# Simplicity Regent Battery Losing Power



## Goody_75 (3 mo ago)

I've been struggling with my 2013 Simplicity Regent for about a year now. Started with a weak cold start. Things I've done so far are adjusted valves, replaced battery, replaced starter, checked starter solenoid, replaced voltage regulator (I got around 8 volts DC going to battery with old and new, shouldn't I get ~14 volts?), checked alternator (I get ~38 amps going to voltage regulator). When I do get it started it runs great and will start easily when it's warmed up. Any ideas on what else I should check?


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## Goody_75 (3 mo ago)

Goody_75 said:


> I've been struggling with my 2013 Simplicity Regent for about a year now. Started with a weak cold start. Things I've done so far are adjusted valves, replaced battery, replaced starter, checked starter solenoid, replaced voltage regulator (I got around 8 volts DC going to battery with old and new, shouldn't I get ~14 volts?), checked alternator (I get ~38 volts AC going to voltage regulator). When I do get it started it runs great and will start easily when it's warmed up. Any ideas on what else I should check?


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## Goody_75 (3 mo ago)

Some additional details. With the engine running at full throttle the battery measures ~14 volts DC, so it appears that the charging system is working correctly. 

I tried a parasitic draw test. Removed negative battery cable and used my meter from negative battery terminal to negative battery cable. I didn't show any readings with key off or with key on and headlights on. The headlights didn't light up either. Shouldn't the meter complete the circuit with key on, headlights on, and meter connected?


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

When you try and start the engine, are you getting like a kick back on the starter?, when you adjusted the valves did you roll the flywheel about 2 inches past TDC compression stroke?, doing this allows the cam follower to sit flush on the cam and not the automatic lifter for starting.

The lights only work when the engine runs and these are powered by the alternator and is AC not DC.


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## Goody_75 (3 mo ago)

FredM said:


> When you try and start the engine, are you getting like a kick back on the starter?, when you adjusted the valves did you roll the flywheel about 2 inches past TDC compression stroke?, doing this allows the cam follower to sit flush on the cam and not the automatic lifter for starting.
> 
> The lights only work when the engine runs and these are powered by the alternator and is AC not DC.


Kick back voltage or kick back rotation on the flywheel? The headlights light up with key on, headlight switch on, engine off so I don't think my Simplicity is wired for the lights to run on AC off the alternator.


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## Goody_75 (3 mo ago)

FredM said:


> When you try and start the engine, are you getting like a kick back on the starter?, when you adjusted the valves did you roll the flywheel about 2 inches past TDC compression stroke?, doing this allows the cam follower to sit flush on the cam and not the automatic lifter for starting.
> 
> The lights only work when the engine runs and these are powered by the alternator and is AC not DC.


I believe I was about 2 inches past TDC on compression stroke. I'm planning on checking the valves again when I put my snowblower attachment on in a few weeks. Thanks for the reply.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

I had to resort to screenshot to post a reply this morning, seems like TF wouldn't post my reply.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

FredM said:


> View attachment 82883
> 
> 
> I had to resort to screenshot to post a reply this morning, seems like TF wouldn't post my reply.


Must have been down for maintenance or a wee glitch for some reason. Although you are a bit of a rabble rouser!!LOL


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

pogobill said:


> Must have been down for maintenance or a wee glitch for some reason. Although you are a bit of a rabble rouser!!LOL


I thought it may have been a Safari freeze, but I was able to open a new Safari web page, problem seemed to be with the post reply icon, wouldn't activate at all.

So Bill, I should change my Avatar to "rabble rouser"?, I have been called many things, that is a new one.😁


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

FredM said:


> I thought it may have been a Safari freeze, but I was able to open a new Safari web page, problem seemed to be with the post reply icon, wouldn't activate at all.
> 
> So Bill, I should change my Avatar to "rabble rouser"?, I have been called many things, that is a new one.😁


"Rabble Rouser" isn't adequate..... There are plenty of them on this site. I've always thought of you as the "Guru Down Under"


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Should be a Briggs 23HP V-twin..... They came with either a plastic, or steel, ring gear. Replacement starters are the same way (Plastic, or steel pinion gear). Steel pinion only with Steel ring gear, plastic only with plastic ring gear. Plastic ring gears are prone for the tooth angles to deform, especially on a 13 year old machine like yours. When they do, you start to lose cranking speed, especially during cold starts. Fools a lot of guys into thinking it's a weak starter, when actually it's the deformed teeth on the plastic ring gear causing the drag. You don't see that problem with steel starter gearing, but it's pretty common on 8-10 year old plastic ring gears.


