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My Craftsman yt3000 keeps blowing the main fuse. after i've been mowing for a while it blows and everything stops. if i try to put in a new fuse, it arcs
and blows again. after it sits for a while, i may or may not get the fuse to hold. i've checked every inch of the wiring and can find no chafing or loose
connections. It's a new mower and this problem started the third time i used it. I know it's under warranty but the problem is intermittent and i'm not
very confident they can find it if it's not happening at the time. has anyone had or heard of this issue?
thank you. davidrhull@gmail.com

Could be a bad spot someplace in the wiring, but could also be an electric clutch, voltage regulator, or fuel shutoff solenoid shorting out when it gets hot.

Yes being in the repair business this is a problem I have ran across from time to time. This can be one of your hardest electrical problems to find . Its just one of them things you will need to look for and I have found most of the time its a pinched wire. The first thing you are going to have to do is isolate the circuit which is blowing the fuse and work from there. Very sorry for the answer but you aren't going to find a answer for a short of this type on a forum so don't get offended from my answer.

Thanks for your input guys. I am very happy for any and all suggestions.
i'm assuming this mower has a combo starter/generator on it and maybe the voltage regulator would be integral with it.
i can't seem to find a voltage regulator anywhere else on the machine. yes the problem does indeed seem to have
some correlation to the machine having been worked hard for a while.

I like this YT3000 SO much that I'm willing to put up with some aggravation to work out the bug. I had a craftsman LT1000 for
ten years and it gave me good service. when the engine blew, i bought an LT1500 but gave it back to Sears within a week.

Will let you know how it turns out. Thanks again. davidrhull@gmail.com

Run it without the electric clutch on for the same time to see if it will blow the fuse, my money's on the clutch.:licking:

I can well understand wanting to repair it yourself. Its just has to be a big pain to bring it to the repair shop and when you need it. Seeing its warranty and if its any kind of shop at all I would think they would run into these type of problems all the time. They should have the equipment and skills to repair it. If you really want to repair it yourself I would want to start with a wiring diagram. I find a wiring diagram is like a road map when you are lost in a big city. hope you the best of luck :thumbsup:

thanks for you patience gentlemen. I've seen a couple of references to an "electric clutch" or "attachment clutch". I'm a bit puzzled on that.
the only clutches I can find, or am aware of, are the left foot clutch/brake and the lever (clutch?) I throw to engage the mower deck. Both do have
interlock switches on them. there are no other attachments on the mower.
Does anyone know where the alternator is on this rig? I suspect it's part of the starter motor.
I will check out the fuel bowl electrical connection.
best regards, davidrhull@gmail.com

reynoldston said:

I can well understand wanting to repair it yourself. Its just has to be a big pain to bring it to the repair shop and when you need it. Seeing its warranty and if its any kind of shop at all I would think they would run into these type of problems all the time. They should have the equipment and skills to repair it. If you really want to repair it yourself I would want to start with a wiring diagram. I find a wiring diagram is like a road map when you are lost in a big city. hope you the best of luck :thumbsup:

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Thanks Reynoldston. It may well come to me taking it in. Sears here closed up it's repair shop and i assume they now contract with approved shops
here. They offered me that special warranty plan where they send a tech to one's house. Unfortunately, I turned them down this time. (cost a few hundred)
It's like taking a sick child to the doctor and having them be just fine when you get there.

I do have the wiring diagram and it is a big help.
best regards, davidrhull@gmail.com:confused2:

This is the very reason I am telling you to get a wiring diagram. Its going to give you all your information about the starter, voltage regulator, etc. It will be your road map. When I start looking for a electrical problem in my shop the first tool I am looking for is a wiring diagram. Without it is just going to be a big guessing game. Your are on a forum with a lot of free advice but everyone of these people are just guessing and for your sake I hope one of them gives you the right answer. Good luck.

Hate too say this, but if you don't understand the electric PTO clutch, you might be working on this a long time. I also recommend turning this over to a repair shop as you might void your entire warranty by trying to fix it. I have seen too many electrical problems that were made worse by the owner trying to fix it themselves.

grampadave said:

Thanks Reynoldston. It may well come to me taking it in. Sears here closed up it's repair shop and i assume they now contract with approved shops
here. They offered me that special warranty plan where they send a tech to one's house. Unfortunately, I turned them down this time. (cost a few hundred)
It's like taking a sick child to the doctor and having them be just fine when you get there.

I do have the wiring diagram and it is a big help.
best regards, davidrhull@gmail.com:confused2:

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This is one of the hardest type of problems to find. Just when you think you have found it turn around and bits you. This is one of the reason like I said in my first post I find as a rule it a pinched wire not saying that's your problem. Just check all your wires and another trick I will do is isolate the engine from the chassis and that give you a better idea where to look. Just plan on spending some time looking for this and don't get discouraged.

Rivets said:

Hate too say this, but if you don't understand the electric PTO clutch, you might be working on this a long time. I also recommend turning this over to a repair shop as you might void your entire warranty by trying to fix it. I have seen too many electrical problems that were made worse by the owner trying to fix it themselves.

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Well, I did come here for advice, so it would be dumb of me to ignore it. I will take it in to a pro.

Thanks all for the input. I will let you know what it turns out to be.

best regards, dave

Thanks again Reynoldston. if the tech can't fix it, I'll give it another shot. Still love the mower.
best regards,
dave

FIXED

grampadave said:

Thanks again Reynoldston. if the tech can't fix it, I'll give it another shot. Still love the mower.
best regards,
dave

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Well the tech got here and it took him about 10 minutes to find that the wire between the solenoid and the starter was being pinched
by the mower deck linkage.

thanks for all the input guys. Hope this post helps others.

grampa dave