Re: (ET) Cut wires, still haunted.

[Chris Zach <cz alembic crystel com>]

So today's task was to pull the left side 1f/1r contactors and see 
what's up. Getting the double contactors out is a pain, but I knew I had 
to do this for years so out came the wrenches, off went the disconnect, 
and I took the thing apart. To remember wires, I put blue electrical 
tape on any right side wires for the contactors and the coils. This way 
I won't blow everything up in fun and unusual ways.

With the old contactor out I put it on the bench to take a look. The 1R 
contactor (bottom) was isolated from the body and the poles, however the 
top contactor shows a 1k resistance between the poles and the coil. 
Which means the coil *could* be receiving enough power though this leak 
to hold it and the 2F coil in. That could be why the tractor runs for 
awhile sometimes, then drops out. It would also explain the reverse 
insanity, as going from reverse to zero would cause a brief power spike 
from the motor which could close the contactor in run forward, then hold 
it through the leak.

What a pain. Tomorrow I might have enough time to put the replacement 
contactor in and see if it works....