QuestionFinished mowing yesterday and turned off engine. Went to crank it up to put in the shed and nothing, not even a sound. Battery good. Found two wired with a plug on the end hanging from the ignition switch but can't find a place to plug it into. Don't know if it was already hanging there or not. Never have looked under there. Any suggestions.
AnswerHi James,
I would check the starter first. Jump the positive battery terminal to the starter and it should crank over. If so, skip to step 2.
If not, jump from a battery that you know is good, from a car. If still nothing, the starter is bad. If good, then the mower battery is weak.
Step 2.
If the starter and battery are good, you will need to trace the entire circuit from the starter to the battery. The solenoid, switches the battery power to the starter, when power from the key switch is sent to the small terminal on the solenoid. To test the solenoid, first make sure that you have power at its large terminal which comes from the battery. Then jump power from that terminal or the battery positive post, to its small terminal. You should hear a click and the other large terminal that feeds the starter should be energized. If not, then the solenoid is bad. If good, then continue tracing the power through the key switch to the battery until you find the break in the power path. All testing can be done with a 12 volt light or a voltmeter. Most equipment has safety switches in the seat and on the blade engagement lever. Check them by temporarily bypassing with a small jumper wire.
Let me know how you make out.
Michael
