All go - NO MOW

[mikemurphy]

I've a POULANPRO P61ZXT zero turn mower, purchased 4/2017. regularly maintained. Mowed 1/2 of the farm, stopped for lunch, resumed mowing 30 minutes later. Mower started fine a it always has, pulled up on the BLADE ENGAGEMENT KNOB, nothing. No movement at all in the blades. Tried this multiple times, nothing. shut mower off and pulled up on the knob, should have heard a click or a boing as the clutch engaged, nothing. Pushed the knob in, should have heard a click or boing as the clutch disengaged, nothing. Mower deck drive belt is good. What am I missing? Thanks in advance, mike

 

[reynoldston]

I've a POULANPRO P61ZXT zero turn mower, purchased 4/2017. regularly maintained. Mowed 1/2 of the farm, stopped for lunch, resumed mowing 30 minutes later. Mower started fine a it always has, pulled up on the BLADE ENGAGEMENT KNOB, nothing. No movement at all in the blades. Tried this multiple times, nothing. shut mower off and pulled up on the knob, should have heard a click or a boing as the clutch engaged, nothing. Pushed the knob in, should have heard a click or boing as the clutch disengaged, nothing. Mower deck drive belt is good. What am I missing? Thanks in advance, mike

 

[mikemurphy]

?

 

[Born2Mow]

Your electric PTO clutch has stopped. It could be lots of things...

• You need to put a VOM on the leads to the clutch and see if there is power. If "Yes", then the clutch itself is probably bad.
• If "No", then the safety interlock may be holding it back. (e.g. Maybe the system thinks you are not sitting in the seat.)
• If "No", then maybe a blown fuse or fuse link
• If "No", then maybe faulty ignition switch

Those switches go bad all the time... usually due to water. Do you use a pressure washer on this mower ??

 

[mikemurphy]

Your electric PTO clutch has stopped. It could be lots of things...

• You need to put a VOM on the leads to the clutch and see if there is power. If "Yes", then the clutch itself is probably bad.
• If "No", then the safety interlock may be holding it back. (e.g. Maybe the system thinks you are not sitting in the seat.)
• If "No", then maybe a blown fuse or fuse link
• If "No", then maybe faulty ignition switch

Those switches go bad all the time... usually due to water. Do you use a pressure washer on this mower ??

Put volt meter to the PTO switch, checks out.
Fuse is good.
belt is good.
I will check clutch voltage and ignition switch tomorrow.
should I be able to advance the blade belt by hand?
mike

 

[Born2Mow]

I

should I be able to advance the blade belt by hand?

There are 2 systems to activate the blade(s)...

• A lever that tightens the belt, so that the belt engages the blade(s)
• A belt that is always under tension, and an electric clutch that engages the blade(s)

You have the latter system

 

[bertsmobile1]

In the USA blades must stop spinning the instant they are turned off.
So the new electric PTO's have a brake on the pulley so when it disengages from the engine shaft the pulley stops dead
Thus you can not turn the belt with the blades off.
Earlier variations had free wheeling pulleys and brakes on the deck

 

[mikemurphy]

Your electric PTO clutch has stopped. It could be lots of things...

• You need to put a VOM on the leads to the clutch and see if there is power. If "Yes", then the clutch itself is probably bad.
• If "No", then the safety interlock may be holding it back. (e.g. Maybe the system thinks you are not sitting in the seat.)
• If "No", then maybe a blown fuse or fuse link
• If "No", then maybe faulty ignition switch

Those switches go bad all the time... usually due to water. Do you use a pressure washer on this mower ??

Never used a pressure washer on it however, it has been left out on occasion. I will try another ignition switch. and still had to check power at clutch.

 

[Dave in MD]

I have a Husqvarna, they make the Polan mine had the electric PTO lead severed where it went through the frame, wasn't deburred, I made the wire repair and put a corrugated plastic wire protector over the lead, no more issues

 

[mikemurphy]

Thank you ALL for your input and suggestions. Finally figured it out, albeit by accident. The mower was running, I got frustrated, hit the plastic that houses the control panel and the blades start spinning! Re-checked all the wiring and connections resulting in finding 1 wire that wasn't fully seated in the connector. used a small screwdriver to push and fully seat the wire into the connector. 1.5 hours of mowing later, the problem resurfaced. I'll have the time this weekend to replace the connections as needed. Again Thank you all for our input and suggestions!

Mow on,

mikemurphy​

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