[tom42]

As recommend I replaced eh Diode but still having problems It now blows out the 12 amp fuse when I plug it in to the Alternator wire that connects to the main source that flows through the diode. With the wire that connects the alternator unhooked it does not blow the fuse.
Could the main problem be the alternator wire harness?

Checking over the diodes I am getting a reading on the new one of 474. The old one reads 466. I am assuming I have the diode hooked up right which should be to your hot wire.
Is there away to check the alternator? If so how?

I have been lots of great help so far from everyone evidently I need more help.

<removed duplicated mess - KISS>

[KISS]

I believe the band should point to ground. Two diodes act as an OR gate.

Do you have spark with alternator disconnected?

[tom42]

As recommend I replaced the Diode but still having problems It now blows out the 12 amp fuse when I plug it in to the Alternator wire that connects to the main source that flows through the diode. With the wire that connects the alternator unhooked it does not blow the fuse.
Could the main problem be the alternator wire harness?

Checking over the diodes I am getting a reading on the new one of 474. The old one reads 466. I am assuming I have the diode hooked up right which should be to your hot wire.
Is there away to check the alternator? If so how?

I have been lots of great help so far from everyone evidently I need more help.

[tom42]

Got me lost? The diode I hooked up is os on the hot wire. The band is facing the Alternator. Is this right? There is only one diode. Should there are not be one on the main ground wire also?
I have no spark. Don't I have to have the alternator plugged into get power to the plugs? I don't think the motor will even crank over without the main power plugged int the alternator?

I really was in hope I could contact you again since you were so knowledgeable with this in the first place. I tried to respond a couple of times but it would not work had to repost them again. Thanks

[KISS]

Usually the ignition and charging systems are totally separate.

Diodes usually short, not open.

If you used a diode test. It really should read 0.6 V or less and overload depending on direction for a good diode.

I don't have a service manual for your engine and some of the stuff I have was iffy.

Do, you have a schematic for the engine?

S, with just the alternator disconnected, generally an egine will run. There is a diode module for the alternator as well.

Can you describe the connection points to the diode and alternator. Where does the other side of the alternator go with respect to diode direction?

Describe like or whatever works:
Ground - alternator battery(+) - diode (band) diode (no band) - coil - ground.

[tom42]

I have no schematic for the engine.

With the Alternator, I believe its called. The system blows the main fuse when connected so It won't even crank over the engine.

Now the main Briggs & Straton called it a Alternator but I think it also called the stator which is a round hoop with the electoral magnetic coil.
Two wires run off it to the plug in where I replaced the Diode. One red wire & one black one.
The Diode is hooked to the red wire which goes too the Alternator. The small band is facing the main wire that goes to the ignition. Which is the hot side.
The two wires appear to run back toward the ignition plug in.

Now what's funny about this it the wire code changes from a red & black wire to a white & Black wire.

Now am I assuming since it is a black wire that would be the ground I would not think thee would be power running n both with wires. s

If you can pull up the engine part s list for Briggs & Striation you will see the part I am talking about.

The main wire that I think has short problem is the one I put in the new diode in.
The part number for the alternator or wire alternator is 393456. Not sure if this helps.

With the Alternator wires disconnected nothing works. Here again if I plug it in it will blow a fuse.

Not sure what I did but I sewed it up somewhere.

After reading over you notes again I just pick up that sounds like there is another diode some where Else is that right? Is that possible. If so I wonder where it s located? Maybe I blew it up. Also as far as the reading I am getting on the one diode I just put in they sure don't match what I am getting from you. Maybe my diode checker read them different I don't know.

That what happens when you get a novae like me trying to fix something I have no idea on. Oh well at least I learning . Your doing great don't great up on me yet.

[DG]

Sounds like your confused between the alternator and the coil.
If it blows a fuse wheen you plug in the alternater / stator,replace it the copper coils are shorted out.

[DG]

Replace it.

