Hidden Secrets: Basic Electrical Tools for EASY Small Engine Diagnosis
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ก.ค. 2024
- Find electrical faults and track them down on small engines with basic DIY tools. Follow these simple, easy DIY steps to track down parasitic loads, loose or frayed wires, test your battery, and check your charging system with inexpensive tools. These steps are shown on this Toro SW 2400, but the same principles apply to your Craftsman, John Deere, Kuboto, Cub Cadet, Husqvarna and other similar lawn tractors.
Watch this video next: • The REAL Reasons I Swi...
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Manual Battery Charger: amzn.to/3sM8QZf
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The tools I like and use most often:
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Compression Tester: amzn.to/3IWd6sp
Any links to products are likely affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases (Thank You!), with no additional costs to you.
00:00 I'm not Michael
01:05 Basic battery tests
03:55 Battery charger basics
06:37 Understanding electrical schematic drawings
08:36 Diagnosing a bad battery
10:53 New battery load testing
13:08 Use a multimeter to locate parasitic loads by amperage
17:15 How to probe wires for parasitic loads
19.39 Use a multimeter to locate parasitic loads by millivolts
21:06 Test charging system and battery health
23:52 Tips for finding other wiring faults
Wear your safety glasses, or you'll shoot your eye out. Try on some gloves. Take off that spark plug boot. Clean your room. Open the windows, those fumes are nasty. Just 'cause I do it, don't think it's the end all, be all solution. There's plenty more ideas out there, I can't take responsibility if you slice off a few fingers after watching my videos. And don't just pour that toxic stuff down the sewer or in the ditch, dispose of waste responsibly. Just be safe, OK?
Follow along with me elsewhere:
/ thelawnmowerlady
the-lawnmower-lady.blogspot.com/
Titles, opening graphics, and music by AbleVFX.
Disclaimer: The content of this video is purely for my entertainment, and is available to you for informational and educational purposes only. It's not substitute advice from small engine mechanics with professional training and certifications, nor does it create any kind of relationship between the The Lawnmower Lady and you. Your situation may be different, and the The Lawnmower Lady makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the fit, accuracy, or applicability of the information shown in this video, and implies no guarantee of results. The Lawnmower Lady and any sponsors of this video are not liable for any damages of personal injury, property damage or loss of any kind that may result from the use or reliance on this video and/or any parts and procedures represented in this video. You are using the information presented in this video solely at your own risk.
#lawnmower #smallenginerepair #DIY
If this video helped you, please consider clicking on the THANK$ button above to support my channel 🙌 Watch this video next for why I chose Makita Sub-Compact tools: th-cam.com/video/f7LYq6E39vY/w-d-xo.html
I've never seen this information explained so thoroughly. This video is going into the Equipment Playlist of my YT library. Thank you, Stella!
I feel the same way ,and it couldnt have been explained any better!!! ✌😎
Glad it was helpful Ms Sandi! I hope it can help you in the future. Cheers!
Michael is now in demand as a Bull Fighter after putting TORO in harmony with Thor. Thanks for the great explanation and presentation Stella.
When TORO gives you WOE
Stab the bull with a probe
Be methodical as you go
Work your frontal lobe.
All will be alright again.
The draw will be no more.
No pain? So, be no gain.
So glad Stella did restore!
Thank you Mr Ray! Cheers!
Great video Stella. This will me and I'M sure a lot of other people. Electrical systems and understanding them is my weakness on lawn mowers!
Happy to help Bob. Cheers!
Thankfully, the mowers are pretty straight forward. When you get into ECU controlled systems, that's where it gets hard. I use to use a straight pin to probe wires. Then I got a kit with wire piercing probes. Thanks for the tutorial Stella.
Cheers Mr Jim! I truly appreciate you watching, and supporting my channel.
Really good information video Stella, and i just want to say you and Tom are really good for explaing things for dummies' like me to understand thank you 👍
Thank you! 😃
Simply put, your demo video was excellent!!! You never cease to amaze me!!! Glad to see you back, haven't gotten any notifications from you in quite a while. Hope you are okay!!!! Thank you for all your hard work and sharing your knowledge!!
Thank you very much! It sometimes takes me a while to finish my videos in edit. I can't imagine doing this full time. LOL! I appreciate you watching. Cheers!
Excellent tutorial on electrical fault finding, and very helpful demonstration on the use of a multimeter,
Glad it was helpful! Appreciate you watching. Cheers!
