What have you done to your Wheel Horse today?

[squonk 43,560]

Hosta's surround my yard art Suburban and fake chickens.  See if you can spot Homer!

 

[ebinmaine 72,122]

3 hours ago, squonk said:

Hosta's surround my yard art Suburban and fake chickens.  See if you can spot Homer!

 

 

Metal chickens don't seem to damage the greenery as much as regular types.  

[sqrlgtr 701]

33 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Metal chickens don't seem to damage the greenery as much as regular types.  

Don't eat near as many bugs either.

[Ed Kennell 41,621]

I found the  screen in the Trac Vac  clogged pretty quickly.    I added a full width baffle to direct the grass down away from the screen.   Test to follow at next mowing.

[Damien Walker 285]

10 hours ago, JoeM said:

Yes 4x4 522xi on a CadTrac style sub frame, loader ready.

Two pumps one for traction the other is for the steering and loader. 

Last winters / spring project. 

No build thread, some details mixed into this thread. 

 

 

 

 

 

I reckon we need a video of this in action  (please!). It looks amazing and I imagine the traction  is too.

 

 

 

 

 

[MainelyWheelhorse 1,406]

Today, I mowed with the 312, graded the end of my driveway with the 308 and installed the new battery in the C -141. However even after adding a ground from the engine to the battery. Then repositioning the tower to battery ground. Still no start through the key switch. However it will still turn over the starter, and engine if you are jumping the solenoid.  I’m a bit stumped with what is the issue, as everything should be wired to work with the exception being no battery to frame ground. Well, I’ll look into it tomorrow. 

[953 nut 59,539]

7 hours ago, MainelyWheelhorse said:

hen repositioning the tower to battery ground. Still no start through the key switch. However it will still turn over the starter, and engine if you are jumping the solenoid.  I’m a bit stumped with what is the issue, as everything should be wired to work with the exception being no battery to frame ground. Well, I’ll look into it tomorrow. 

If the engine will start by jumping the solenoid then the then the grounds are doing their job.      Is the solenoid properly grounded?

With the transmission in neutral and the wheels blocked take a small jumper wire from the battery "+" to the small terminal of the solenoid that comes from the ignition switch via the safety switches. This should close the solenoid and turn over the starter.

[MainelyWheelhorse 1,406]

3 hours ago, 953 nut said:

If the engine will start by jumping the solenoid then the then the grounds are doing their job.      Is the solenoid properly grounded?

With the transmission in neutral and the wheels blocked take a small jumper wire from the battery "+" to the small terminal of the solenoid that comes from the ignition switch via the safety switches. This should close the solenoid and turn over the starter.

Ok, thanks @953 nut the forum comes through again.🙂 This electrical learning curve is a bit steep😀

[JCM 10,142]

1 hour ago, MainelyWheelhorse said:

Ok, thanks @953 nut the forum comes through again.🙂 This electrical learning curve is a bit steep😀

Yes it is. Don't feel alone.

[Damien Walker 285]

3 hours ago, JCM said:

Yes it is. Don't feel alone.

Hey guys! Electrics are easy if you know anything about plumbing:

 

Battery = Water Tank

Cable = Pipe

Switch = Tap

Voltage = Water Pressure

Current = Current! (or flow rate) (The water analogy is why it's called current!)

Resistor = a constriction

 

Don't forget also that electric current has to have somewhere to go.....current won't flow from the battery into the lights (or the solenoid) if there is no earth connection...electrons don't spill all over the place like water does (unless the Voltage (Pressure!) is very very high!). A very common mistake therefore is to verify that the battery is connected to the switch and the switch to the lights but then ignore the fact that the other side of the lights and the -ve of the battery also have to be connected somehow...and they usually are by tortuous and often rusty means!

 

 

[sqrlgtr 701]

the two rules that all electrical theory hangs

1. You cant see it and

2. it will knock the h4ll out of you...

