Houston, we've got a problem

send2den

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Apr 9, 2016
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Thanks Mark. Just hoping this is the culprit. Just have to cut some more yards to find out I guess. This is the classic "Can't see the trees for the forest" scenario that I know all too well when dealing with electrical problems if it pans out to be correct. Won't be the first time I have looked like an idiot while TSing electrical problems, LOL. I will get some grease though. Excellent idea.
 

send2den

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OK, a year and a half later and I'm still here.LOL. Problem is still prevalent. Checked around town for hourly rates and decided on a guy here in town. These people deal with Hustler mowers and seem pretty reputable. Borrowed a trailer to get it over there. Explained the problem just like I have here on this site and let em have it. That was 4 weeks ago. Got a call today that my mower was ready. I asked the guy what they found as the culprit. Guy says they couldn't duplicate it. But they DID top off the fluids, c/o the fuel filter and put a new battery in it as they claim the battery was weak. The word from the tech was that the weak battery was probably the culprit of the fuse blowing. I thought "BS" but I didn't tell them "BS". I asked to talk to the tech, but they claimed he was elbow deep in hyd. oil and couldn't make it to the phone. He thought the weak battery was the culprit. LOL. Soooo, I ask the guy to ask the tech, if he ever changed out the 15amp fuse with the standard 10amp fuse when he tried to duplicate. The damn thing will start all day with the 15 amp fuse in it, so that would tell them nothing if they didn't change it to the original specced fuse. Guy couldn't remember. LOL.Sooooo, $150.00 and problem not solved. What more can a guy ask for? What I will do is probably take a 10 amp fuse with me. Check the mower when I get there. If it has the 15 amp fuse still in it I will really be pissed. I'll plug in the 10. load it up on the trailer, let it run while I go back in and shoot the sheet (warming up the mower). Go cut it off and try and restart. If it blows I'll have 2 options. Pack up and get the hell out of there or bring em out there and show em and say TRY AGAIN. Option 3 includes me keeping it on the trailer and trading it in on a new x series JD 4 wheel steer, I've been eyeballing. Gonna search threads here on that one. ANY ideas would be welcome at this point. Thanks.
 

Rivets

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If you are sure that all wiring is in good condition and safety switches are good, I would get a new start relay and replace it, as relays can be affected by heat. If the problem still occurs, put the old relay back in and replace the kill relay. Replacing one relay at a time, just saves you buying two relays. I’ve only seen both relays going bad at the same time, once. If you want, you could just replace both from the start, just a little more $$$$. From your description, those are the only parts you are uncertain about. Spark plug wires have nothing to do with your problem, totally different electrical system, so cross that off as a possible cause. We both don’t know how the tech tried to solve the problem, but I would like to know if he tried different relays after bypassing the safety switches. This should not be a hard problem to solve, if the tech follows a good electrical troubleshooting procedure. Electrical troubleshooting can turn ones hair grey and cause one to drink, but with patience and a good understanding of electrical principles, plus a good procedure it can be done. If you like the unit, I would find the best electrical guy around, brand does not matter, and ask him if he would give it a try.
 

send2den

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Thanks rivets. May try that out after making sure the battery didn't solve the problem. LOL. Haven't yet figured out how I can say BS in a eloquent matter yet when I talk to them. Be nice if I could duplicate after I change the 15amp back to the 10 amp which I am just about sure they probably never even did. Could be wrong. Relays are fairly cheap. Friend of mine claims the 15 amp fuse in the safety circuit should not be a problem, but if it blows, it might be time to dive in again. Don't know if I can subscribe to that theory but he knows a hell of a lot more about outdoor equipment electric than I do.
 

bertsmobile1

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Yes , I am with Rivets on this one.
Forget about the mower shop and find an auto electrician.
One who only does repairs and does not sell air conditioning units , radios etc etc.
Take the wiring diagram with you and remind them that the cut out is a ground circuit .
Finding the correct wiring diagram is the hardest part.
They will have plenty of relays there to substitute with plus a lot better diagnostic gear and more experience in chasing up wiring problems.
Mower electrics & car electrics are exactly the same, except for the magneto ignition however a lot of emergency vehicles also ran a secondary magneto ignition system until the 90's, so an older technician should not have a problem with it.
I found a good one 30 miles away from my shop & he gets a lot of stuff from me to fix that is supposedly unrepairable.
Back before the flood of Chonda parts he had repaired at least 20 Honda starters for less than 10% of the replacement price.
The engine could have a 10A, 12A, 15 A, or 20A alternator depending upon which model got fitted so no a 15A fuse should not be a problem
 

send2den

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Thanks Bert. I'll probably go over there today to talk with the manager or owner and tell them #1 I didn't necessarily run my unit in there to have "fluids topped off" or fuel filter changed out as well as a new battery, which seemed in good shape when I dropped it off. NONE of those things has a damn thing to do with fuses popping. #2 Ask them to just tell me the truth about not being able to find the problem. This "weak battery causing fuses to blow" is an insult to my intelligence and I'll never buy that as a viable option. #3 It was dropped off with the understanding that I was dealing with MORE THAN LIKELY an intermittent short somewhere in the electrical system and I wanted your guys to T/S, find and fix it. That's what I guess I'll say and I guess haul it the hell out of there. Check around for more people who can deal with this in my area. May even poke around on it some more if this weather here ever warms up a tad. 9 degrees right now, and my garage is not heated. What has happened here is the EXACT reason why I don't like taking my stuff to people to fix. This was my last alternative and was willing to just pay to have it fixed. I'm paying, but it's not fixed I am assuming.
 
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