?-a General question about electric PTO-?

[deepNdirt]

Hello folks!
The wife was cutting with her CC mower yesterday, first of all when she tried to start it she had realized left the key on and headlights since last time cutting ( last week ) thus running the battery dead... I put the charger on it for about 20 minutes just long enough to give it enough juice to start it, all went as normal with her cutting then about 30 minutes later she came to tell me the blades are not engaging anymore, I go check it out again although the battery was still dead, apparently had not charge while running, ( another issue for later) anyway I get it jumped off again and try the PTO and still did not engage while running,
so I let it set on charge again for a short while 10 minutes, and the mower starts right up and the PTO does engage this time..........
My question is.... being this is an "electric" PTO if when the battery falls to a low level of charge will the PTO Not! engage? as it is doing... Is this a sensible assumption?

 

[Travelover]

The electric PTO is just like an AC clutch on a car or truck. It takes a small electrical current to engage it. You may want to check the output of the alternator on the tractor.

 

[CJ-8_Jim]

Separately but related, when the key is left in and on like that, the hour clock continues to run (adding unnecessary hours to the meter). If you recall what the hour meter was before and subtract the difference from the current reading, it will give you an indication of how quickly the battery ran down. (also how far off your maintenance schedule is going to be with the extra hours on the clock).

Hopefully, the battery died quickly and prevented you from adding an extra 168 hours to the clock (7 days x 24 hours).

 

[deepNdirt]

Separately but related, when the key is left in and on like that, the hour clock continues to run (adding unnecessary hours to the meter). If you recall what the hour meter was before and subtract the difference from the current reading, it will give you an indication of how quickly the battery ran down. (also how far off your maintenance schedule is going to be with the extra hours on the clock).

Hopefully, the battery died quickly and prevented you from adding an extra 168 hours to the clock (7 days x 24 hours).

I hadn't thought of this aspect however I bet with being the headlights were on most likely run dead before the very next day, so hopefully no more than 8 or 10 hours would be added to the clock, (Hopefully)
I suppose in a way it was a good thing that the headlights were left on
otherwise the clock could have been ticking for as long as you mentioned
................
and Travelover thanks for your input as well :thumbsup: I have since put a overnight charge on the battery and all is well, I was just curious if with the battery being dead if this is in fact the culprit to the PTO issue? or if I am to expect more trouble to come?

 

[Travelover]

I'd think the alternator would have enough output to have engaged the clutch once the engine was running. Maybe the nearly dead battery was sucking too much current. If it continues to be an issue, check the output of the alternator with an ammeter.

 

[JSharp]

I forgot to charge the battery on my 2554 last winter and when I tried to use it the first time in the spring the battery was dead. I didn't have time to wait for the battery to charge so I jumped it to get it running.

The PTO was very sluggish to engage until it had run 1/2 hour or so. Those clutches take more current than you think, especially the inrush current when they are first engaged. Trying to charge a completely dead battery and run the clutch is a lot to ask of the little alternator on these engines.