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Blown fuse

#1

M

MDBurr

I purchased a Hustler Raptor flip up mower about 3 years ago and recently it has started blowing the 10 amp fuses located under the seat, once blown nothing seems to work.
When you turn the key on the fuse pops and the Instruments all quit registering and it’s dead.
First time it happened I engage the blades and the mower went dead, then I attempted to start it and found the fuse was blown. Each time I put a new fuse in and tried to start the mower it would blow the fuse immediately.
I then attempted to take it out of gear, (pulling the 2 tabs out in back) and positioning the steering arms in the center position of neutral but it appeared to still be in gear, to hard and to heavy to push.
I pulled it over to the garage with my truck and then it rolled freely into the garage.
I decided that washing it may have gotten water into a elec connection and could be causing a short but not being sure if that was the problem I called the dealer. The dealer told me it most likely was a bad ignition switch or starter solenoid so I ordered a new ignition switch, once installed it did not take care of the problem, still blowing fuses.
I checked the starter solenoid by jumping the two connections and everything turned over just fine so I ruled out starting solenoid.
I then started checking each wire harness connection by disconnecting the plugs and blowing them out with the air pressure and then using electronic spray cleaner and plugging them back in this included all the gauges and switches and still no help.
I now started disconnecting one plug or wire connection at a time and then turned the key to see if the fuse would blow and each time it would blow until I unplugged the last wire connection to the clutch, with the clutch unplugged the ignition switch turned on and didn’t blow a fuse.
I then unplugged the wire at the clutch and at the wire harness connector and inspected the wire but found nothing to be a problem so I reinstalled the wire and connected both clutch plug and wire connection and everything worked with no more blown fuses (WHY?)
Yesterday I mowed the front lawn and when done went to lift/ flip up the deck to clean it and didn’t put the deck lift pin in position so the deck dropped to low to install the pin, when I pushed the button to lift the deck the fuse blew.
Again I pulled it to the garage as it didn’t seem free enough to push by hand and tried unplugging the clutch but this time it blew the fuse when plugged back in.
I put my last good fuse in and left frustrate, then mowed my lawn with my 20 year old John Deere.
After finishing the lawn and as I walked past the hustler I tried turning the key on the Hustler and everything worked.
Sorry this explanation is so long but I wanted to let you know the steps taken.
Has anyone experienced this issue or does anyone have any suggestions as to what I do next, I don’t want to be left high and dry in a location where I can’t tow the lawnmower back to my garage.
Thank you.


#2

B

bertsmobile1

Thanks for the post
A couple of questions & observations
I checked the starter solenoid by jumping the two connections
Click to expand...
Which 2 wires ? the trigger wires or the power cables ?
you need to be specific, even if it comes to the point of naming the wire colours

With electrical problems we really really really need to know the model & serial numbers so we can look up wiring diagrams which may change one year to the next .

If a fuse blows the instant you turn the key on then if you consult the wiring diagram you would see it has to be something that is downstream from key switch.
My personal approach is to use a lot of short jumper wires to jump the switch socket connections till I come across the one that "fixes" the problem.
If no joy there then I use longer ones to jump from one socket to the next in series , this identifies chafed wires & broken connections .

Now from what you have written I would suspect a chaffed wire and would pull the clutch off and have good look at the wires entering the clutch.
They are prone to chaffing & breaking

Most circuits have the clutch as a direct connection to the battery with it's own fuse but if the diode is gone it can cause similar problems


#3

M

MDBurr

bertsmobile1 said:
Thanks for the post
A couple of questions & observations

Which 2 wires ? the trigger wires or the power cables ?
you need to be specific, even if it comes to the point of naming the wire colours

With electrical problems we really really really need to know the model & serial numbers so we can look up wiring diagrams which may change one year to the next .

If a fuse blows the instant you turn the key on then if you consult the wiring diagram you would see it has to be something that is downstream from key switch.
My personal approach is to use a lot of short jumper wires to jump the switch socket connections till I come across the one that "fixes" the problem.
If no joy there then I use longer ones to jump from one socket to the next in series , this identifies chafed wires & broken connections .

