Battery issue?

[Racer]

Not an RV issue. Been gone working past 2 weeks out of town. Wife goes to start tractor battery hears a click and then nothing. Got home today, nothing happens, battery 12.8 volts. Found fuse blown "working lights" . Replaced, turn key hear a click and nothing. Checked all fuses and all good. Now I am scratching my head. Any suggestions. Like I said battery 12.8v, no lights, no nothing. Hooked up volt meter and turned key to do a power load test but still read 12.8v any suggestions? Thanks

[chuckster57]

Volt meters don’t really do a good job of “load testing” a battery. Have you tried jumping the battery?

[flybouy]

A click and no crank is usually a bad starter solenoid or relay. Easy way to test battery in any vehicle is turn lights on and see if they dim after a min or two.

[Racer]

Going to try jump start tomorrow, came down with a bad headache. No lights at all. Thanks

[JRTJH]

If the battery has a shorted cell, trying to jump start it may not work. It might pull enough power from the good battery to prevent the tractor from starting. If it won't jump start immediately, disconnect the old battery and use jumper cables attached to the tractor battery cables and try again. Sometimes, if a battery is "really, REALLY gone" jump starting with it in the vehicle is impossible.

[skids]

This is a tractor that is kept outside in the weather? You know what I am going to say...clean the connections. If you turn the key, put in neutral and jumper the solenoid and it still just clicks, I would remove the starter and clean the contacts around the motor. The “brushes” can be replaced if needed and are usually cheap. I know nothing about your tractor but just trying to give you ideas.

[wiredgeorge]

A wet cell battery will have a cell will have positive grid corrosion and the cell will die. The battery will show a charge normally a tad lower than 12.8 VDC but it will show a charge often above 12V. The click you hear is the relay that triggers your starter solenoid but there isn't enough power to turn your starter. Easiest way is to take the battery to an auto parts place and let them load test. It will also be a pretty good place to pick up a new battery as most carry batteries for a variety of applications.