[KISS]

Does any of this help either of us?:
http://www.mymowerparts.com/pdf/Brig...0diagrhams.pdf

You probably should bite the bullet and get a service manual, not the illustrated parts breakdown which is free.

Then we'd have something to go on.

Can you do this to test your diodes?

Get a 9 V battery, battery clip and a 1K, 1/4 to 1/2 W resistor and put in series. Put that across the diode and measure the voltage across the diode in both directions? Radio Shack will have the parts.

How confident are you that the diode is in correctly?

[crigby]

Hi.
Check it for a short to the engine block. Sounds as if it is your problem.
Peace,
Clarke

[tom42]

Thanks the site you sent me Keep it simple really will help. It gives me a better understanding of my electrical hook up.

I will read through this to see If I can better explain what system I have and let you know.

Will try to get the suggested parts to check on the system Monday.
The Diode I installed is one you recommended so I am pretty sure where OK with that. Unless I blew that one out when I first hooked up the diode. I may have had it hooked up on the DC side but the band was facing the right direction.

I did notice on one of the pictures it does show two diodes In place but my system only had one so I guess I am OK so far. There is not two or if so I would not know where else to look for it.

Will still pursue checking for shorts as Crisby suggested, but to date have not found anything.

As for replacing the Stator it would not be that big of a deal. If I do that then I think I will replace the diode again just in case I screwed the first one up.

[KISS]

Tom:

I'm worried. The reason for 2 diodes is that one provides pulsating DC to charge the battery and the other provides negative 12 VDC to the lights. If that diode is the rectifier for the alternator and you said the band is pointing toward the alternator and IF the other side of the alternator is ground you may be applying -12V to the electrical system.

Take a look at the diagrams provided and look at the band of the diode.

[tom42]

Not sure if the last one I sent was added but here it is again just in case.

I looked over the diagram you sent me, Keep it Simple and it did help a little.

The system I have is the Dual Circuit system See page 3. Upper left hand side of the page.
The Diode silver band is facing the equipment harness side.

The Diode is soldered on the red wire here again silver side facing the equipment side wiring.

Now when I first hooked up the diode I may have soldered it on the wrong wire since the wire harness side too the equipment is black & white wires. And the wires to the alternator is red & black I may have crossed the wires.

Assuming it should be hooked to the black wire on the alternator side.

Anyway I re re checked the wires coming from the equipment side And found that the two wires which is black a white has power going out and I was able to get the starter to work which tells me I think the main problem may be the stator or the diode.
I installed may have burned the stator up.
At least that's my hunch now but I still want to pursue checking it out I do know if I plug in the stator it will blow a fuse.

Now just to clear things up I need to know? Does the Diode hook up to the hot side of the wire? Which would be the red wire to the stator?

I have another idea maybe I should take the strator into a business in Susanvilel that repairer car alternators and generators they may have a tester to check out the strator which would be fairly fast and easy to do.

Any thoughts?

[KISS]

OK, look at page 14 of the link that you referenced.

Take some imaginary white out and white out everything going to the headlights. What's left is your single diode.

The stator should be extremely hardy. A quick test would be when you have access to both ends, you look for a short to ground.

Yes, there are sophfisticated testers, such as ringing that can check for shorted turns.

[tom42]

OK some more information.
I was able to take the stator and the wire to it with the diode too the generator repair shop and they ran a quick test and said it looked good. I then took it to a chainsaw & mower shop to see what there thoughts were on it. Anyway He told me that it looked like the diode was installed the right way.

What he told me he things there is another problem other than the stator or Diode. He suggested to re-hook up ever thing up again and see if it will start without the strator hooked up.

He told me that strator only charges the battery and nothing else and feel its something else in the system.
One thing he mentioned was the ignition switch but since I never touched it I can't think of how it could have gone out.
He was telling me some people but new switch ins and they get the wrong switch which does not work on all systems. But here again I never touched the switch

I will try to re hook up everything except the stator and see if it will start. If so its got to be the wire source leading back to the battery.