Now from what you have written I would suspect a chaffed wire and would pull the clutch off and have good look at the wires entering the clutch.
They are prone to chaffing & breaking

Most circuits have the clutch as a direct connection to the battery with it's own fuse but if the diode is gone it can cause similar problems
Click to expand...
Thank you Bertsmobile for replying, your reply went to junk mail and I just now found it, sorry about the delayed response.
First let me say that I'm not very good working on electrical issues, I can plug and unplug connections and look for wire scraps or brakes, some what follow YouTube suggestions but limited knowledge with wire diagrams or testing equipment.
To answer your questions and again thank you:
Hustler Raptor Flip-up 48" Kohler Pro 700, ser# 16019570 mdl# 933614
The posts I jumped on the starter solenoid were the 2 main brass post from the battery and to the starter and it turned over the engine, I could hear the solenoid open and close when it decided to work and as I recall I put power to the switch connection on the solenoid and heated it click.
As I said in my summary of what happed after towing it back to the garage and mowing with a different mower and trying the Hustler ignition switch again the gauges came on and didn't blow the fuse so I tried starting it and the fuse blew.

You suggested I remove the clutch and look for bad wires, I did unplug the only wire going from the connector plug upstream of the clutch and the plug going into the clutch and it was fine.
Are there other wires inside the clutch I should be looking at ?. I'm becoming frustrated and about ready to haul it to the dealer if I can borrow a trailer and figure out how to load it not running.
Thank you for any suggestion and again sorry about the delay.
mike.


#4

sgkent

sgkent

can you confirm that when the clutch connector is disconnected the unit will run normally, and that everything else works except for the clutch?


#5

M

MDBurr

sgkent said:
can you confirm that when the clutch connector is disconnected the unit will run normally, and that everything else works except for the clutch?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I can not, today I went out and put a new fuse in after turning the key on yesterday and having the fuse blow and that was turning the key to the auxiliary position not the start position. So today I installed new fuse and unpluged the clutch up line at the connector and when I turned the key the fuse blew.
I again replaced the fuse, plugged the connector back in for the clutch and disconnected the starter solenoid ignition switch wire and turned the key, fuse blew, then disconnected the power to the solenoid and same problem.
Then reconnected everything but accident touched the positive post to the negative post on the solenoid and it turned over for just a quick moment.
After reconnecting and replacing the fuse of course, I turned the key on and it did blow the fuse but when I tried to start it the stater turn over for a sec and blew the fuse. Again replaced fuse turned key and gauges came on without blowing the fuse so I jumped the two post on the starter solenoid and it started.
I am now wondering if it isn’t the starter solenoid causing some issue.
once again I’m sorry about the long drawn out post but I’m just trying to tell you everything I did.


#6

B

bertsmobile1

Are you dead sure that the battery is in right way round ?
Cross connecting the battery will do exactly what you are seeing


#7

StarTech

StarTech

Wiring schematics that should help troubleshooting.
1651322095555.png
1651322213024.png


#8

M

MDBurr

bertsmobile1 said:
Are you dead sure that the battery is in right way round ?
Cross connecting the battery will do exactly what you are seeing
Click to expand...
Yes, Ive never taken it out and the cables haven't been changed.


#9

B

bertsmobile1

Well you have a dead short
In the diagram above check the red wire that goes to the B terminal
Pull the plug off and jump from the B socket (red wire) to the a socket ( orange wire )
If the fuse dose not blow then the switch is at fault
A word to the wise here
Before you start, remove the kill wire from the magnetos
If you accidentally just brush that wire with a battery wire you will fry the coils .


#10

sgkent

sgkent

disconnect the starter and solenoid wire if you think they are the cause. Be sure to wrap them somehow so they cannot ground out. Then see if that stops the fuse from blowing. I don't think it will but at least you can eliminate them in your mind.


#11

StarTech

StarTech

Kinda pointing to the SI controller failing but I be disconnecting systems at the controller in case it is a frayed wire in between the controller and the component.


#12

M

MDBurr

I want to thank you for your replies and all of the suggestions and information and having tried most of the suggestion and all I know, I'm throwing in the towel.
It's loaded in the trailer and heading to the dealership tomorrow or next day. I'll report back on what they find and again, thank you.


#13

Mr. Mower

Mr. Mower

Yes keep us all posted on the final outcome, what was done to fix it and specifically details on why & what was causing the fuse the blow.

Lastly.....yeah the following advice is too late but "never" spray water on a ZT mower to clean it......NEVER-EVER!

(only under the deck-blades, etc. for cleaning)

As you have now found out....that only leads to electrical problems on your ZT mower.