[Ed Kennell 41,621]

11 minutes ago, Damien Walker said:

Hey guys! Electrics are easy if you know anything about plumbing:

 

Battery = Water Tank

Cable = Pipe

Switch = Tap

Voltage = Water Pressure

Current = Current! (or flow rate) (The water analogy is why it's called current!)

Resistor = a constriction

 

Don't forget also that electric current has to have somewhere to go.....current won't flow from the battery into the lights (or the solenoid) if there is no earth connection...electrons don't spill all over the place like water does (unless the Voltage (Pressure!) is very very high!). A very common mistake therefore is to verify that the battery is connected to the switch and the switch to the lights but then ignore the fact that the other side of the lights and the -ve of the battery also have to be connected somehow...and they usually are by tortuous and often rusty means!

 

 

 

Yep and I'll add.

Voltage = pressure

Amperge = flow

Ohm = restriction (pipe friction, elbows)

Switch = shutoff valve

wire guage = pipe size

[ebinmaine 72,122]

15 minutes ago, sqrlgtr said:

the two rules that all electrical theory hangs

1. You cant see it and

2. it will knock the h4ll out of you...

 

 

#2 is why I don't mess with anything above 12 volts. 

 

Tractor (and some vehicle) circuits are simple and safe.  

 

 

[Damien Walker 285]

16 minutes ago, sqrlgtr said:

the two rules that all electrical theory hangs

1. You cant see it and

2. it will knock the h4ll out of you...

1) Yes, but you can't see the water in the pipes either!

2) Nah, not at 12V...it won't get through your skin resistance......don't get too near the spark plug though, that would be very nasty (1000s of volts -  aka a LOT of pressure!)

[Damien Walker 285]

2 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

#2 is why I don't mess with anything above 12 volts. 

 

Tractor (and some vehicle) circuits are simple and safe.  

 

 

 

Ah well, higher voltages are easy to be safe with:

 

1) Wear rubber wellies

2) Keep your other hand firmly in your pocket!

[Handy Don 13,817]

A lot of folks’ experience with electricity involves two wires, like the two prongs on the plug for the toaster.

Wheel Horse tractors often have one wire to certain components. Their second “wire” is the frame, engine block, and other metal parts--we refer to this second “wire” as the ground. Once all these parts are connected in ways that can conduct electricity, current can flow. 

[ebinmaine 72,122]

2 minutes ago, Damien Walker said:

 

Ah well, higher voltages are easy to be safe with:

 

1) Wear rubber wellies

2) Keep your other hand firmly in your pocket!

 

 

Nehh..   we call in the Licensed Electrician. 

No insurance questions. 

No issues. 

[Racinbob 11,904]

1 hour ago, Damien Walker said:

 

Ah well, higher voltages are easy to be safe with:

 

1) Wear rubber wellies

2) Keep your other hand firmly in your pocket!

An excellent attitude to die with.

 

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

Nehh..   we call in the Licensed Electrician. 

No insurance questions. 

No issues. 

Smart. 

 

But keep in mind 12v CAN pack a punch.

Some time ago a coworker showed up to work with his wrist bandaged up. The evening before he was working on his tractor. Something happened where he managed to get his metal watchband hung up on 12v to ground. Before he could get free he had blisters the size of grapes on his wrist. I have never worn a metal watch band and never worn rings. Rings pose an additional issue in that they are strong. Same jobsite, different day. I noticed a newly married apprentice wearing his wedding ring. I cautioned him of the dangers beyond the electrical. One day I got a call that he was in the emergency room. The first thing he said to me was 'you warned me'. He had climbed up some industrial shelving to get something on top. He jumped down, his ring got caught, it didn't let go until it removed itself from his finger. It peeled everything off his finger.

[ebinmaine 72,122]

15 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

Rings

Similar thing happened to a guy my father and I knew years ago but the whole digit was removed. He fell/jumped off a dump trailer.....

[Damien Walker 285]

2 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

An excellent attitude to die with.

 

Smart. 

 

But keep in mind 12v CAN pack a punch.

