I appreciate the depth and detail you went into describing and visualizing the diagnosis process. I dont think I would have even started with how many kill switches are on that thing! Keep up the good work. I can't wait to see where this project goes!
This is a great tutorial for this trouble shooting. Best one I’ve seen. I’m building an 83 Murray with chrome grill. I call it the muscle car of lawnmowers. Mine has an odd problem where the mower tried to start in the run position instead of start. I know the wires aren’t crossed cause I put back on post same way. There’s another plug-in off the solenoid I don’t know what it is. But anyways, subbed to the channel just for this build.
Thank you very much for your input! It sounds like there may be wires misplaced on your ignition switch, or something may be shorting out to your solenoid when the key is turned on. I would disconnect the starter and check voltage on your ignition switch pins with the key in the run position and the start position. Good luck!
hey do you have any tips on why my lawnmower battery dies after sitting for 1 night since i use it almost every day and i have a bad feeling that my lawnmowers engine and battery might just be cooked
Normally Closed means there's continuity with the switch actuator not depressed and the contacts are open when the switch actuator is pressed. Therefore, it must be a Normally Open switch by the way the switch actuator works. Well, by the way the safety system works. The seat, clutch and blade switches must ALL be closed because they are all inline, in series, and when either one or more is/are open, like when you get off the seat, the circuit is open at that point inline and the engine shuts off. That's unless they are wired in parallel and all 3 must be open for the safety feature to work, but that's a much more complicated configuration. When you have 3 pins on a switch, it's a SPDT switch, or a single pole, double throw, meaning one input (or output, depending on wiring) and 2 switch positions. The single pole is marked C for Common, one switch position is marked NC for Normally Closed and the other is marked NO for Normally Open. NC is connected to C internally when the switch actuator is NOT pressed and NO is connect to C when the switch actuator IS pressed, so we're using the NO position here in all 3 switches. The seat switch may not have NC and NO terminals, making a SPST, or single pole, single throw, or one active switch position, being closed when the actuator is pressed. There is usually also a Reverse switch position in the ignition key switch, which is part of the blade safety system. If the ignition key not turned to Reverse after starting the engine, the engine will die when you try to mow in reverse, but not when the blades' PTO lever is not engaged, but this may be a separate connection in another safety system in the schematic; a Reverse safety system. I'm not sure of the wiring, but I do know it's often there. However, since the deck is no longer installed and won't be again, but the PTO handle still actuates the switch, here's a solution. You could short the switch connectors together, remove the switch and permanently bypass the PTO switch and system and then remove the PTO handle. One less thing to mess with, since it serves no purpose anymore and won't ever again. I hope this helps.
I appreciate the depth and detail you went into describing and visualizing the diagnosis process. I dont think I would have even started with how many kill switches are on that thing! Keep up the good work. I can't wait to see where this project goes!
Very helpful! Thanks,
You’re welcome!
This is a great tutorial for this trouble shooting. Best one I’ve seen. I’m building an 83 Murray with chrome grill. I call it the muscle car of lawnmowers. Mine has an odd problem where the mower tried to start in the run position instead of start. I know the wires aren’t crossed cause I put back on post same way. There’s another plug-in off the solenoid I don’t know what it is. But anyways, subbed to the channel just for this build.
Thank you very much for your input!
It sounds like there may be wires misplaced on your ignition switch, or something may be shorting out to your solenoid when the key is turned on. I would disconnect the starter and check voltage on your ignition switch pins with the key in the run position and the start position.
Good luck!
Good one
Nice!!!
hey do you have any tips on why my lawnmower battery dies after sitting for 1 night since i use it almost every day and i have a bad feeling that my lawnmowers engine and battery might just be cooked
Normally Closed means there's continuity with the switch actuator not depressed and the contacts are open when the switch actuator is pressed. Therefore, it must be a Normally Open switch by the way the switch actuator works. Well, by the way the safety system works. The seat, clutch and blade switches must ALL be closed because they are all inline, in series, and when either one or more is/are open, like when you get off the seat, the circuit is open at that point inline and the engine shuts off. That's unless they are wired in parallel and all 3 must be open for the safety feature to work, but that's a much more complicated configuration.
When you have 3 pins on a switch, it's a SPDT switch, or a single pole, double throw, meaning one input (or output, depending on wiring) and 2 switch positions. The single pole is marked C for Common, one switch position is marked NC for Normally Closed and the other is marked NO for Normally Open. NC is connected to C internally when the switch actuator is NOT pressed and NO is connect to C when the switch actuator IS pressed, so we're using the NO position here in all 3 switches. The seat switch may not have NC and NO terminals, making a SPST, or single pole, single throw, or one active switch position, being closed when the actuator is pressed.
There is usually also a Reverse switch position in the ignition key switch, which is part of the blade safety system. If the ignition key not turned to Reverse after starting the engine, the engine will die when you try to mow in reverse, but not when the blades' PTO lever is not engaged, but this may be a separate connection in another safety system in the schematic; a Reverse safety system. I'm not sure of the wiring, but I do know it's often there. However, since the deck is no longer installed and won't be again, but the PTO handle still actuates the switch, here's a solution. You could short the switch connectors together, remove the switch and permanently bypass the PTO switch and system and then remove the PTO handle. One less thing to mess with, since it serves no purpose anymore and won't ever again. I hope this helps.