since it is a case and not a Bobcat , try moving your post to the case threads and maybe someone will answer you questiondisconnect the neg batt term place a tes light between post and cable if lit there is a draw (meter wont work may be a memorey) pull fuses one by one when light goes out this is the circut t/s from there.
If I read your post correctly you say instantly dead, so I run the machine and turn it off and bingo, battery is dead. That is not a phantom draw of power. So forget about the test light between the battery and neg. terminal, it will not help. I would suggest you fully charge the battery with a AC plug in charger and then test it with a carbon pile tester putting 50% CCA on it for 15 seconds and reading the voltage temp compensated. Or the best you can, preferable with a tester that puts a significant load on the battery. Then reinstall the battery and measure the voltage across it with DVM, should be around 12.6V. Start the machine, run it fast idle and check voltage again. Should be 14V or a tad over. Measure voltage at the large wire at the alternator. Should be the same. How many wires going to the alternator? (Not including ground). One or three. If one wire its self exciting, but needs to be rev'ed a bit after starting to get it to kick in. If 3 wires, then large is output, the other two are sense and excite. Both should have 12V (battery voltage) on them with key on (engine can be on or off, does not matter). But do not connect them to the wrong place on the alt. The sense always gets 12V, the excite only get 12V with key on. If excite gets 12V all the time it will run down the battery, alternator will be warm until battery is dead. Check the belt first however. If you have an external regulator you will need to look at a service manual.disconnect the neg batt term place a tes light between post and cable if lit there is a draw (meter wont work may be a memorey) pull fuses one by one when light goes out this is the circut t/s from there.
FYI- This is a brand new battery (second one) the first one had a bad cell and was replaced it is less than a week old. and it's a 3 wire alternator. So if the red wire was connected wrong after it was checked I could now have a bad alternator? I assumed since the battery was not charging before and the symtoms did not change that the alternator was not damaged (but it might be now)? Sorry for posting this in the wrong section.... It's nice to know no mater wich Fourm you go someone will alway stick you in the eye for a simple mistake.If I read your post correctly you say instantly dead, so I run the machine and turn it off and bingo, battery is dead. That is not a phantom draw of power. So forget about the test light between the battery and neg. terminal, it will not help. I would suggest you fully charge the battery with a AC plug in charger and then test it with a carbon pile tester putting 50% CCA on it for 15 seconds and reading the voltage temp compensated. Or the best you can, preferable with a tester that puts a significant load on the battery. Then reinstall the battery and measure the voltage across it with DVM, should be around 12.6V. Start the machine, run it fast idle and check voltage again. Should be 14V or a tad over. Measure voltage at the large wire at the alternator. Should be the same. How many wires going to the alternator? (Not including ground). One or three. If one wire its self exciting, but needs to be rev'ed a bit after starting to get it to kick in. If 3 wires, then large is output, the other two are sense and excite. Both should have 12V (battery voltage) on them with key on (engine can be on or off, does not matter). But do not connect them to the wrong place on the alt. The sense always gets 12V, the excite only get 12V with key on. If excite gets 12V all the time it will run down the battery, alternator will be warm until battery is dead. Check the belt first however. If you have an external regulator you will need to look at a service manual.
I doubt the red wire is connected improperly its its a somewhat heavy gauge wire and should have a big connector to go to a large stud. The other two connectors may be the problem. When they test it at the shop, they feed it directly to the terminals. When you reinstall it, you are using your wiring, which is where I think the problem is. Do the tests I suggested with a DVM. I doubt its the battery, but best to start with a fully charged battery. Also a normal alternator is made to keep a vehicle's battery charged, not charge up a dead battery. Thus always charge up the battery with an AC charger before diving into it further. And check tightness of belt. 1/2" deflection in middle of longest run.FYI- This is a brand new battery (second one) the first one had a bad cell and was replaced it is less than a week old. and it's a 3 wire alternator. So if the red wire was connected wrong after it was checked I could now have a bad alternator? I assumed since the battery was not charging before and the symtoms did not change that the alternator was not damaged (but it might be now)? Sorry for posting this in the wrong section.... It's nice to know no mater wich Fourm you go someone will alway stick you in the eye for a simple mistake.
is the battery really dead , what about a switched power relay , maybe there just isn't any power to the panel ......... another thing I could think of that could cause something lke that could be a dioxde in the alternator , if this goes bad then it will draw voltage all the time running or not and alot of machines now days can't be started if the machine thinks the engine is already running , and if the dioxde goes bad it gives it a false reading , some machines won't kill the engine when it goes out , a rpm sensor also is used on some machines to accomplish thisI doubt the red wire is connected improperly its its a somewhat heavy gauge wire and should have a big connector to go to a large stud. The other two connectors may be the problem. When they test it at the shop, they feed it directly to the terminals. When you reinstall it, you are using your wiring, which is where I think the problem is. Do the tests I suggested with a DVM. I doubt its the battery, but best to start with a fully charged battery. Also a normal alternator is made to keep a vehicle's battery charged, not charge up a dead battery. Thus always charge up the battery with an AC charger before diving into it further. And check tightness of belt. 1/2" deflection in middle of longest run.
You need to get a voltmeter and use insulated jumper wires to connect to ther battery terminals so you can read remotely. Start the engine and watch the voltmeter. It should read higher than battery voltage, 12.6 volts. Normally around 13 - 14 volts if the alternator is working. Not rocket science it has to read higher than battery to be charging. Run for a while, shut off the engine. Voltmeter should read the 12.6 or higher if its been charging. I doubt if your battery is going dead right away like you are suspecting. More than likely a bad connection or relay makes it look like its dead. The voltmeter will tell you whats going on with the battery. The heavy red wire goes to the only post on the alternator big enough for it to connect. IF you have a bad diode (shorted) in the alternator, it might drain the battery over time. Retired electrician and lots of other skills....FYI- This is a brand new battery (second one) the first one had a bad cell and was replaced it is less than a week old. and it's a 3 wire alternator. So if the red wire was connected wrong after it was checked I could now have a bad alternator? I assumed since the battery was not charging before and the symtoms did not change that the alternator was not damaged (but it might be now)? Sorry for posting this in the wrong section.... It's nice to know no mater wich Fourm you go someone will alway stick you in the eye for a simple mistake.
Have you tested the battery leads I had a customers machine do the same thing , turned out to be a bad earth lead, when I moved the lead it would loose power and shut down.I replaced the cable , fixed the problem.You need to get a voltmeter and use insulated jumper wires to connect to ther battery terminals so you can read remotely. Start the engine and watch the voltmeter. It should read higher than battery voltage, 12.6 volts. Normally around 13 - 14 volts if the alternator is working. Not rocket science it has to read higher than battery to be charging. Run for a while, shut off the engine. Voltmeter should read the 12.6 or higher if its been charging. I doubt if your battery is going dead right away like you are suspecting. More than likely a bad connection or relay makes it look like its dead. The voltmeter will tell you whats going on with the battery. The heavy red wire goes to the only post on the alternator big enough for it to connect. IF you have a bad diode (shorted) in the alternator, it might drain the battery over time. Retired electrician and lots of other skills....