Re: (ET) E141 mystery

["RJ Kanary" <rjkanary nauticom net>]

        Your ET has the infamous "Brain In A Box"® Charging and Control
System. My advice is to find somebody that is still familiar with those, 
and
do it post haste. Bill Gunn did one of those for a customer of mine fifteen
years ago, and it was NOT inexpensive.
       And, since Bill no longer is supporting that product, resources are
certain to dry up quickly. :(

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Erick Smith" <ericksmi mac com>
To: <elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2004 6:16 PM
Subject: (ET) E141 mystery


> I have a Wheelhorse E-141 mower which originally came with 6 12v
> batteries - two strings  of three running a 36 v system.  Last winter I
> converted it to six 6-volt batteries and it has performed wonderfully
> all summer - doing triple duty or more because of our abundant (to put
> it mildly) rainfall.
>
> At least until today when it would not "start".  Nothing happened when
> turning the switch that starts the main drive motor running.  Although
> the  batteries should have been fully charged, I put the charger back on
> to be sure.
>
> With the charger connected, I tried starting it again and it started
> right up.  Turned it off and tried to start it again - nothing.
>
>
> So, I let it charge for awhile.  Once assured of having a full charge, I
> disconnected the charger and turned the main power switch (the E-141 has
> a main power switch to turn on first, then a key starter to start the
> main motor).
> As soon as the main switch was on, a piercing noise began - sounded like
> the warning noise a construction implement makes when backing up -
> except this was constant rather than intermittant.  After a few seconds
> it stops.
>
> Some investigation showed that the noise was coming from what appears to
> be an intentional noisemaker/warning device, a vertical cylindrical
> object about 2 inches in diameter and an inch high mounted just behing
> the uppermost battery and just below the two solenoid switches (at least
> they look like solenoid switches) that are directly behing that battery.
>
>
> Turn the main switch off and turn it back on again and the same thing
> happens.
>
> So then, after the noise has stopped, I try starting it several times -
> nothing.
>
> So then I hook the charger back up, turn on the main power switch, wait
> for the noise to stop, and try starting it.  Viola - starts right up.
>
> Without shutting it off, I disconnect the charger, go out and mow some
> especially tall grass.  The mower has full power and mows to perfection.
>
> Drive it back to the barn, shut it off and try to restart it - nothing.
> Hook up the charger and try to start it - nothing
>
> At that point, I decided it was time to get some better advice.
> Any ideas?
>
> Erick smith
>
> PS I could find no loose connections, nothing was getting hot that I
> could see, no smoke or odors.
>
>
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