4 days ago...
Mowed half my lawn and took a break. Foolish me, i shut the tractor off with the mower deck on/running. Later, went to finish the lawn and i could not get the mower to start. Kept sounding like the starter or solenoid. After screwing with it for an hour-and trying to start it with the use of a booster- I figured out that the electric clutch switch was still on. I shut it off, started the tractor and started mowing. After short amount of mowing the deck shut off...I thought i busted or threw a belt...not so. The clutch was not engaged. While stationary i tried engaging the deck and i noticed it was drawing down power and causing the tractor to quit..I eventually blew the 20amp fuse(more than once) while fiddling with with the deck removed from the tractor. I pulled/disconnected the connection/plug for the clutch(under the tractor and when i pull the switch for the clutch there is still a huge drawdown. If i start the tractor with the switch disconnected there is no draw down and it runs fine.
After thinking things over an some more fiddling i thought to myself it must be the switch since it does it with the clutch unplugged.
4 days later...
Got a new switch and the same thing is happening. I have not smelled anything burning at any point and dont know where to start sorting this out. I am now sure it must have something to do with the boost i gave it thinking battery/starter. I am not good at this an need some step by step help.
The continues cranking had drawn down the battery.
Electrical loads are Watts and the load does not care much how it gets it 10A @ 12V or 20A @ 6 V all the same thing.
But Amps = heat, heat = power loss, so the load draws even more amps till the fuse blows.
So start with a nice freshly charged battery.
measure the voltage between the terminals at rest, running then running with the blades spinning.
Both of the running voltages must be higher than the engine off voltage.
If not you have a charging problem.
I have a fully charged battery. The charging system is working fine. I have 3.1 ohms for clutch resistance test. i have the deck off the tractor and the clutch unplugged because when i snap on the clutch the ammeter pegs at full discharge. Short somewhere is my guess. not in ignition switch. not in pto switch. have not found melted or split wiring so far and i have a lot pulled out of the loom.
can it be a problem in the switch interlock? seat switch? how do i temp by pass to test these or test these?
Any one think it could be the diode in the clutch circuit?
I have the battery out. Wiring removed from Ignition switch, PTO switch and many other things disconnected. I am showing continuity between both red PTO wires at the switch terminals when i think there shouldn't be any. I also show continuity between both terminals in the connection that goes to the clutch connector.
I also have continuity at either of the terminals at the clutch connector with both of the red wires in the pto switch connector.
There looks to be a possibly melted spot where the diode would be hidden under the rubber sheath.
Can I clip the lead end of the diode going to the black wire? I think that provides a bit of ballast/cushion to help the switch last longer is all.