Great idea to test your volt,/ ohm meter to make sure it is working properly
👍
Yes, thanks
@@TheLawnmowerLady cool beans 🫘 there young lady 💐🌹
Your electrical knowledge is spot on Lawnmower Lady. All the tools you used today are the tolls I have in my electrical drawer in my tool box. Aren't those battery testers cool. Oh I mean hot. LOL. My multimeter has a 10 amp fuse in the amps area that I have changed a few times oops. LOL.
Thank you Mr Bruce! I'll tell you a secret... I actually blew up that meter on the amperage scale when I forgot to move my test leads back and started measuring voltage. Oops! No fuse to blow. Everything else still works fine on the meter. I have since purchased another inexpensive (and I hope not too cheap) multimeter fused at 20A. I was however disappointed that Schumacher doesn't sell any dumb (manual) chargers, like the one I used, on AMZN anymore.
You are right. I have a smart battery charger which sometimes rejects a baterry that has too low a voltage. I want just an old 12 volt charger, something i can force a battery to "get going" On my meter i acually bought some 10 amp fuse wire and jerry rigged it onto the fuse (soldered each end). .@@TheLawnmowerLady
I love your videos Stella (Mike) 😂😂 I can feel the hard work and love u put into each video. Well planned and thought out (no dead air)😊😊😊thanks Stella@The lawnmower Lady. William I here
Cheers William! I appreciate you watching.
@@TheLawnmowerLady my pleasure maté Stella @The Lawnmower Lady
Fantastic video, so much detail. I’m going to have to re-watch it. Information overload (no pun intended) but I appreciate it a lot!!!
It's a lot to swallow for sure. Thanks for your help and support!
Stella ,you did an awesome job of explaining everything in your video! You made it understandable to the average DIYER, even though its not easy to understand to the average joe. Great content and keep up the great work my friend. My personal opinion is this is one of the top videos you have made! Thanks alot! 💜🎥🇺🇸
You are so welcome!
I made a tik tok video today and shouted out your channel. I made a video saying I changed the drive belt on my mower thanks to TH-cam and some guy tried to tell me it was a man on TH-cam who taught me. I said nope, it was actually the lawn mower lady 🥰
That is awesome! Thanks for the shout out. I've thought about tiktok videos, but haven't wrapped my brain around how to make lawnmower fixin' videos any fun. Cheers!
@@TheLawnmowerLady sometimes it’s not about fun but just about teaching! Can’t hurt to try.
Nice video Stella (Mike), one of my downfalls with working on riders is electrical, wish I knew more about it but now I have your video to fall back on. Thanks 🙂👍
You can do it!
I’m glad you have so much faith in me. 🤣🤣
Great job "Mike" all ways enjoy a Stella video and always learn something
Glad to hear it! Cheers Mr Rooster!
Electrical is terrifying! Thank you for showing, and explaining the way you do! Much less intimidating now :)
Happy to help. Thanks for watching. Cheers!
Interesting and informative Stella.
Glad you think so! Cheers Al !
Well explained Stella.
I appreciate you watching. Cheers!
Excellent video Stella. Thank you for sharing
I appreciate you watching!
Great info Stella! You almost need a degree in electrical engineering to troubleshoot todays electrical systems!
So true Kenny! Thanks for watching. Cheers!
LOL…sadly, the battery in my lawn tractor is on the opposite side of the tractor, and further back than the seat, making it a bit of a creative adventure to test the voltage to the solenoid in the engine. Good engineering!! :)
Sorry to hear that...
You rock Stella 👍 cheers!
Thank you Anders! Cheers!
Stella, you're the one who first introduced me to JIS screwdrivers. I've been working on a pair of Mantis tillers (great machines!) and struggling with standard Phillips screwdrivers. I ended up hitting a duplicate Phillips screwdriver with the propane torch to put a right angle bend in it so I could get better torque (still didn't work!). I finally used a stubby with Vice Grips to be able to break one fastener loose. I've also got Honda, Echo and Shindaiwa equipment in house (and I really appreciate Japanese equipment) so I'm finally ready to break down and purchase the (spendy) Vessel JIS set you have listed.
I've looked at all the reviews of these and other Vessel Megadora screwdrivers and I can see there are some differences in the tips and handle materials. Some of the tips have teeth cut into them and some are straight. Some handles are more slippy than others. If I got a handle that was slippy I'd probably just hit it with some emery cloth or Scotch Brite to get more friction. I like to say I've never had a tool I haven't modified. ;-)
How long have you had your set? Have you noticed any drawbacks/shortcomings to the cross pattern ones in the group. Have any of the heads started to wear; are you happy with the fit and feel of the handles; have you used the impact feature at all; do they chew up fasteners at all, etc?
