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Rider quits. No electrical power . . . at all.

#1

E

ecknerwal

27HP Craftsman 54" Deck 700+ Hours. -- Mowing for about 30 minutes when engine quit. No power! No lights. No LCD hour meter. No Amp meter jump. PTO is off. Checked Operator Present switch and wires. 30 amp fuse OK. Battery Pos & Neg wires tight on both ends. Recently replaced PTO (yes, correct model). What else should I check?


#2

K

KennyV

Is there any power at the battery...
They can fail suddenly as an Open... what voltage do you have on the battery and also at the key switch? :smile:KennyV


#3

C

cubby

I agree with Kenny batteries can go bad just like that, and and with most electrical problems you start
with checking the battery first. Also check the negative battery cable where it connects to the chassis
to make sure it has a tight connection. This problem where there is no power to anything is usually
easier to find than most electrical problems. Get a voltmeter or test light and start checking...cubby


#4

E

ecknerwal

OK, here goes . . . I jumped the battery, nothing. So I recheck the fuse. There's so much dirt jammed up into it I can't tell really for sure it's OK. Cleaned it out - yep, it's blown. Replace with a new 30A fuse. Starts right up!! Great! Hit the PTO switch and BAM! blown fuse. I'm gonna check for a place that grounds out a power wire. Since this originally blew during operation (the PTO was already running) and now it blows when turned on. I'm guessing some wire wore down and touched ground while in operation, now I gotta find it. Any other ideas?


#5

E

ecknerwal

Found PTO wire had rubbed on pulley. Repaired wire. Now engine runs but when I pull the PTO switch the engine quits. The PTO engages and the blades begin to spin but the engine quits. Quickly switch off the PTO and the engine catches and continues to run. What the heck now??


#6

K

KennyV

The PTO switch is actually two switches in one... It's possible that the short has damaged the PTO switch... check with an ohm meter and see if the other side of the switch is bad... :smile:KennyV


#7

E

ecknerwal

I don't understand, what do you mean by "the other side of the switch"? The are are 3 rows of pins I believe. I'd have to go check . . . it's after midnight now so tomorrow will suffice, yes?.


#8

reddragon

reddragon

ive had the fuse connector break inside.....check for power to your ignition switch


#9

E

ecknerwal

There must be power, it starts, runs and the headlight comes on. It's just that the engine quits when the PTO switch is on. Am I mistaken? What am I missing?


#10

reddragon

reddragon

the PTO has a safety switch that grounds the magneto.....either the switch is dead/cooked or the wiring


#11

E

ecknerwal

Where is this switch? How do I find and replace it? If this switch is "dead or cooked" how can my PTO still work? You see, while the engine is running, I pull the PTO switch, the PTO engages and begins to spin. At the same time I pull the switch, the engine quits. If I quickly release the PTO switch, the engine will catch and continue running. Even with the engine OFF but with the key in the ON position, when I pull the PTO switch I can hear the PTO engage or disengage. What shall I check next?


#12

reddragon

reddragon

you need a wiring diagram first....its not a single circuit....its routed thru the reverse lockout or blade engagement or seat switch...etc....its probably the same switch that your pulling on......im sure it has more than 2 wires going to it......give us the tractor model/serial numbers so we can look up a wiring diagram and figure this out


#13

K

KennyV

Where is this switch? How do I find and replace it?
...What shall I check next?

THE PTO switch Is a Two part switch, One part turns on the pto clutch.. the other part si there to see that you do not turn the pto on under certain conditions...

Check the 'other;' side of The PTO switch and the wiring associated with it... :smile:KennyV


#14

E

ecknerwal

Craftsman DGT 5000, 27 HP (Kohler) 54" Deck, 917-276120


#15

reddragon

reddragon

from what i found..you have the PTO switch....interlock switch and seat switch...one of them is not being engaged or is damaged.....or the wiring associated....im still looking for a real wiring diagram [the interlock is probably part of your clutch/brake pedal].........ps...my first reply on this thread was responding to the first posts


#16

reddragon

reddragon

Model # 917276120 | Parts.Sears.com ...heres some info....it sounds like you know how to use a multimeter....if not?...we can walk you thru it:smile:


#17

E

ecknerwal

Borrowed a PTO switch and ran the thing. Turned on the PTO, PTO begins to spin as engine quits. Sooooooooo it ain't the switch I guess. NEXT!!


