Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 126
CT
06-06-02, 04:50 PM
#1
What is a selenoid on a lawn tractor
When does one need a new selenoid????Does it affect the battery...Tractor starts fine but after a few weeks battery goes dead or weakens...Someone mentioned i may need a new selenoid and others say no???Can a selenoid make a battery go dead??? or weaken?????
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 16,574
GA
06-06-02, 09:04 PM
#2
There's pretty much no way for a solenoid to drain the battery. All it does is make connection from the battery cable to the starter cable. You might just have a bad battery. Lawn mower batteries seldom last much more than 2 years. To check to see if you have a drain on the battery, disconnect the positive cable and connect a test light between the pos. battery post and the cable. If it lights or even glows a little, you have a draw. If it doesn't, you don't. Let us know what you find.
"Who is John Galt?" - Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged)
God bless!
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 126
CT
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 16,574
GA
06-07-02, 11:19 PM
#5
A bad solenoid will cause no cranking, or intermittent cranking. We need to start from square one to determine your problem. I will help you find the culprit. What HP and make of engine do you have? Some engines with overhead valves cause hard and slow starting when the valves aren't right.
Let me know what mower you have so that I can give you the location of the items to be checked, and tell you how to check them.
Let me know what mower you have so that I can give you the location of the items to be checked, and tell you how to check them.
"Who is John Galt?" - Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged)
God bless!
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 16,574
GA
06-08-02, 06:49 PM
#7
When it has trouble turning over, does it turn slowly as if it had a low battery, or does it do nothing at all? A bad solenoid will keep the engine from turning at all. If it turns slowly, then your solenoid is working.
"Who is John Galt?" - Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged)
God bless!
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 126
CT
06-09-02, 05:17 AM
#8
Turns over slowly as if the battery is loosing juice...I had a brand new battery which seemed to lose juice and would not turn over.Put a new one in and it was fine...I have a noma/ dynamark. Could be something in the harrness?? So you don't think its the selenoid??? I guess it won't hurt to put one in???
If i disconnect the battery each time after use i'm sure i'll have no problems but that is a pain..
If i disconnect the battery each time after use i'm sure i'll have no problems but that is a pain..
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 16,574
GA
06-09-02, 09:55 PM
#9
No, I guess it wouldn't hurt to change the solenoid, but that is not the problem and will not correct anything. You seem to have either a drain on the battery, or your engine is not charging the battery. If it is not charging, it will start the engine as many times as it can until it runs low. To check this, you will need a voltmeter. Check for a drain on the battery in the manner instructed above on one of my previous posts.
do you have a voltmeter, or have access to one?
do you have a voltmeter, or have access to one?
"Who is John Galt?" - Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged)
God bless!
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 16,574
GA
06-10-02, 10:54 PM
#11
There is a simple explanation to your problem. It may just be a bad wire, or a .50 cent diode. I will tell you what the problem is, if you can do a couple little tests to help me diagnose it. (unless you just WANT to get rid of it).

"Who is John Galt?" - Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged)
God bless!
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 126
CT
06-11-02, 04:39 AM
#12
Where is the diode???Is it easy to find and look at? If its electrical i may just leave it alone?? I will cut i the lawn later this week and leave battery attached to see what happens...The battery they gave me could have been bad.. If not i feel the problem is in the harness and its not recharging battery properly or its drawing juice for some reason..I'll keep you posted..Thanks alot for your help