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jeffs616 · Sep 1, 2007, 02:39 PM

As soon as I turn the key to the on position the 30 amp fuse blows. I have a Craftsman 12.5 lawn tractor. The battery is new. I'm not sure what's wrong. Thanks for any advice. Jeff C.

esquire1 · Sep 1, 2007, 03:01 PM

You have a short somewhere. Look at all wires etc. One may be pinched somewhere

MOWERMAN2468 · Sep 2, 2007, 12:40 PM

Another easy mistake is to hook the battery cables to the wrong post. This to can cause this problem. I say this because you stated you put on a new battery.

jeffs616 · Sep 2, 2007, 01:10 PM

Actually the fuse was blowing before I got the batt, which was old and I hoped was shorted out. I've been looking for a shorted wire but haven't found it. I also removed the gas tank for a better view of the wiring. I'm still looking, and an acre of longish grass is laughing. Thanks for the advice you guys. Jeffs616

briggz · Sep 3, 2007, 07:20 AM

A bad ignition switch could be the problem to

MOWERMAN2468 · Sep 3, 2007, 08:11 AM

Keep on looking, and if you have not had any more rain than us, your grass will not grow too fast. You have a short somewhere as indicated by esquire1. Try and obtain a wiring diagram.

jeffs616 · Sep 3, 2007, 09:49 AM

I've looked from stem to stern and I'm not finding a shorted wire. I like the bad ign switch idea, briggz. The wiring is fairly simple and I think I've seen all of it by now. Jeff was getting upset last night and almost tossed it in a river. Luckily I don't live near a river. Until I can find a new switch I think I'll disco a few more components and pop a few more fuses. It has been dry here, 50 miles north of Philly, but I can almost see the grass grow. That might be in my head, though. Thanks again to all for the advice. Jeffs616

MOWERMAN2468 · Sep 3, 2007, 04:19 PM

Send that rain to tn. We would love to have the rain here. Our grass is 'bout dead.

biggsie · Sep 3, 2007, 04:49 PM

I am thinking about how my riding mower works the battery provides power to

Lights and starter with, and the starter seems like a likely place to focus on...

I have taken the starter off and worked on it - tested with battery charger...

Can you keep track of wiring and remove the wires to test the starter, I would

Test the starter in the mower and decide if it is the problem before removing it

jeffs616 · Sep 5, 2007, 01:33 PM

Ok, after much giggling I now believe the short is in the stator under the fly wheel. As far as I can determine the stator charges the batt and runs the lights. Would it be possible to disco the stator and the tractor would run, and then just charge the batt when I want to use it?

jeffs616 · Sep 5, 2007, 06:44 PM

I'm statorless boys, and I'm loving it. So you guys were correct from the beginning, it was a short. Now I know what a stator is and I know I don't need no stinking stator. Well maybe during the grass growing-less season I'll think about pulling the flywheel and replacing it. More likely I'll buy a new one and give this one to my neighbors who have a yard twice the size of mine, and I can't bear to watch them push that 20 inch mower around for another year. It's a 12.5 horse Craftsman that's almost 20 years old, and has been one of the best machines I've ever owned. Thanks again for all the help. Jeffs616