Some time ago a coworker showed up to work with his wrist bandaged up. The evening before he was working on his tractor. Something happened where he managed to get his metal watchband hung up on 12v to ground. Before he could get free he had blisters the size of grapes on his wrist. I have never worn a metal watch band and never worn rings. Rings pose an additional issue in that they are strong. Same jobsite, different day. I noticed a newly married apprentice wearing his wedding ring. I cautioned him of the dangers beyond the electrical. One day I got a call that he was in the emergency room. The first thing he said to me was 'you warned me'. He had climbed up some industrial shelving to get something on top. He jumped down, his ring got caught, it didn't let go until it removed itself from his finger. It peeled everything off his finger.

 

Well actually, in all cases, it's Watts (Power) that is the real danger.

 

Power = Volts x Current

 

ie if the combination of volts and current is large, then the result is a lot of heat which can burn or melt just about anything. A starter battery can usually supply hundreds of amps at 12v for a very long time (often for an hour or more). 100Amps x 12V = more than a one bar electric fire, so be careful with wrist watches or wedding rings and spanners. Just getting hold of the terminals of a 12V battery with your bare hands is ok though because you are high resistance and very little current will flow.

 

I never wear any metallic rings or wrist bands under any circumstance, having witnessed exactly the same thing when my brother caught his watch bracelet on the back of the ignition switch of his car. As you vividly point out, they are just as dangerous mechanically too.

 

Take care folks.

 

 

 

 

but DON'T get your wrist watch or wedding ring involved...they represent VERY LOW resistance and will light up like a fire element very quickly.

 

The real danger comes when you have low resistance and a big battery with essentially limited power available. This is the reason they say you always disconnect the battery earth first....because when you get your spanner on the positive and accidently short it to the tractor chassis, nothing happens because the earth return has already been removed. Obviously if you short your spanner to the chassis whilst temoving the earth from the battery, nothing will happen because they are at the same potential (Voltage) (Pressure)!

[953 nut 59,539]

2 hours ago, Damien Walker said:

Hey guys! Electrics are easy if you know anything about plumbing:

 

Battery = Water Tank

Cable = Pipe

Switch = Tap

Voltage = Water Pressure

Current = Current! (or flow rate) (The water analogy is why it's called current!)

Resistor = a constriction

 

Don't forget also that electric current has to have somewhere to go.....current won't flow from the battery into the lights (or the solenoid) if there is no earth connection...electrons don't spill all over the place like water does (unless the Voltage (Pressure!) is very very high!). A very common mistake therefore is to verify that the battery is connected to the switch and the switch to the lights but then ignore the fact that the other side of the lights and the -ve of the battery also have to be connected somehow...and they usually are by tortuous and often rusty means!

 

 

Plumbing is not a very complete analogy for electrical wiring because of the need for a complete return path capable of withstanding the pressure and flow rate. A hydraulic system is a much closer explanation but very few people understand how that works either.        

[adsm08 3,085]

1 hour ago, 953 nut said:

Plumbing is not a very complete analogy for electrical wiring because of the need for a complete return path capable of withstanding the pressure and flow rate. A hydraulic system is a much closer explanation but very few people understand how that works either.        

 

While you are correct, after teaching electrical for 15 years I have found it is close enough to get the ideas across. Particularly with resistance.

[Racinbob 11,904]

I'm thinking I wouldn't be comfortable living in a house wired by an electrician who learned the trade by plumbing anologies.

[Damien Walker 285]

1 hour ago, Racinbob said:

I'm thinking I wouldn't be comfortable living in a house wired by an electrician who learned the trade by plumbing anologies.

 

Have you no sense of adventure lol 

[MainelyWheelhorse 1,406]

Today, I went back and looked at the schematic @953 nut sent me. It turns out that the starter was on the negative not positive wire and the 30A fuse was on the wrong wire too. I’ve since moved them to the correct places. Now to try it again tomorrow. Hopefully having that stuff in the wrong spots didn’t burn something up. I do have a question though. Since the starter only has the one pole does grounding the block serve as the ground for the starter? Thanks for all the help everyone.