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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?
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