#18

reddragon

reddragon

check your clutch /brake switch for continuity.........does your seat switch still kill the engine?


#19

E

ecknerwal

Both of those switches have been "deactivated" for a long time. Wires to them seem to be in good shape and they are both in the same position as always.


#20

reddragon

reddragon

what do you mean deactivated?...it makes a big difference in my experience


#21

E

ecknerwal

Locked in a permanent down/in use/closed position. Both of them. I've had it this way for several years.


#22

reddragon

reddragon

how exactly?....ive seen duct tape that loosens etc..... you should check those switches....do you know how to use a multimeter?....when the PTO wire shorted..it could have cooked a switch


#23

E

ecknerwal

Both switches are solidly in the CLOSED position. I didn't clamp it down with duct tape but did a very good job and they are in the same condition as when I first did it. Today, I cut the wires to to the OPERATOR-PRESENT switch and connected them to make a CLOSED loop. (Still have the same stalling problem.) I didn't do anything to the BRAKE/CLUTCH switch because it's not a simple ON/OFF like the OP-PRESENT switch. It's not too expensive so I'll probably just buy a new one. I don't like fixing problems by purchasing parts until the problems solved, but . . . I don't have a multimeter anymore and besides, I was never completely competent with it. On to the next.


#24

reddragon

reddragon

well ....you need to test the switch or replace it [its only $12].......they are a little tricky....many times they are opening a circuit and closing one at the sametime......or one or the other........as for the seat switch......you need to know if its a circuit closer or opener.....doing it the wrong way can wreak havoc


#25

K

KennyV

I don't have a multimeter anymore and besides, I was never completely competent with it. ...

Get a decent meter... It will Save you a Lot of Guessing and $$$....
Learn to use it as there is not going to be many new inventions coming up to replace electricity:smile: ... You will have uses for it as long as you are around... :smile:KennyV


#26

SONOFADOCKER

SONOFADOCKER

My LT1000 has a stretched blade cable . The tractor will not do anything unless I have moved the cable around by hand and get it to release ...


#27

E

ecknerwal

---> Son of a docker: What's a "blade cable"?


#28

E

ecknerwal

Replaced the BRAKE/CLUTCH switch. Same ole problem. But now listen to this, pedal DOWN - engine will start and run (PTO engages but engine still stalls). Pedal UP - engine stalls. Everything should operate in the UP position, right? Maybe this is why I locked it in the down position . . . can't remember, it was years ago.


#29

reddragon

reddragon

separate the seat switch wires......they dont stop starting......just running:thumbsup:


#30

SONOFADOCKER

SONOFADOCKER

Very tired and didn't explain ... Blade off and on lever has a steel cable that goes down to the deck . The cable gets stretched and the safety switch thinks the blades are on . Turn the key and nothing happens . The switch is in the steering wheel tower .
Mine I have to jiggle on the cable & safety resets . Tractor starts .


#31

F

fifthstring27030

Hi
Sounds to me like op-present switch has gone bad or wires going to it have been cut somewhere. Because you cannot release brake or turn on pto unless you are on seat. Look at terminals on your seat switch to see if it has NC stamped on it. (which means normally closed) if it has no markings then it is normally open which means you close circuit when depressed or you can by pass by connecting the two wires together, NC means the opposite and you have to separate wires. This is a way of testing without a meter.


#32

E

ecknerwal

Well, well, well. Whaddya know. The Damn (another name for Craftsman) thing works! Engine now runs at the same time as the PTO. Took only 5 minutes to fix. I suppose some of you who have been helping me would like to know what I did, right? It all began when the Engine to Transmission pulley ate the PTO wires. I hooked them back up but when I turned on the PTO, it shut the engine off. I noted today that the plugs for the PTO wires were arranged so they could only be plugged in one way. Did I switch the wires around when I hooked them up? So I hooked them up the opposite way and guess what, Yeah, it works properly now. Thanks to all of you who stretched their minds to try and help. It is appreciated very much. Special thanks to fifthstring27030 for teaching me about "NC-normally closed", I learned something new. Thanks to KennyV for encouraging advice on the Multimeter. I'll take it to heart. Reddragon kept up a flow of valuable info of where and what to check when I was clueless. Thanks!!


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