Ruh-Roh

[dhoadley]

I'm getting ready for yard work and I install my 1 year old battery into my A/C917H. I turn the key, hear one click and then nothing. Is there a fuse or circuit breaker I should look at. Had the battery on a smart charger all winter, I made sure I didn't reverse the wires. Where do I look from here? Electrical is my worse subject.  Thanx, Dave

[PhanDad]

There is a circuit breaker on the power lead from the battery to the ignition switch (before the amp meter if I remember correctly). 

But I’d check the voltage across the battery terminals when you try to crank the engine. The new batteries tend to short a cell now than dying slowly.  Voltage should stay above 12 volts.

Sometimes when moving a battery around, the scale drops off a plate and shorts the cell. 

 

[dhoadley]

The red wire goes from the battery to a cylinder thing attached to the steering tower; several other wires, large and small, are also attached. 

[TimJr]

Sounds like either low voltage to your solenoid, which I would say is what you described above as the cylinder thing.  Clean your cables - both ends.  Verify battery voltage.  Or, it could be a failed solenoid - you hear it click , which is the plunger pulling in, but it may not be passing power.  Or, a bad starter.  You need a multimeter to test this out.   If you hear a click, it isn't too likely to be the circuit breaker - the click indicates you have some amount of power.  Typically a circuit breaker works, or it doesn't.  However, poor connections at it could be cause for low power to the solenoid trigger wire.  Lots of possibilities that only proper voltage testing can confirm.

[dhoadley]

Only clicked the first time, after that dead as a door nail. Battery reads around 15 volts. (I think, new-to-me multimeter. I have the dial at 10DCV)

Edited April 22, 2019 by dhoadley

[TimJr]

Your meter needs to be set higher than the voltage you are expecting.  Your battery should not have 15 volts in it just sitting there, unless it was just overcharged by a defective charger.  A good, fully charged batter will have about 12.6 volts.  You should be running around 13.5 volts with a good charging system.  14v at the top end.  I would be happy with a steady 13 volts on a small charging system like on a garden tractor.

Maybe get us a pic of your multimeter so we can see what settings you have.

One click, period?  Not one click each time you turn the key?

Battery, connections and solenoid are still on my list without knowing more.   If you do have your meter set at 10 volts and it isn't an auto-ranging meter, is it possible you only have 1.5 volts?

[dhoadley]

I have an ancient VOM meter I'll pull out to test the battery. I had 7 batteries daisy-chained to a "smart charger" over the winter. I tested a smaller battery from the batch and got the same reading. The wires got pretty hot, pretty quick so I suspect I have the dial set wrong. I'll try to get over there after work (my shed is a mile from my house at my rental property) and get the meter to get a picture. I could also read the directions, as a last resort. 

[Brettw]

Just a thing to check.  Not being a smart donkey here, but just make sure the PTO and hydro lever are in their proper positions.  It can happen that they were bumped or moved enough to activate the interlocks.

[dhoadley]

12 hours ago, Brettw said:

Just a thing to check.  Not being a smart donkey here, but just make sure the PTO and hydro lever are in their proper positions.  It can happen that they were bumped or moved enough to activate the interlocks.

I thought of that as well and checked them both. Here's a shot of my multimeter.

I stooped to actually reading the instructions and realized that I had the red wire plugged in wrong. I was measuring current with a 10 amp max. Oops! The smart charger has them around 13.5 volts. I'll check the actual battery this weekend. I guess I start at the battery and test my way towards the starter? I'll have plenty of questions this weekend. Thanx, Dave

[fishnwiz]

Dave

I am sure YouTube has a video on use of a multi meter if you get stuck.

[Chris727]

Set the meter to DCV 20. 

[dhoadley]

8 hours ago, Chris727 said:

Set the meter to DCV 20. 

I did. Swung the dial 180* and put the red wire in the center plug. Worked much better.

[rockfangd]

First off be sure your battery connections are good.

Second check the main ground. From the battery to the block, or frame.

third check the ignition itself. 

lastly check your safety switches (if present)

[dhoadley]

Success. Now that you've straightened me out about multi-meters, it was time to dig. I got my jumper cables out so I could hook up the battery and access behind the dash. Ground was good; 12v to the solenoid; 12v to the top-left red wire at the key plug; pull the plug, no corrosion, plug back in firmly; no juice at the bottom red wire, turn the key to see if that reads and... the starter kicks. Startled me! Undo jumper cables, reinstall battery, and she starts. Thank you for your support.

[PhanDad]

Glad to hear you beat back the electrical gremlins.  

 

[dhoadley]

An update:

I went to cut the grass and it did it again. Pulled the battery, unplugged and replugged the key switch, still nuttin'. Checked the battery terminals, positive looked a little cruddy. Got a click and because the hood was up I saw the click came with the smallest puff of smoke from the positive wire at the terminal connector. Went to the local general store that has a small automotive section and for $1.99 got a brand new clamp on connector. Starts like a champ. (at least for one day)

[RAC]

Connections can be a real bugaboo. "Fixed" a O-turn for a friend a while back. He'd bought an installed a new $150 starter and still couldn't get it to work. I tightened the 5/16 bolt on the frame ground cable... Expensive lesson for him.

[gwiseman]

1 hour ago, dhoadley said:

An update:

I went to cut the grass and it did it again. Pulled the battery, unplugged and replugged the key switch, still nuttin'. Checked the battery terminals, positive looked a little cruddy. Got a click and because the hood was up I saw the click came with the smallest puff of smoke from the positive wire at the terminal connector. Went to the local general store that has a small automotive section and for $1.99 got a brand new clamp on connector. Starts like a champ. (at least for one day)

Did the same with why Sovereign. Found the old connector was broken behind the bolt. Starts lots better now.  

[jlasater]

Yeah...I had the same thing. Clamp cracked behind the pinch bolt. I would have thought the lead would have just bent before cracking. Weird.