#14

M

MDBurr

Mr Mower,
Update on what the dealer\ repair found on my fuse blowing hustler raptor.
After a week they called and said it was fixed, said they replaced the ignition switch.
Something I had done that made no difference so I put the old one back in and returned the other.
They assured me it now worked, they had driven and started it and felt that was it.
I went to pick up and it started and drove into the trailer, shut it off but felt it needed to move forward because of trailer weigh.
Went to start it and the 30 amp fuse popped instead of the 10 amp, opened the rubber fuse holder and the fuse fell out. Concluded a loose fuse caused it to blow, put a new one in and all was good again.
Unloaded at home and ran it into the garag, next day was dry enough to mow so drove it out and let it warm up while policed the lawn for dog surprises. Go to get on and it dies with a blown 30 amp fuse.
Next day back to the dealer, 3 mechanics spent the next 2+ hours working on my wiring and found the switch where the removable steel pin goes into the deck for securing to flip the front end up had a skinned wire just below the switch.
A switch I didn’t know was there, hidden from sight, intermittent touching the fram and appeared the switch wire hung down and made contact with the belt or pulley When the deck was raised or lowered or vibration when running.
Still don’t understand the moving from 10 amp to the 30 amp fuse but upon asking how much I owed and being told I’d went through enough, a quick thank you and 50 mile later unloaded and mowed.
thank you for all your suggestion.


#15

Mr. Mower

Mr. Mower

Good for you!

Glad you got it going/working again! (y)


#16

S

s@ts1946

MDBurr said:
Mr Mower,
Update on what the dealer\ repair found on my fuse blowing hustler raptor.
After a week they called and said it was fixed, said they replaced the ignition switch.
Something I had done that made no difference so I put the old one back in and returned the other.
They assured me it now worked, they had driven and started it and felt that was it.
I went to pick up and it started and drove into the trailer, shut it off but felt it needed to move forward because of trailer weigh.
Went to start it and the 30 amp fuse popped instead of the 10 amp, opened the rubber fuse holder and the fuse fell out. Concluded a loose fuse caused it to blow, put a new one in and all was good again.
Unloaded at home and ran it into the garag, next day was dry enough to mow so drove it out and let it warm up while policed the lawn for dog surprises. Go to get on and it dies with a blown 30 amp fuse.
Next day back to the dealer, 3 mechanics spent the next 2+ hours working on my wiring and found the switch where the removable steel pin goes into the deck for securing to flip the front end up had a skinned wire just below the switch.
A switch I didn’t know was there, hidden from sight, intermittent touching the fram and appeared the switch wire hung down and made contact with the belt or pulley When the deck was raised or lowered or vibration when running.
Still don’t understand the moving from 10 amp to the 30 amp fuse but upon asking how much I owed and being told I’d went through enough, a quick thank you and 50 mile later unloaded and mowed.
thank you for all your suggestion.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for not only going into detail what has been happening with your hustler flipup but also for coming back and explaining what the problem ended up being.
My friend had the same exact problem, and with us just about doing everything you did I finally did more research and saw your post.
I just knew there had to be another safety switch but never looked enough to find it. Your post not only told us what the problem was but also got me looking much closer to that area.
The wiring loom and the wires got rubbed by the pulley and shorted them out. Of course that would continue to pop the fuse. Hustler needs to come out with a better way of protecting those wires. They are to close to the pulley and belts. We have done our best to move it again and add more wire ties.
Well thank you again for helping us with your post. We really appreciate it. 310941D1-169C-40FA-B5CE-28AC741F431D.jpeg


#17

M

MDBurr

s@ts1946 said:
Thank you so much for not only going into detail what has been happening with your hustler flipup but also for coming back and explaining what the problem ended up being.
My friend had the same exact problem, and with us just about doing everything you did I finally did more research and saw your post.
I just knew there had to be another safety switch but never looked enough to find it. Your post not only told us what the problem was but also got me looking much closer to that area.
The wiring loom and the wires got rubbed by the pulley and shorted them out. Of course that would continue to pop the fuse. Hustler needs to come out with a better way of protecting those wires. They are to close to the pulley and belts. We have done our best to move it again and add more wire ties.
Well thank you again for helping us with your post. We really appreciate it. View attachment 62894
Click to expand...
I’m very glad to have helped.


#18

shadetree#1

shadetree#1

You might consider these for use when trying to locate a overload or short.
resettable ckt breakers

Gloaso Manual Reset Fuses Circuit Breaker Low Profile ATC Fuse Breakers E39 5A 10A 15A 20A 25A 30A for 12V 24V DC Car Boat RV Solar​



#19

shadetree#1

shadetree#1

Gloaso Manual Reset Fuses Circuit Breaker Low Profile ATC Fuse Breakers E39 5A 10A 15A 20A 25A 30A for 12V 24V DC Car Boat RV Solar​



#20

B

bertsmobile1

YEs I use them for diagnosis only and have 2 of each size in my mobile tool kit
However I tries fitting them in customers mowers but found they were not robust enough and they all failed within a couple of years.


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