Dixon SpeedZTR 44 Safety Switch issue

Sned · Apr 27, 2016

My Dixon SpeedZTR just shut down while mowing. Everything seemed okay, it just stopped as if I had stood up and the seat switch killed the motor. When I tried to start it, it would not engage the solenoid, again as if the seat switch was operated. I put it in the shop, tested the seat switch, it was fine. I took the turning arm safety switches off, noticed the connectors were filled with dust, so blew them clean and reconnected them. It started right up. Yay! problem solved. I put everything back together, went back into the field mowed for three or four minutes, boom! same thing. Crap! Pulled it back in the shop, removed the plugs from the brake safety switches, blew them clean, hooked 'em back up. I noticed that the seat safety switch produced an open circuit when it was operated, so I just unplugged it for the test. Hit the key, started right up. Yay! I put everything back together, (including seat switch) hopped in the seat, hit the key - Nothing! Back to square one. The arm and brake safety switches test okay on the meter. I am thinking either there is a wiring issue (broken or loose) that I fixed temporarily when I messed with the arm switches, or perhaps a bad clutch switch.

Two questions: First, are there any safety switches beside the 5 on the seat, arms and brake that I missed?

Second, Are the symptoms described indicative of a bad clutch switch?

Thanks in advance,

Sned

bertsmobile1 · Apr 27, 2016

:welcome:

As you have not posted your model number and engine type & model number no one can give you anything other than generic information.

If you read your operators manual, everything it tells you to do before you hit the starter switch, will have a safety switch on it.
Then there are the relays.

There are two safety circuits that work independantly from each other.
One is a +12V series circuit that controls the starter solenoid.
The other is an earthig circuit that cuts out the engine & / or the blade PTO which earths out the magneto killing the spark and may trip the blade relay ( if it has one ) & turn off the blades.

pugaltitude · Apr 27, 2016

Sned said:
My Dixon SpeedZTR just shut down while mowing. Everything seemed okay, it just stopped as if I had stood up and the seat switch killed the motor. When I tried to start it, it would not engage the solenoid, again as if the seat switch was operated. I put it in the shop, tested the seat switch, it was fine. I took the turning arm safety switches off, noticed the connectors were filled with dust, so blew them clean and reconnected them. It started right up. Yay! problem solved. I put everything back together, went back into the field mowed for three or four minutes, boom! same thing. Crap! Pulled it back in the shop, removed the plugs from the brake safety switches, blew them clean, hooked 'em back up. I noticed that the seat safety switch produced an open circuit when it was operated, so I just unplugged it for the test. Hit the key, started right up. Yay! I put everything back together, (including seat switch) hopped in the seat, hit the key - Nothing! Back to square one. The arm and brake safety switches test okay on the meter. I am thinking either there is a wiring issue (broken or loose) that I fixed temporarily when I messed with the arm switches, or perhaps a bad clutch switch.

Two questions: First, are there any safety switches beside the 5 on the seat, arms and brake that I missed?

Second, Are the symptoms described indicative of a bad clutch switch?

Thanks in advance,

Sned

Dixons particularly the ram series were common for earths going slack and corrode.
This would give symptoms of what you are describing.
The earths are at the engine mount bolts. Clean and tighten.

Sned · Apr 28, 2016

pugaltitude said:
Dixons particularly the ram series were common for earths going slack and corrode.
This would give symptoms of what you are describing.
The earths are at the engine mount bolts. Clean and tighten.

Great! Thanks for the tip. That makes sense, I'll check that first thing this morning. It doesn't explain why the doggone thing came back to life after I cleaned the arm's safety switches the first time and then briefly reanimated after I cleaned the brake switches, coincidence perhaps... I am always leery of co-incidence. I was leaning toward one of the arms safety switches being intermittently bad and when I took it off and shook it in the re-installation, it worked again for a bit. I hope you are right on the grounds, it gives me a new approach. I was out of ideas.

Thanks again,

Sned

Mike_Goad · Apr 28, 2016

Since you cleaned the switches and checked them, the only thing left is the wires themselves. everytime you went back and checked the switches, you moved the wires as well. during the running of the unit, wires may move back and short out again.
Just my 2 cents worth.

Dixon SpeedZTR 44 Safety Switch issue

More options

Sned

Forum Newbie

bertsmobile1

Lawn Royalty

pugaltitude

Lawn Addict

Sned

Forum Newbie

Mike_Goad

Active Member

Footer Links 1

Footer Links 2