PTO Drains battery


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Old 07-29-10, 03:08 PM
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PTO Drains battery

I have a Sears Craftsman Model 917.255950 with a 25 Amp Charging system. I can run it around all day, stop and restart it with no problem. If, however, I am mowing, I can only mow for 30 minutes maybe before the PTO shuts off and I have to hustle back, recharge the battery and start again. Someone tested the stator and regulator and claimed them to be in working order. Not being an electrical genius, all I can tell you is he but a voltmeter across the stator leads and we watched the voltage go up as I increased the RPMs. The battery will recharge if I drive it around a while with the PTO disengaged.
Another thing, there are two joined red leads that are supposed to connect to the PTO switch but if I connect them, the PTO stays engaged.
My friend said I might have a short in the PTO assembly. So I found another PTO (not the correct model) and hooked it up just to see if it made any difference. Negatory.
Any advice?
Oh, one other thing, the battery is a bit on the small side. Well, actually, quite a bit on the small side. It's a Huskee Group size U1R
 
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Old 07-30-10, 01:12 AM
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Yeah, that battery is tiny...good for cranking small engines like 8hp and under. If it is over 2 years old, it's probably bad. How old is it? There's a sticker with a letter and a number on the battery side or top most likely...what does it say?
 
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Old 07-30-10, 05:01 AM
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I'll agree that it is too small. But the two wires that connect to the PTO switch. I don't get that. Isn't there any place to get the schematics for this thing?
 
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Old 07-30-10, 07:33 AM
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The two red wires you mentioned are the key to your problem. The electric pto is designed to run off the engine charging system when it is engaged and will run your battery down if it isn't. The fact your battery will charge and hold a charge tells me it is probably ok. You will need a wiring diagram to figure this out. You might check outdoordistributors.com. They have pdf files that you can view online for most lawn tractors. I just went through this same issue with an old Bolens I was working on and I agree these things can make you nuts.Good luck.
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Old 07-30-10, 09:46 PM
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I guess I'll have to agree that the battery is probably fine. The 2 red wires you mentioned...they are unplugged from the back side of the pto switch on the dash? And if you plug them in, the pto comes on and stays on regardless of the switch position? I guess that would make me lean towards the switch or wiring. Time to get out the voltmeter, or try a switch if you have access to one like you did the clutch itself.
 
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Old 07-31-10, 03:30 AM
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I agree with Cheese on the switch issue. I would start with the pto switch. Check the red wires with the engine off, with both the key on and off, and see if there is any voltage there. Then start the engine and re-check to see if you have voltage. I think you will. If that is the case and these wires are unplugged from the switch I would look for an exact replacement switch for this tractor and put it in. The switch is wired internally to transfer voltage to the pto from the battery to engine power when the engine is running. The battery charging may also run through this switch when the pto is on. Find a wiring diagram and this will be much easier to figure out.
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Old 08-03-10, 09:57 AM
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I'll do the check as per your instructions. I checked Sears parts and the switch is on back order. I checked with a local supplier and he said the same thing. I don't suppose there is anything in the switch that can be fixed, is there?
 
 

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