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AC 611LT charging problem


TimH

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My AC 611LT does not appear to be charging. My two youngest kids have taken to riding it around the yard like a slow motion 4 wheeler (hey, it has 4 wheels I tell them, it's just as good as a 4 wheeler). Anyway, my problem is that I come home and find it dead in the yard, sometimes a long way from the house. I do not think the battery is charging. Is there a simple way to check this, and what is the likely culprit?
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Install a volt meter across the battery. You should be able to see a slight increase changing the throttle from idle to high speed. If not check the diode coming out of a small wire near the starter/dip stick area - should have continuity one way but not the other, replace if otherwise.
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If they are "idling" around the yard, the engine is not spinning fast enough to recharge the battery. Been there- I have to remind the kids to run the tractor at least 1/3 throttle speed or they run battery done with the numerous times they start and stop. Did I mention they like to drive around with the headlights on also. Good Luck! Mike S.
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O.K. - so I checked the voltage - no change based on engine speed. So, I went to check the diode - and all I found was the two ends of the wire, with nothing in between. I assume that I can connect the wires, but that the battery will just drain back through, and that since the wires were not connected the battery would neither charge nor drain. The question then is this: can I just go to a local small engine repair place and get a diode to fit this size engine (B&S 11HP, I assume)? Thanks for the helpful advice. Tim
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Tim, Did the wires inside the "fuse holder" look like they had the ends cut off them? As I recall, from the factory, the diode's anode lead was crimped on to the stator wire. The silver striped(cathode) end of the diode faced the battery wire and had a flat bullet crimped on it. You could get a generic diode (such as Radio Shack # 276-1661 (& check it for diameter clearance in the fuse holder) and solder it to the stator coil side, then clip the other end ~~ 1/8" of lead and blob a solder ball on it. Make sure the spring is still in the fuse holder case. That RS diode is rated at 6 amps 50 volts peak inverse voltage (PIV, more than ample). I think these charging systems only put out about 3 amps. You might want to check the A.C. voltage output from the stator wire first though; should be about 20 volts or so at 3600 RPM . Cheers, Tom(PK)
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Unfortunately there is not a fuse holder - only the ends of two wires, unless the fuse holder is up under the motor shrouding, which I have not removed. So, I guess I can go to the local RS store and find a fuse holder and diode arrangment - or would it be simpler to buy the parts from the local small engine place? Thanks for our help. Tim
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You don't need the fuse holder. You can solder the diode directly to each wire, or install a connecter, leaving the diode attached to the engine wire. In either case, seal the diode with heat shrink tubing. Pat
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Hi, The replacement diode is available from Briggs also. I don't have the number as I am at the house. Can get it if you need it. We stock it and I would think most Briggs dealers would also. Good luck, Al Eden
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