30 Amp fuse keeps blowing

[bluechip]

Yes, just needs fuel and air once it starts. Be very careful starting that way! first check to be sure its out of gear, then before you do anything be sure its out of gear. Best to have someone sit on the tractor with a foot on the clutch, did I mention to be sure it is out of gear?
Even experienced guys run themselves over, so please be careful.

 

[Harrygoodwrench]

Seven corners, I have the same 224 as yours with the integrated gauges. When I said the ammeter was an "unlikely" culprit thats exactly what I meant. I never said it could not be. As far as the ammeter,,,,,,,,well I don't use mine period. I installed a higher output GM 10 SI (60 amp) alt to replace the 29 or so Jinma alt due to my electro-hydraulic snow plow set-up which the Jinma alt could't handle. Well, a 30 amp gauge can't handle 60 amps so I did as dave did(bypassed it and just put a voltmeter gauge from a parts store under the dash. Hey it works and is a inexpensive item.
Yes, you are correct. No electricity is needed once you get your diesel running(no lights,etc on). Although, once the battery gets too low without charging it may not start.

 

[greg_g]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Now can some one tell me what light bulbs to use to keep the cheap taillight lens from melting. )</font>
LED bulbs Dave. But since they don't generate heat, they don't burn out like incandescents.

Don't remember for sure, but aren't your rear bulbs this

wedge type?

//greg//

 

[SevenCorners]

Well I got my new starter switch the other day and put it in today. Greg I got to hand it to you, you nailed it. It was the starter switch, must have been shorting internally. New one was very easy to install and no more blown fuses!!!

Thanks for all who replied.

 

[SevenCorners]

Alright this is totally frustrating me! Its back.... a little different symptoms but still some type of electrical short. Now all of the switches and gauges do not work. The starter does engage and turns over the engine. I blew the main 30amp fuse once, put in a new one and so far after 2 starts and 15 minutes of work no blow, but all the switches, lights, horn and gauges do not work. Is anyone thinking the instument cluster?

 

[greg_g]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Is anyone thinking the instument cluster? )</font>
Not me. The problem sounds to be at a higher level than at the cluster. I'd be inclined to recheck the wiring on your new ignition switch. First guess is that the wire (6) connected to the RUN post [2] has come loose. It probably blew a fuse coming off, and is now just dangling there - waiting to short out again.

//greg//

 

[SevenCorners]

Greg,
I rechecked all the wiring to the switch, none was lose or exposed, I put crimps on with shrink tubing connections are tight, I too thought about #6 wire seems like a logical spot, I have 12V when switch is turned on on the post but still no lights horn ect...

 

[SevenCorners]

I have a second wire attached to number 6 with a wire connector, any one else have the same? I don't know what it's for I just left it alone thinking maybe its the cig lighter....

 

[greg_g]

There is no reason for there to be more than one wire between the ignition switch and the fuse box. The one and only purpose of wire (6) is to provide switched 12v between the 30A system fuse and the individual fused circuits. Additional circuits can be wired into the spare circuit positions, or fused off the ignition switch accessory post (#4). Power to the glow plugs comes from the 30A system fuse.

Since you don't specify, I'd assume that pigtail doesn't go anywhere. It may be shorting against something, and should be safe to remove.

The reason I say it has to be a higher level problem, is that the horn/headlights/instruments/brake lights/signal lights/side markers are divided among four individually fused circuits. For them to ALL not work would mean
1. all individual circuit fuses are blown, or
2. the 30A system fuse is blown, or
3. there's no 12V supplying the 30A system fuse, or
4. there's no switched 12v being supplied to the fuse box

Since you said there are no more blown fuses, that pretty much narrows it down to #3 or #4. If your glow plugs work, that rules out #3.

//greg//

 

[SevenCorners]

I am going to remove the wire attached to 6 and place it onto post 4. I was also wondering if perhaps some water got down into the switch due to the recent rain. I have got to make room in my garage to park it otherwise build an equipment barn. My barn is packed with hay so no room there.

 

[ToolManRick]

I'm surprised you have any hair left! I might have pulled all mine our by now if I were you. Anyhow, I read in one of the above posts about using a test light on the fuse box. In the past I have removed the negative cable from the battery post and put that light between the cable and the post. That gives you an indication of any draw on the battery if it glows. But, since your not blowing fuses at the moment I have a tendency to agree with Greg G and suspect the original problem was a bad switch and now a possibly incorrectly wired new switch. Either way keep us posted on this and I know we can figure it out. Good luck.

 

[SevenCorners]

Rick,
I have no hair so nothing to lose lol... That is a pretty good idea I haven't tried anything recently because I am tired of working on it. I have spent too much time recently troubleshooting instead of working so for now it starts using the key so I am going to leave it alone. I might just rewire it latter in the month when the days get shorter and I need the headlights.

 

[greg_g]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( In the past I have removed the negative cable from the battery post and put that light between the cable and the post. That gives you an indication of any draw on the battery if it glows. )</font>
Technically, that procedure verifies the presence or absence of voltage on ground to narrow down the reason for a chronic low or dead battery condition. I prefer a multimeter, because occasionally voltage to ground is not a level sufficient to make a bulb glow. I've found some shorts trickling as little as 1 volt to ground, which unfortunately ain't gonna show up on a 12v bulb.

Voltage on ground is normal when an electrical device is purposely energized - because without ground, a DC circuit will not complete. But sometimes loose wires, frayed insulation, or simply a defective device can complete the circuit somewhere other than (or in addition to) through a switch. When the alternator is doing a good job of keeping the battery topped up, this type of short often goes undetected. They do their dirty work when the engine is not running.

It's when you come out several mornings in a row - only to find a dead or low battery again - that this little test comes in handy; to determine if it's actually because of a ground fault somewhere, or because the battery simply isn't charging during the run cycle any more.

//greg//

 

[SevenCorners]

Well, I finally have the problem fixed! And it was sure a pain in the XXX. I have almost totally rewired the main wiring. From the starter all through out and just after the ignition switch. I never actually found the short but I know it is now corrected because everything is working. I took it one step at a time meaning I tested then rewired each leg of wiring until the shorting stopped. I just buttoned everything up and so far its operating at almost 100%. My tach is now slightly erratic. I seems when at a stop there is no tach movement, when I engage the clutch the tach begins to register. Once up to speed the tach operates normally. I will go and search the previous post because I remember a while back someone had a similar problem.

 

[greg_g]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My tach is now slightly erratic. I seems when at a stop there is no tach movement, when I engage the clutch the tach begins to register. Once up to speed the tach operates normally. )</font>
the tach fix is usually a simple sensor depth adjustment. Simple that is, unless you screw it in too far and hit the flywheel.

//greg//

 

[bmartin]

Seven, I had this problem with my tach and it finally died. So I installed a new sensor because the old one was screwed in too far to start with. Any way with the engine not running install the sensor all the way till it touches the flywheel and back it out 1 full turn, that should do it. I backed mine out a little more than that just to make sure it wouldn't touch the fly wheel.
Billy

 

[billbill1]

Seven, I had a bad starter on my tractor when it was new. My gauges quit working and it was the wire coming off of the starter where the main 12 positive lead hooks. There was a plastic bushing between these two wires and I wasn't getting good connection. I blew a 30 amp fuse in this process too. I completely removed that plastic piece and my guages worked after that (the starter was still bad and replaced by my dealer) but haven't had any more problems. You probably corrected the problem when you rewired. These tractors can be a pain but I think you'll love yours as soon as you get everything solved. Good luck.

Bill