X320 With no electrical power. New Ignition Switch, Battery good. Help!

[vestaviascott]

My 2010 X320 was doing great, no issues. Last I used it was a couple weeks ago. Then yesterday I went to start it up to mow the lawn and nothing. I fooled around with a few things and nothing changed. It did start once, but I think I pulled the choke too soon and it stopped and would not start again.

I unplugged the ignition switch and reseat it and I finally saw the hour meter light up, I moved the key to off and then back to lights and nothing again - and by "nothing" I mean no hour meter, no lights, and obviously no start.

I then pulled the ignition switch to test it and it appeared to be faulty would not pass continuity on anything but Stop position, so I bought a new one today. Hooked it up but still nothing.

I checked the 3 fuses and they all have continuity. There are 4 slots, slot 2 from top has no fuse. Slot 1 has a 15amp fuse, slot 3 has a 20 amp fuse and slot 4 has a 7.5 amp fuse. I believe slot 4 is the "main fuse". Anyway, they all pass continuity.

I'm stuck. What can I test next beyond the battery and the ignition switch? It would seem to be something simple if the hour meter wont even light up, even when jumper cables are attached to another running mower and the X320 battery.

I've already tried jump starting it with another mower and nothing. No power to the hour meter, lights or nothing.

 

[vestaviascott]

Update: The battery measures 12.38 volts with DMM. I'm getting 10 volts at the solenoid with the switch off (red lead on 1 of the two solenoid wires and the black lead ground to the motor chassis).

If switch is good, and fuses are good, but still no power to meter or lights, it has to be the battery right? Before I go out and buy one, can someone confirm if there's anything left to check that would cause the meter and lights not to have juice when the key is in the 2nd position (lights on, meter on)?

 

[keakar]

my rule is, a battery is cheap, when in doubt just replace it

a battery can read 12v and still not allow current to flow but you should still be getting at least a voltage reading from it to the solenoid, if not then you have a bad wiring harness and need to run a new wire

all that said, if you are reading 10v at the solenoid with the key off then your switch or wiring harness isshorted because key off you should not have any power to anything

 

[Rivets]

Here a procedure to determine where the problem is. I to suspect a bad battery.
Electrical* problems can be very easy or very difficult, depending on four things.
1. * How well you understand basic electricity.
2. *What tools you have and know how to use.
3. *How well you follow directions.
4. *You don't overlook or assume anything and verify everything.

Remember we cannot see what you are doing. *You are our eyes, ears and fingers in solving this problem. *You must be as accurate as you can when you report back. *The two basic tools we will ask you to use are a test light and a multi-meter. *If you have an assistant when going through these tests it would be very helpful. *These steps work the best when done in order, so please don't jump around. *Now let's solve this problem.

First, check the fuse(s), check battery connections for corrosion (clean if necessary) and *voltage - above 12.5 volts should be good.*

Second, check for power from the battery to one of the large terminals on the solenoid. *One of the wires is connected directly to the battery and has power all the time so one of the large terminals should light a test light or show 12 volts on a meter at all times.*

Third, *check for power at the small terminal of the solenoid while depressing the clutch/brake pedal and holding the key in the start position (you may need an assistant to sit in the seat to override the safety switch). If your solenoid is a four wire solenoid, check both small wire terminals as one is ground and the other is power from the ignition switch. *If your solenoid is a three wire solenoid, make sure the solenoid body is not corroded where it bolts to the chassis of the mower as this is your ground path back to the battery. *If in doubt, remove the solenoid and clean the mounting area down to bare metal. *If there is no power to the small terminal then your problem is most likely a safety switch, ignition switch or in the wiring.*

Fourth, check for power on the other large terminal of the solenoid while holding the key in the start position q(you may need an assistant to sit in the seat to override the safety switch).*

Fifth, check for power at the starter while holding the key in the start position (assistant again).*

Sixth, check your ground circuit back to the battery.

After you have gone through each of the above steps, let us know what happened when you did each step. *At that point we will have great info to tell you how to proceed. *Remember you are our eyes, ears, and fingers, so please be as accurate as possible.

Be as specific as possible with voltage readings as this will help diagnose your problem quicker. *If you do not know how to perform the above checks, just ask and I will try to guide you through it. *Youtube also has some videos and as you know a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[vestaviascott]

Update. Resolved!

I took the battery out in prep to take it for the core exchange. While I had it out I decided to clean all the contacts all along the wiring harness (the taps at each juncture), tightly secured every bolt along that line and did a continuity check from the postive battery connect all the way back to the ignition switch. I got continuity at every point. Feeling that odd to still not be getting power at the lights and the hour meter, I decided to hook the battery back up. What do you know, it works now! I guess between tightening the bolts, hitting the contacts with a wire brush and reseating all the connectors, something worked it right.

 

[Rivets]

Sometimes it’s the simple things that we over look. Glad to hear you have it running.