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## Goody_75 (3 mo ago)

Bob Driver said:


> Should be a Briggs 23HP V-twin..... They came with either a plastic, or steel, ring gear. Replacement starters are the same way (Plastic, or steel pinion gear). Steel pinion only with Steel ring gear, plastic only with plastic ring gear. Plastic ring gears are prone for the tooth angles to deform, especially on a 13 year old machine like yours. When they do, you start to lose cranking speed, especially during cold starts. Fools a lot of guys into thinking it's a weak starter, when actually it's the deformed teeth on the plastic ring gear causing the drag. You don't see that problem with steel starter gearing, but it's pretty common on 8-10 year old plastic ring gears.


Mine is a 21HP single cylinder. The oem starter has steel pinion and ring gear. I replaced with the exact oem starter last year which did not fix the issue. Pretty sure the only thing it can be at this point is parasitic draw off the battery.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Goody_75 said:


> Mine is a 21HP single cylinder. The oem starter has steel pinion and ring gear. I replaced with the exact oem starter last year which did not fix the issue. Pretty sure the only thing it can be at this point is parasitic draw off the battery.


Depends on how much you value your time..... You can either continue to fire the parts cannon at a year old problem, but if you're now convinced it's parasitic draw, it takes about 30 minutes to fabricate a bracket and put one of these in the battery ground cable..... So much for parasitic draw when the switch is off and it eliminates the chance of burning your garage down because whatever is causing that parasitic draw doesn't over heat one night while it's parked. Any parasitic draw is going to pass through the key switch (moisture, corrosion, or worn out contacts). 












Battery Cutoff Switch $15


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I bought a couple of these through Rock Auto or such, $25.00 US. Better than up here.

Battery disconnect Switch $80


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

pogobill said:


> I bought a couple of these through Rock Auto or such, $25.00 US. Better than up here.
> 
> Battery disconnect Switch $80


Yep.... I use them like Frank's Hot Sauce..... I put that Sh!t on about everything.


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## Rolex (11 mo ago)

Before your next cold start take a voltage reading at the battery.

If it is below 12.8v you have a draw or a bad battery.

A good battery should settle at 12.8v

If it is either of these the longer it sits the lower the voltage will be so measure it a few times over a few days if possible.

Go back and test your running voltages again, it sounds like you are not charging well at low RPM's this could point to a bad regulator, now a bad regulator can also be a draw on the system when the motor is not running.

Also try to measure any AC voltage at the battery with the motor running, this will also point to a bad reg & any AC voltage will shorten the life of a battery.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

Goody_75 said:


> I tried a parasitic draw test. Removed negative battery cable and used my meter from negative battery terminal to negative battery cable. I didn't show any readings with key off or with key on and headlights on. The headlights didn't light up either. Shouldn't the meter complete the circuit with key on, headlights on, and meter connected?


Why would you have the lights turned on when doing a parasitic drawdown test, there shouldn't be that many places on the mower that would cause drawdown when the ignition switch is in the off position, the only place that I would think a drawdown would occur would be the stator windings or voltage regulator and I cannot confirm this because I cannot find a wiring schematic for your mower, you could pull the main fuse when not in use.


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## Busted Tractor (May 22, 2018)

If the engine is a single cylinder Briggs & Stratton have you checked for proper operation of the compression release. With the valves adjusted correctly with the valve cover off watch the valves when the engine is turned over by hand.. You should have a slight opening of the bottom valve as the piston comes up on compression. Briggs singles have a compression release that often fails especially on older engines. If it is the engine you have indicated the bottom valve is the intake. The only way to repair this is to replace the camshaft.


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## John Liebermann (Sep 17, 2018)

Goody_75 said:


> I've been struggling with my 2013 Simplicity Regent for about a year now. Started with a weak cold start. Things I've done so far are adjusted valves, replaced battery, replaced starter, checked starter solenoid, replaced voltage regulator (I got around 8 volts DC going to battery with old and new, shouldn't I get ~14 volts?), checked alternator (I get ~38 amps going to voltage regulator). When I do get it started it runs great and will start easily when it's warmed up. Any ideas on what else I should check?


What is a weak cold start? Does the engine not crank correctly or does it crank but just not start.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Busted Tractor said:


> If the engine is a single cylinder Briggs & Stratton have you checked for proper operation of the compression release. With the valves adjusted correctly with the valve cover off watch the valves when the engine is turned over by hand.. You should have a slight opening of the bottom valve as the piston comes up on compression. Briggs singles have a compression release that often fails especially on older engines. If it is the engine you have indicated the bottom valve is the intake. The only way to repair this is to replace the camshaft.


On most small engines (especially Briggs), the easiest way to ID the intake valve is that it is an aluminum push rod. That's why it's most often the intake valve that gets out of adjustment on a Briggs. A lot of commercial lawn guys (150-200 hours per month) replace the aluminum push rods with steel (they are exactly the same it accept for the metal) to avoid so many valve adjustments over the mowing season and lower the chance of bending an aluminum push rod that is out of adjustment.


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