Older Craftsman ZTS 7500 w/ Kohler Command 18 engine -Mower deck wont operate.

[Bad_karma101]

Hi everyone,
New to the forum, and new to Zero Turn mowers.
I just bought a (very) used Craftsman ZTS 7500 - was told its a 1998 year model. Battery was bad, and the seller jumped started it, he demo'd it for me. All looked OK, so I bought it, brought it home. This was yesterday. Today I was playing with it, checking out my new toy in my garage. After fresh gas, and jump starting the bad battery, it sounded good, as I started learning to operate the ZT mower. But.. when I have it idling I tried engaging the PTO knob to start the mower deck. It first stalled/ died. I re-jump started it again, this time giving it more throttle, and the mower deck started, was operating no problem, and then I disengaged the PTO knob . Deck disengaged, but I tried engaging it again, and ..nothing. motor just runs. no pulleys turning underneath?
Im pretty sure I had the parking brake lever "off" , etc. What am I doing wrong?
Am I correct in thinking since it is just getting voltage from the engine running ( .bad battery ) maybe there is not enough power to run the PTO/ Mower deck on that voltage alone? When I put a new, fully charged battery in , will my mower " mow"?
Are there fuses on these older Craftsman ZTS 7500's? Is this an electrical issue? Bad PTO switch , or loose connection?
I realize I have a lot to look at, being its an older Mower, and new to me. Just hoping someone can give me some insight.
All-in-all, I still think I got a good deal in this old mower.
Thanks!

 

[bertsmobile1]

What you are doing wrong is using a mower with a flat battery
This will destroy the alternator if it has not already done so
So start off with a nice new fresh battery ( don't throw the old one out yet )
The mower needs voltage to start & run
In your immediate situation it sounds like you have blown the main fuse .
I have no idea who made this mower ( craftsman is just a retail name ) so have no idea where to look
The mower should have an ID tag some where and we need the numbers off the tag to work out what the mower actually is.
If you pull the plug off the back of the ignition switch there will be a red wire that should be battery voltage
Some where that wire has a fuse on it .
Usual practice is to run the main power wire off the same terminal on solenoid as the battery is connected to
So that is the other end of the main power feed .
Good luck .

 

[Bad_karma101]

What you are doing wrong is using a mower with a flat battery
This will destroy the alternator if it has not already done so
So start off with a nice new fresh battery ( don't throw the old one out yet )
The mower needs voltage to start & run
In your immediate situation it sounds like you have blown the main fuse .
I have no idea who made this mower ( craftsman is just a retail name ) so have no idea where to look
The mower should have an ID tag some where and we need the numbers off the tag to work out what the mower actually is.
If you pull the plug off the back of the ignition switch there will be a red wire that should be battery voltage
Some where that wire has a fuse on it .
Usual practice is to run the main power wire off the same terminal on solenoid as the battery is connected to
So that is the other end of the main power feed .
Good luck .

Thanks Bert. This gives me a place to start?? As far as The model and serial number inside the shroud/cover, prior owner Informed me that he replaced the plastic shroud from( this)original craftsman CTS 7500 with another craftsman GTS mower - same color , only difference was the replacement cover was one that used the Briggs &Stratton engine. I have the Kohler Command 18 engine. But somewhere there has to be a serial number/model number/engine number that can help me identify this mower properly. I will be getting a new battery for it today or tomorrow sometime and go from there. Thanks for the help??

 

[Rivets]

Please provide us with the units model number, probably located under the seat. With them we should be able to figure out the model of the engine.

 

[Bad_karma101]

Hi everyone,
New to the forum, and new to Zero Turn mowers.
I just bought a (very) used Craftsman ZTS 7500 - was told its a 1998 year model. Battery was bad, and the seller jumped started it, he demo'd it for me. All looked OK, so I bought it, brought it home. This was yesterday. Today I was playing with it, checking out my new toy in my garage. After fresh gas, and jump starting the bad battery, it sounded good, as I started learning to operate the ZT mower. But.. when I have it idling I tried engaging the PTO knob to start the mower deck. It first stalled/ died. I re-jump started it again, this time giving it more throttle, and the mower deck started, was operating no problem, and then I disengaged the PTO knob . Deck disengaged, but I tried engaging it again, and ..nothing. motor just runs. no pulleys turning underneath?
Im pretty sure I had the parking brake lever "off" , etc. What am I doing wrong?
Am I correct in thinking since it is just getting voltage from the engine running ( .bad battery ) maybe there is not enough power to run the PTO/ Mower deck on that voltage alone? When I put a new, fully charged battery in , will my mower " mow"?
Are there fuses on these older Craftsman ZTS 7500's? Is this an electrical issue? Bad PTO switch , or loose connection?
I realize I have a lot to look at, being its an older Mower, and new to me. Just hoping someone can give me some insight.
All-in-all, I still think I got a good deal in this old mower.
Thanks!

So I solved this myself. It was what I had suspected. When I eventually picked up a new, charged replacement battery, the issue corrected itself. The machine had enough voltage in the electrical system to now engage the mower deck fully while running. As it was when I bought it ( very used, and totally shot battery) there jusy was not enough in it with its magneto/ or generator- not sure which it has yet, to spin the deck without extra juice from the battery.
All is good now. Just waiting for the snow to melt.