22 HP, blown diode..but why?

Jrork2001

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Hi folks. I'm new here and trying to help my son. He was given a nice riding lawntractor from a friend and we've discovered the diode that I assume is for the charging circuit burned half. From what he was told the previous owners had bad battery and kept just jumping it to start it. Long story short, they put a new battery in it but that didn't fix the issues so they gave it to him. We're already ordered the proper diode PN 611161 but we're reluctant to install it as we don't want to burn it out again. In one of my dumber ideas I suggested just connecting the wires together to see if it would start and it lit right off.......but blew the 20 amp fuse. I've since learned what the diode is for and how it manages the charging voltage.
So, is there anything else we need to check or do you think the diode burned out from the previous owner just using that old battery and kept jumping it therefore, overloading the charging curcuit and diode?

The model number is a TVT691 - 600810B

Thanks so very much everyone.............john
 

bertsmobile1

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Running with a flat battery will blow the diode just the same as running your car with a flat battery will blow a diode in your car's alternator.
This is paticularly the case if the mower has an electric blade clutch in which case the alternator may have been swapped at some point in time.
 

Jrork2001

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Running with a flat battery will blow the diode just the same as running your car with a flat battery will blow a diode in your car's alternator.
This is paticularly the case if the mower has an electric blade clutch in which case the alternator may have been swapped at some point in time.
Thank you very much! We'll swap the new diode in and make sure the new battery is fully charged, all connections and grounds are clean and tight prior to giving it a shot. I'll report back with the results regardless. Thanks again
 

Jrork2001

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Quick question. The diode we received has different connections compared to what was on the motor. Given that, and recognizing that a diode only works one direction, which way is which? image-33-420-Blount-500Wx500H.jpg
 

Telesis

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The red butt connector end is attached to the wire coming from the engine alternator. The female spade connector end is what connects to the battery side of things. FWIW, the anode lead of the diode is connected to the red butt connector and the cathode lead of the diode connects to the female spade connector. Electricity flows in one direction only and its from the anode to the cathode.
 

slomo

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The red butt connector end is attached to the wire coming from the engine alternator. The female spade connector end is what connects to the battery side of things. FWIW, the anode lead of the diode is connected to the red butt connector and the cathode lead of the diode connects to the female spade connector. Electricity flows in one direction only and its from the anode to the cathode.
Um, the US Army taught us different. Current flows from the - post to the + post. Electricity is made up of electrons which are negatively charged. The positive post, has the positive potential, which attracts the negative electrons to IT.

Anode means positive current flow flowing through a device. Cathode is the negative side of the house.

slomo
 

Telesis

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slomo, what you are pointing out is the difference between "electron current flow" and "conventional current flow". Most folks who haven't been trained otherwise, are much more familiar with "conventional current flow" where "current" flows from positive to negative which is why I explained it the way I did. In a diode, conventional current enters the anode side of the diode and exits the cathode (while electrons enter the cathode and exit the anode).
 
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