I will unhook the wire that s not hot that goes too the stator and see when it running if its forcing any power back to the generator. Of course this will be unhooked from the main power line that hooks up to the battery.

Am I confusing everyone now?

I still have a hunch it in the stator but time will tell.

This is getting fun now. Wish I would have never attempted the repair but here again a learning process.

Hay not only do I have a problem with my mower but my daughter is having a problem with hers and she wants me to look at it. Not sure I want to got there but you know how it goes with family.

I will start another post with her problem latter I don't want to start one now until I get mine fixed.

Completely different problem at least this one is not electrical.

Although everyone on the forum has sure been helpfully and patient. I think were almost ready to find the problem.

Hank with me

[KISS]

diode was installed the right way

Band facing away from stator?

He suggested to re-hook up ever thing up again and see if it will start without the strator hooked up.

Didn't I suggest that?

I will try to re hook up everything except the stator and see if it will start. If so its got to be the wire source leading back to the battery.

I will unhook the wire that s not hot that goes too the stator and see when it running if its forcing any power back to the generator. of course this will be unhooked from the main power line that hooks up to the battery.

Am I confusing everyone now?

Yes. Doesn't make a lot of sense, but

If so its got to be the wire source leading back to the battery.

does,

[tom42]

OK here is the latest on this. Her again the Motor will crank over without without the strator hooked up.
However there is no power going to the coil from what can tell. At lest there is no spark to the plugs dead. Now I replaced the coil and evidently that's not it.
However I did notice on the new coil it only has a hook up for a ground where the old one Had a wire running to the col itself besides the ground wire. This-new coil did not come with one. Something to do with the points and I guess mine does not have one..

As far as the diode being hooked up right I still not sure. I still am confused on the band thing did you tell me the band should face towards the strator or on the hot side?

The way its goes other is power going to the strator but none returning to the other wire. Does not make sense.

I had to quit o on this for a couple of day its been a mind boggling thing. Even with the information you have been providing me I am still screwup.
What I need to do if I can figure it out is take a picture of the way its hooked up on the Stator (alternators) and post it so all can see, but have not figured that one out yet myself. Like they say a picture is worth a thousand words.

What I have been trying to avoid is tearing the whole tractor down so I can get to all the electrical lines to see if I can find a short.
Not going to be easy with this tractor, you have to take 20 things loose in order to get too the main wiring.

The is also another thing that I ma confused with and that is does the coil that create spark get its power from the Magneto only or is there another or source of electric too the wire that give power to the coil?


Sorry it too me so long to respond

[KISS]

Let's do the wrong problem first:

It's a stator, not strator. Stator is the root of STATiOnary. It doesn't move.

One side of the stator should connect to ground. The other side of the stator will CONNECT to the NON BAND side of the diode. The band will connect to the positive terminal of the battery.
(I'm now saying it differently)

GND---STATOR---->|------(+)Battery(-)---GND
______________diode

The voltage regulator, regulates the current in the rotor making it an electromagnet. The strength of the electromagnet changes the amount of alternating (AC)voltage generated and is rectified by the diode to Volts DC and charges the battery.

A diode in backwards will act as a short.

[KISS]

Coils - General

There is a High voltage lead attached to the plug
There is a gap in the plug and the other end of the plug is attached to ground. A high voltage jumps the gap. It will be stronger inside the engine.

If it's installed upside down, it won't work.

If the poles touch the flywheel, it won't work.

Tighten the coil with an index card wedged between the poles and the flywheel.

If the kill lead going to the coil is grounded, you won't get spark. This should come from the ignition switch. Another possibility.

If the poles do not pass through the center of the magnets on the flywheel, it won't work.

Electronic Ignition
Timing is generated by the magnets. The flywheel may be different. It sometimes has trouble when generators are employed. Timing is different than an engine with points.

The coil is grounded to the poles and is grounded to the engine via the mounting screws.

No additional power sources are USUALLY required.

[DG]

KISS is right but make sure you put the card between the flywheel magnet and the poles.