I bought a Cushman 1600XD4 diesel at an auction last week and I'm having issues with it charging. It had a dead battery when I got it so I put on the trickle charger overnight and we were good to go. We drove it around during the day for probably a combined 30-40 min and maybe 10-15 starts with no issues. Then that evening I went to put it in the barn and it wouldn't start. Could hear the starter spinning but it didn't engage the engine. Charged it up over night again. In the morning I checked voltage on the battery, 12.6V. Turned it on and checked voltage again, 12.6V.

I took the alternator to an alternator shop in Houston and they said it tested good. Put it back in and checked the voltage while running from the alternator positive cable to the battery negative cable, got the same result, it matched the battery voltage.

What do I need to look at next? I'm finding it really hard to find parts for this so I don't want to start chasing the fix by buying up expensive parts.

It runs great when the battery has a full charge, just don't want to have to keep it on the trickle charger every night and be worried about getting stranded during the day.

How old is the battery? Have any extra batteries you could try?

Looks fairly new but I have considered getting a new one just to start with one that I know is good. The UTV is a 2017 so it's possible it's the original battery.

Could a bad battery cause the alternator to not produce power?

coolerguy12 said:

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Looks fairly new but I have considered getting a new one just to start with one that I know is good. The UTV is a 2017 so it's possible it's the original battery.

Could a bad battery cause the alternator to not produce power?

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No. However, a bad battery may not maintain the charge.

It sounds like your vehicle starts with only the power the battery has and, once the starting power is depleted... vehicle isn't going to start.

I'd also have the alternator rechecked. I'm thinking the voltage regulator might be failing.

Have you taken the battery to Autozone/O Reily/whom-whatever to have them load test the battery?

Me? I'd replace the battery. If it's a 2017... could be done.

I have not checked the battery yet and I do agree the issue could still be in the alternator. Is there anything externalto the alternator that could cause the alternator not to produce power?

What are the two connections on the plug that go to it? Haven't been able to find the wiring diagram but I'm wondering if whatever device is sending a signal to the alternator could be bad.

What are the odds that a bad alternator could pass a test?

Check fuses?
Follow the wiring and see if there is a voltage regulator?
Make sure all wiring is connected? Connected correctly?

No telling on an auction vehicle.

Fuses are all good. Need to clean all the electrical connections, this thing is covered in dust and needs a good bath. Been trying to locate a voltage regulator external to the alternator but haven't found anything yet.

Been driving around quite a bit today with out much time on the trickle charger and when I parked it I checked the voltage on the battery and it was 12.67. Went down to 12.4x when I checked it with the engine running. Going to leave it off the charger tonight and check voltage in the morning.

you should have higher voltage with the engine running than just battery voltage with the engine off. you probably need an alternator, but check the battery first. Ive seen batteries with a dead cell do the same thing.

Clean and check all of the electrical connections. If the alternator is coming up good when tested, I would assume you have a loose connection on one of the battery posts or you have a battery cable that has gone bad inside the wire. Flex the battery cables around a bit and see if you find a soft spot in one.