and track this puppy down.

BTW, if you're sitting in the cab with the key off, and somebody turns the disconnect from 'off' to 'on', there's something in the overhead that starts to hum or make a noise, then seems to go quiet again. Is there something up there that is hot all the time?

Luke (aka Ken).

 

[Luke Skywalker]

Update:
Got a good righteous ammeter, not one that was part of a Radio Shack multi-meter...

Anywho, we are confident that the primary offender last fall (would flatten an 8D battery in a couple of hours) was the relay/solenoid that ran the grid heater. As I reported, we replaced the relay, and put a new end on the wire from the starter. If you have a similar vintage Lexion, and have used the grid heater on occasion, give it an inspection - please.

Still having issues, but to a smaller degree, so we put a good ammeter in the circuit, and started pulling fuses...
I did not believe this was possible, but our AM/FM radio which goes on and off with key, can apparently be turned on 'manually' with the key off. We suspect that some young folks around here may be enjoying the radio in the comfort of the machine shed. This was a small draw, but a draw nonetheless when the radio got turned on.

Last - who had the EZ Steer in the pool? Winner goes to W-M Farms. IIRC, there are 2 power supplies for the EZ250 / EZ Steer. One runs to the display, the other powers the T2/EZ Steer. We had the display on a keyed circuit, but did not confirm that the EZ Steer was on one as well. Moved some power cables around on our power outlets to where the EZ Steer was on a keyed outlet, and with the key off, our flow dropped to zero.

We will continue to use the disconnect more regularly, but in the meantime it felt good to track these down.
Now if I would quit raining and dry up, we could get to harvest. Beans are a week/10 days late here, and our corn crop is 3 weeks behind normal. Cool summer here in the Great Lakes.

Luke (aka Ken)