Cub battery

[danovercash]

8v, BTDT. Not going back. Not with cub though. If it was mine and the complaint was slow starter speed/slow starting, I would completely check out the wiring and connections, and make sure that the tractor is in good tune. If not satisfactory I would then change to 12v. BTW more than 7.5 volts can be hard on 6v lights.

[JRICK]

Eugene,I agree somewhat.Like for instance, a battery on the shelf at say Tractor Supply if it sits long enough it will need recharging probably like you said 3% per month loss.With the cables connected you add the resistance of the wire and the resistance of the amp meter as a load on the battery not counting a corroded connection.This would increase the discharge rate. I should have said start looking for a shorted or grounded wire if it was draining the battery instantly.

[Scrivet]

JRICK If you prefer pulling the cables to charge then that isn't going to hurt anything so by all means keep doing it and will probably help out in keeping the connection in better shape since you'll spot corrosion sooner while taking them on and off. I agree the practice is necessary for newer vehicles.
Electrically for the Cub though it doesn't make a difference. The end of the wire (that's not the ground) goes to the starter switch and is "dead ended" until you pull the starter lever. The smaller wire from there goes through the ammeter to the regulator which should be "dead ended" until the generator is running and the regulator points close. With both wires "dead ended" there is no where for the current/electricity/volts to go. In effect the two wires become really tall battery posts since there is not a complete path back to the battery for the electricity. So the ammeter resistance and any corrosion isn't a load until you pull the starter lever and complete the path back to the battery. That is if everything is as it should be. If you have occasion to charge both older and newer vehicles one method, removing the cables, is probably simpler and easier to remember.

In case anybody wonders, Scrivet and his brother (Rabbit Holler Flash) are both my friends and neighbors, so we harass each other a lot.

John saying nice things about me must mean the leaves are starting to turn loose on his oak tree and be getting in his gutters.

[JRICK]

Scrivet, You are correct.I said I wasn't an expert and you proved it. LOL Thanks for setting me straight!

[thiggy]

Our Tractor Supply in this suburban area rarely has more than one 6 volt battery on the shelf, and I imagine that it sits there for a long time. I would check the manufacture date before purchasing there.

[danovercash]

I think they are only supposed to stay there a maximum of three months. Does not cost store anything to send back and replace with new.