[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: (ET) First mow, 15 minutes, blew up motor



Hi All,

Hi Chris - sorry to hear about motor damage.

I bought bearings to rebuild a few mower motors over the winter, but after I cracked the end cap on the first one, I stopped. Fortunately, I still have 3 working (only 1 usable deck, out of 4 !), but no spares.

Also, I bought a 3/4" stainless steel rod to replace the rusted - pitted shaft that supports the mower deck rollers. It is larger than OEM, but the rollers are so worn internally that they fit !

Tedious part is either of 2 choices: grind the ends down to fit the original shaft end mounts, or cut those mounts apart, and weld larger diameter tubing (3/4" I.D.).

I only used E15 once this winter - to plow snow.  Charged it once a month with automatic timer from Lester Lestronic 2 charger connected to GE OEM charger (works great !).

Happily, the E15 (with Curtis 1204M & used Hall effect 'gas' pedal from a Chevy) drove quietly out of the shed yesterday, & lift worked to raise/lower the plow. [Lift motor VERY tired, needs dismantle & clean).

Mower deck also needs spring loop welded.

After mower deck fixes, I have E12 conversion to Curtis 1205M 1/2 done.  Hope to finish that soon.

John


On 4/10/24 21:11, Christopher Zach via Elec-trak wrote:
*sigh* There are days when you wonder.

Took the snowblower off the E20 and put the deck back on. All three motors work. I have a yard which grows a bumper crop of "ground ivy" in the back which basically kills everything then dies off in June leaving a moonscape. Then back next spring.

Roundup doesn't work. Weed killer doesn't work. Fire doesn't work. The only thing that works is to wait for it to cover everything, then drop the deck as low as it goes (no spacers) and hit it with the mower. Apparently ground ivy has not yet evolved a way to deal with the E20.

Well sort of. It covers branches and stuff and while mowing the left motor and blade hit a good sized branch which jammed the motor. Not a biggie, this is a "new" tall thin motor with a nice disconnect so I put the tractor in reverse and notice the smoke pouring out of the side of the motor....

*sigh* Shut down the deck and check the motor. Yep, the wire harness is burning through but more important I hear a tick tick when I turn the motor and it doesn't work right. Pull the breaker on top (yep, it welded shut, so much for that) and pulled the motor top.

On the good side it didn't burn the armature though it was hot. Bad side two commutator bars are now slightly lifted and one brush was stuck in the holder. Freed the brush, pressed the commutators back down with a screwdriver, reassembled, cut the burned wiring harness, rewired.

Motor works but there is still a tick. Not sure if the raised bars will wear down or if it will wear the brushes faster. Mows fine, but when I shut down the motor coasts a bit more than the others.

Never dull. I think I'm going to get the tiller out and just till half the back yard and start over. Not sure if the ground ivy can handle being tilled, I did this about 15 years ago on a part of the yard and it took a decade before the ivy was able to come back.

How is everyone else doing?

_______________________________________________
Elec-trak mailing list
Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo/elec-trak