Have you retired most of your regular Phillips screwdrivers because the JIS ones actually work better in Phillips screws?
Is there any benefit to the flat-bladed screwdrivers over the drawer full of non-Vessel ones I've got?
I think it's time for a JIS video with all the details I've mentioned above! ;-) (You may have seen/missed my question to your guests in the last live stream asking if any of them use JIS screwdrivers.)
Thanks for your time!
I've only retired the screwdrivers I have broken, but I always grab a JIS for any Phillips type screw. I first thought they would be slippy as well, but never had a problem. I do grab a shop rag to wrap the handle if I need more torque. I bought these in 2015. No regrets. Thanks for watching. Cheers!
@@TheLawnmowerLady
Thanks! Sold! 🔧👍
Well done keep up the good work
Thank you for watching Mr Hank! Cheers!
Very informative 👏 thanks 😊
My pleasure Brock 😊 Cheers!
Very very good
Thank you so much for supporting my channel.
Thanks!
My pleasure! And a SUPER thanks to you for supporting my channel Ms Inisfad. Sláinte!
you wouldn't believe how many videos i watch and day before or day after one of you wonderful people have same mower ride on or carb well yesterday someone gave me a load teser didn't work but i took it apart and re connected main cable that had burnt off and i have used cheap multimeters forever which was all i ever needed except no beep so always had to be able to see for continuity testing but marketplace had a guy retiring and selling some electrical equipment and i got a fluke 117 electrician meter for $125 canadian worth $350 to $400 canadian anyway i would never pay that much as a rule but couldn't pass that deal up and load tester is pretty much identical to one you have in video im not sure if it's accurate now because end of element with wire attached had burnt off and i just clamped new wires to end working but ill have to do some testing against another device to see if accurate and compensate but free is my favorite price great video gurl i watch em and like em all thumbs up
Nice score on that meter! I appreciate you watching.
Very informative thank you, mike lol
You bet
This is also a great way to find a parasitic load in your car, even with just a test light. Hooking the test light from the negative terminal in the battery to the negative battery connector, the test light should like up if something is drawing on the battery, and then you just disconnect one fuse at a time until the light dims. It will not go out, like in the lawn tractor, as your computer, etc., still has a slight draw. So, would you also be able to use that millivolt test on the fuses in the car to isolate the parasitic circuit??
Absolutely, but I would avoid pulling fuses in your car as it can re-set sensors and such, so you might never find it. Best practice on cars is to open all the doors, activate the latches, confirm you have no "open door" lights on dash, turn the key off, and allow the car to "go to sleep" for a few hours before trying to find those millivolt drops. Powerprobe website has conversion charts to calculate millivolt drops into milliamp loads.
Pardon me for asking such a silly/stupid question @Lawnmower Lady, but does this apply also to: MTD GES 53...50/53 models of Lawn mowers?
The small engines on this mower are of course L-head, air cooled, low emisions Briggs and Stratton units, on this particular model, which has the series number 120000. (From the operators/ instructions manual)
This is of course a German make of mower. (except for the B and S engine unit of course.)
I am also looking for the torque specs for the head and crank bolts on this particular model too if you or anyone else could help me with that, but hey, an electrical finder thingy ma jig would be ok too right now, I'me 66, and I can learn stuff.....can't I !?!
Binge watching your mower, chainsaw, and generator videos, fan daby dosy! (excellent in other words!!)
From Mikky, North East Scotland, UK, on his wifes computer! (Shsss!!)
Google "briggs & stratton check chart" and you should get several hits that will give you all the torque specs you need. Generally speaking, electrical concepts that I showed in this video apply to almost any small engine. Checking for continuity of wiring between components is the same. The only difference you need to be aware of is to remove all conventional light bulbs. The filament in the bulb will show a dead short and might take you down the garden path. I appreciate you watching. Cheers! or I guess I should say Slàinte Mhath!
Is this a previous recorded video? Or are you losing that many leaves already? Thanks Michael, er Stella.
Busted... last fall, but I'm already sweeping leaves off my car regularly. I'm not the most efficient person with actually editing the myriad of video clips I've got on the hard drive. I appreciate you watching. Cheers!
@@TheLawnmowerLady it is an excellent video about troubleshooting those pesky wiring harnesses. I am happy you posted it. Some lesser channels would have said “it is old, don’t post it”. Quality content like yours never goes out of style.
Well done Stella, now your a certified electrician so you can install some air conditioning in the shop eh lol?
That's the plan!
Stella your the girl nothing you don't no x
Thanks mate! Cheers!
trying to change me cmment nickname
YEAH
Looks good!
you are so sweet