merbeau

Member
Hi

Was replacing battery terminals on my T030 and accidentally touched the negative terminal to the frame with my box end wrench. Obviously sparks flew. Tractor will not crank. Battery is fully charged. Is there a fuse somewhere that may have blown or perhaps the on/off switch got fried? Thanks for your help.

Robert
 
Looking back at your older posts, it looks like your TO-30 has been converted to 12 volt. Is it still positive ground?
By "on-off switch" do you mean the ignition switch?
Does it still have the gearshift operated starter switch?
Can you CAREFULLY start jumpering/bypassing components to go directly from battery to starter terminal to see if it cranks?
 
No fuse, a short like that only stresses the cable ends at the battery, the ground cable, or where the ground strap attaches to the body.

If the ground is still connected to the sheetmetal, that would be a good place to start looking.
 
Check and see if you have the ceramic resister inline with key switch and the solenoid if so check to see if it fried that.
 
(quoted from post at 20:27:11 09/20/19) Looking back at your older posts, it looks like your TO-30 has been converted to 12 volt. Is it still positive ground?
By "on-off switch" do you mean the ignition switch?
Does it still have the gearshift operated starter switch?
Can you CAREFULLY start jumpering/bypassing components to go directly from battery to starter terminal to see if it cranks?

The system is indeed a 12 volt conversion. And it is a positive ground. There is not a foot starter switch. There is a toggle switch for 'on' and 'off' when 'on' the circuit is complete and when you engage the starter from the gearshift it cranks and ignition. Turn toggle to 'off' and the starter works but no ignition. At this point in time no crank when starter is engaged in either position.

I can probably take the starter cable off from the main post under the tractor and try a direct connect to the terminal if that is what you are saying. Also could it have fried the control box?

Thanks for all the replies.

Robert
 
Do you have a test light or volt meter?

If not, a very minor investment to make to avoid a lot of guessing and frustration!

That it still has the starter contactor on the shifter is a good thing, it provides neutral safety start protection.

Bad news is, they were troublesome. The contacts tend to get dirty and burn, get out of adjustment. Try cleaning the contacts, adjust them so they make good, hard connection when the lever is pushed.

This is where a test light comes in handy, you can test for voltage at various points, see where the voltage is present, and where it is not. No need to switch cables around, risk getting something out of place, causing another short, damaging something trying to get it apart...

Be very careful arcing the battery cable to the starter. Good way to melt the threads on the post and can't get the nut back on. Be absolutely sure it's in neutral before doing anything standing beside, in front or behind it!

Chances are shorting the cable did no harm, just a coincidence something else is wrong. But without a way to test, it's all guess work.

I know of no "control box" on those. Maybe the regulator? That won't cause the starter to not engage, would not have been effected by the short.
 
Do you have a test light or volt meter?

Yes I do have a volt meter. Will start trying to run down where there is no voltage. A couple of months ago I had a similar problem in that the tractor would not crank and I removed the post nut under the tractor and cleaned the terminal. That worked. I just assumed (probably bad on my part) that would not be the problem again. I will start at that point and then test other areas.

Thank to all that are trying to help. I really appreciate the information.

Robert
 
A tip on using the volt meter, always test under load.

Have an assistant hold the starter lever in while you test.

Start at the battery, systematically work your way toward the starter moving one test probe at a time until you find the voltage drop.

Work with the major components, battery, cables, ground strap, starter contactor, starter, and it's ground. The simplicity of the starter circuit removes all the secondary wiring from the problem. Find the starter problem, the rest will most likely be OK.

Once you make it to the starter, the final test will be for voltage between the actual starter post (not the cable end, the post itself) and the starter case (not the block or any other ground, the case itself). If battery voltage at that point, and no starter movement or cable heating, the starter is open.

Just be careful, if anything starts smoking, that is most likely the problem, a weak connection will get HOT!

Also while holding the starter in, be aware it could start cranking without warning. Keep clear of moving parts!
 
Just finished testing

Voltage across battery terminals was 12 volts
With switch open 12 volts at toggle
At the resister 12 volts
To the distributor 12 volts
To the points 12 volts
At the negative post connection 12 volts
At the starter post 0 volts
Placed tractor in neutral and tried to crank 0 volts. Then took screwdriver with insulated handle and touched the two posts and the tractor tried to turn over.

Disconnected battery cable and took starter post off. Cleaned the terminal and cable connection with steel brush. Replaced post connection and battery cable. Then tested post 12 volts. Tried to crank and tractor turned over. Then got up in seat and tried for real to start tractor and it did!! If I remember correctly I cleaned the negative terminal post but not the starter post.

Ran it for 30 minutes while I mowed and then went to barn shut off tractor and then tried to restart which it did.

Thanks for tips and SAFETY precautions.

Robert
 

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