G1800 electrical problems

[sgarver]

Mower Won't start ...I have a g1800 mower with electrical problems... Switch has been replaced.
I have taken all the connections i can find apart and cleaned with electrical spray and blew them out.. i have tested each connection with a meter and all test and work. Sometimes the starter will try to engauge sometimes not.
i have bypassed most of the safety switches.
Neither the Gas Gauge or the Temp gauge is working.
all fuses test with meter okay.
glow plug light works intermittely
I am now thinking the battery but that would not cure the gauges problem.
anyone else had this kinds of problems?
thanks
steve

 

[6thgpSF]

steve, did you check the ground wires to make sure they are clean and tight? russ

 

[sgarver]

the ground on the battery is tight and clean, i have had it off and on several times thinking the same thing. took the wire off the frame and scrached it up some. the meter tests ok there.
thanks

 

[leonz]

Mower Won't start ...I have a g1800 mower with electrical problems... Switch has been replaced.
I have taken all the connections i can find apart and cleaned with electrical spray and blew them out.. i have tested each connection with a meter and all test and work. Sometimes the starter will try to engauge sometimes not.
i have bypassed most of the safety switches.
Neither the Gas Gauge or the Temp gauge is working.
all fuses test with meter okay.
glow plug light works intermittely
I am now thinking the battery but that would not cure the gauges problem.
anyone else had this kinds of problems?
thanks
steve

You may haver a hairline crack in one or more of the main fuses too.

About the battery you can have a broken cell or two and still have voltage but no amperage to speak of.
==============================================================================
And modern gas tractor will die while working too-my wheel horse did that with a bad coil and battery both.
I would charge the battery fully over night and then take it to be loaded tested at a garage nearby.

 

[sgarver]

i have replaced 3 fuses, thats all i could find.
i kinda leaned toward the battery now also, but the guages not working wouldn't be affected by that would they?
thanks
steve

 

[jinman]

There is a fusible link down near the starter. If it is blown, nothing will work. If its contacts are dirty, it will act like your symptoms. When you turn the key to on, do the GEN and OIL pressure lights illuminate? If all panel lights are out and no glow plug light or attempt to start, that is usually the fusible link. Your problem sounds like the fusible link is still okay, but may have intermittent contact.

I got so tired of my bad starter switch on my g1800, that I put in a hot wire to the starter with a intermittent contact switch. That will start my tractor even if the fusible link blows.

Here's a link to your G1800 electrical diagram.

I've attached a photo of my little starter switch I bought at a NAPA autoparts store.

 

[sgarver]

the red lights come on the dash glow plug light works also.
but the gauges don't
in the area i expected to find a fuseable link all is see is a wire that is
looped back. it looks like factory connection but no fuse in the line

 

[jinman]

the red lights come on the dash glow plug light works also.
but the gauges don't
in the area i expected to find a fuseable link all is see is a wire that is
looped back. it looks like factory connection but no fuse in the line

The fusible link is probably just a wire with spade type connectors on each end. The wire in that "loop" is the fuse wire. I built a couple of adapters with male-to-male spade connectors and I buy my 30 amp fusible links at Autozone for $3.29 instead of paying Kubota's price or having to wait for them to open. I prefer to go to stores that are open daily for such items.

All of this is probably academic anyhow because your link is probably fine. I'd use the schematic I posted and troubleshoot why the electrical problems persist. I'd bet it is a connector up under the dash panel somewhere, or in the "combination box."

 

[sgarver]

Jinman, How did you wire up your starter switch?
that looks like that may be what i have to do.
but i wish my gauges would work

 

[jinman]

Jinman, How did you wire up your starter switch?
that looks like that may be what i have to do.
but i wish my gauges would work

Steve, I didn't want to do the hotwire as I did in the attached diagram, but no other way worked reliably. I first bypassed the combination box relay and tried to use the regular ignition switch. That was unreliable. It worked sometimes and didn't at other times. I found the switch was dropping voltage across its contacts so that my 12.5 volts dropped to 10.5 volts across the switch. So, I just wired in a jumper between the hot wire at the starter and the starter solenoid through the momentary contact switch. The switch is rated for 15 amps. It's a NAPA part number ECHPP5007.

Anyhow, if the switch ever fails (welds its contacts), the starter will just keep running until I disconnect or cut the wire. If you put a spade male/female inline with one side of the switch, you can easily disconnect without having to take off the vent cowling under the steering wheel.

Also, you need power to your fuel pump at all times, so if your electrical problems include not powering the fuel pump, this jumper and switch may not prove to be a complete solution.

 

[sgarver]

Jinman, You have been very helpful, thank you so much.

I see the battery is 145.00
and it appears a special size, what do you use?

 

[jinman]

I see the battery is 145.00
and it appears a special size, what do you use?

My G1800 has the battery in it that it had when I bought it. I'm not sure of the size, but by using a cross-reference online, I came up with a Rayovac SLI51R from Batteries+ for about $77. That looks like it might save you 1/2 the price. I also found the number 50B24L as a generic battery number. The original battery was 430 CCA and the Rayovac replacement is 450 CCA. You might be able to take the dimensions and CCA ratings down to a NAPA or other parts store and find a suitable replacement.

 

[sgarver]

battery tested okay But my son kept saying Battery.
I dug it out and looked at the date, since it was several years old I
thought id see how much it was Too high from Kubota but i got one
for $52. at auto parts warehouse. Sure enough . STARTER now works
but shut off not working yet and gauges still not working. but at least
it starts... Thanks for all the information so far, but i aint done yet.
thanks
steve

 

[Bob01]

This happened to my G1800 at about 1500 hours, It was the combination box it was defective. After replacing it everything worked great.

 

[blackleyhurst]

Same problem as I have starts well if I link main starter feed to solenoid but bendix doesn't throw in on ign switch. I need a wiring diagram to se where voltage drop is. Can anyone upload one?

 

[jinman]

I need a wiring diagram to se where voltage drop is. Can anyone upload one?

Welcome to TBN. You'll find a lot of info here if you learn to use the "Search" function at the top of the page. If you had done that, you'd find this post and a diagram already waiting for your perusal.

 

[GS1100GK]

I was given a G1800 by a friend that needed some TLC. Recently, the fuel and temp gauges stopped working. My Kubota also has had a separate starter switch added since the starer position of the ignition does not work consistently. So, I decided to spray some electrical contact cleaner into the switch thinking that would help the starter position work. Not long after that the fuel and temp gauges stopped working. I just bought a new switch thinking that would help the starter position to work but that didn't help. Maybe it blew a fuse? SGARVER stated he replaced 3 fuses. I found 1 behind the screen under the dashboard. Where are the others?

Any help would be appreciated.