L245DT Charge light on when tractor is off

for now when you shut it down pull one of the battery cables off. Take battery to a place you trust to be checked. It could be knackered from being discharged often.

My guess is you have a key switch problem and the switch is not fully cutting off the juice from the Battery. Others will chime in with test to verify.

I'd start with the key switch also.

The charge lamp is connected to the key switch through a main fuse, and on the ground side to the alternator.

You can check voltage either or both at the main fuse or the key switch on the "AC" terminal.

Key switch "OFF", no voltage. Any other position should have 12VDC.

If that is working properly, then you may have a short to ground on the charge lamp neg side. Unplug the alternator, see if lamp goes out.

If not, then possibly a shorted pass transistor in the alternator. The pin on the alternator is "L" for the lamp.

Happy hunting.

I would also check the wiring harness between the altenator and key switch. Do to the age, there could have been a melt down in the wiring where it's not obvious. Especially since the harness runs along the engine block. I would physically move the wiring and check it.

Disconnecting the wiring from the altenator will rule out whether it's a short in the wiring or the altenator itself.

And third, this needs to be asked for "dohhgh" factor.

Are you sure the key is in the off position? Mine has a second switch for glow plug and start. Key all the way counter clockwise is off. Key switch could have been turned a little at some point so key straight up and down may be first run position

Unless your tractor has been modified...

The key switch is really only applying electrical power to start the tractor and then to control the lights..

The glow plugs and starter is a separate knob. Once the tractor is started you can turn the key off and the tractor will continue to run. But the dash warning lights would NOT work.

I turn the key off and then use the kill lever to shut the fuel down and stop the engine.

If you leave the key on then the warning lights would stay on and drain the battery down.