L3540 shuts off while running chipper

[JOHNINMA]

I bought a Bearcat SC5540B chipper for my tractor today and it works great, but on several instances the tractor shut down without warning as if a safety switch is kicking in. I followed the owners manual procedures on running the pto while out of the cab and I checked the electrical connections to the seat etc, but it still shuts off after say 15 minutes on its own. I checked the dash and everything reads fine no indications of any trouble. I think it has something to do with the seat switches and I noticed the seat has wires going into the bottom of it, but I don't know what kind of sensor is actually inside the seat. Does anyone no if there is some sort of mercury switch etc. inside the seat itself and how to adjust it if possible?

 

[arsenix2001]

I bought a Bearcat SC5540B chipper for my tractor today and it works great, but on several instances the tractor shut down without warning as if a safety switch is kicking in. I followed the owners manual procedures on running the pto while out of the cab and I checked the electrical connections to the seat etc, but it still shuts off after say 15 minutes on its own. I checked the dash and everything reads fine no indications of any trouble. I think it has something to do with the seat switches and I noticed the seat has wires going into the bottom of it, but I don't know what kind of sensor is actually inside the seat. Does anyone no if there is some sort of mercury switch etc. inside the seat itself and how to adjust it if possible?

There is a pressure switch and a mercury switch i believe for off tractor pto operation. Rule out the seat by jumping the two wires coming from the seat. You can disconnect the harness and use a small jumper there.

 

[slowzuki]

I had problems with my L5030 seat safety and had to bypass it. All our tractors on the farm do not have seat safeties so we are used to the safety precautions required.

 

[canoetrpr]

I guess this has been encountered by others before. I have a variant on my L3400. A while back I noticed that sometimes when I got up from my seat with the tractor running (no PTO in operation) it would sometimes shut off.

I didn't diagnose whether it was the seat safety switch (I'm guessing not) or one for the PTO or something else.

I've just permanently tied the seat safety down as I had to get the tractor going. I ought to go back and diagnose this. If anyone has any suggestions - let me know.

 

[KU Gator]

Canoetrpr,

I suspect it is the HST pedal not centering. Look for a grease fitting under the deck where the fwd/rvrs pedals pivot.

 

[Chilly807]

I don't know about the 3540, but the 3400's have a three position switch and a tab on the seat bottom that presses against the switch lever. I had to bend the tab slightly on mine to make it work properly.

With the DT model, if it's in gear you must be in the seat to keep it running. That's the full down position of the switch. The middle position tells the system you're NOT in the seat. The upper position (seat raised), allows you to run the PTO with a pump, chipper, etc. There's a few second delay to give you time to get your butt out of the seat and flip it forward before it shuts down if the PTO's engaged.

I assume mine's right now, but it still allows you to start the engine as long as the shuttle is in neutral even if you're not in the seat, which surprises me. I would have thought the starting circuit would be broken unless you were in the seat.

Sean

 

[Chilly807]

Canoetrpr,

I suspect it is the HST pedal not centering. Look for a grease fitting under the deck where the fwd/rvrs pedals pivot.

I agree, but that should give starting problems as well if the HST pedal isn't centered.

Sean

 

[canoetrpr]

Mine's got to be related to the seat position somehow no? The tractor only goes off once I get off the seat. Or is it the case that the HST pedal is allowed not to be centered so long as the operator is in the seat?

 

[JOHNINMA]

Thankyou everyone for the suggestions. I will try jumping out the safety to see if I can isolate the source of the problem. I tried centering the hydro pedal and shifting into gear and back to neutral again to make sure those switches are engaged with no difference. I strongly suspect the trouble is in the seat switch.

 

[Quebeker]

I'm curious to know how old and how much hours on your L3540?

I have one that is 3 years old and that have 800 hours.

I experienced problems with the seat switch. While mowing the horses pasture, the tractor bogged down several times and I had to jump on the seat to revive it.

The dealer suggested to bypass the seat switch as a work around to this problem. I didn't search forward to find the real problem but it seem to be a common problem on these models.

It's too bad because it is a good tractor.

 

[aczlan]

Or is it the case that the HST pedal is allowed not to be centered so long as the operator is in the seat?

Correct. If you are in the seat, it doesn't care where the HST pedal is. When you get off, it has to be in the neutral position.

Aaron Z

 

[JOHNINMA]

Quebeker my L3540 is a year old and has 160 hours of run time on it. I have had it momentarily cut out at times while even sitting in the seat if I shift my weight a little too far in a certain direction. Its a wonderful tractor, but I wouldn't mind a seat upgrade if Kubota had one to solve this nuisance problem.

 

[JOHNINMA]

I discovered that if I put my seat back into the fully reclined position so that I am practically looking at the cab ceiling and put the tilt steering fully up before tilting the seat forward to run the chipper it solves the engine shut down problem. I noticed by doing this it allows the base of the seat to be in a more vertical position. I'm so happy this was a simple fix. I hope this info helps anyone else who has the same problem when running the pto with no operator in the seat.

 

[toytrains]

I had the seat switch bypassed at the three hour mark.. sometimes I like to stand up and inch forward, or inch forward and back standing on the ground; the seat switch just wouldn't let that happen.

I never endorse safety interlock bypass, but for the right operators, this may be useful.

I've pondered putting the seat interlock on a switch with an indicator lamp warning the operator that a bypass is active, but haven't gotten around to it. Would be handy if someone other than I was playing skipper.


T

 

[Chilly807]

A momentary switch gives you the option to bypass the safety switch as long as the momentary switch is made. I haven't done it with mine but have given it some thought a few times.

Sean

 

[ddb123]

I just bought an L3540 and I love it except the seat safety switch. Is bypassing it as simple as unplugging? (I'm away from the tractor right now and can't just go out to look)

Old thread, hoping to bump it

 

[Chilly807]

For the sake of the little guy in your avatar, I think I'd just leave it as is. They're there for a reason.. Not preaching, just saying.

And to answer your question, I don't think just unplugging it will work.

Sean

 

[ddb123]

For the sake of the little guy in your avatar, I think I'd just leave it as is. They're there for a reason.. Not preaching, just saying.

And to answer your question, I don't think just unplugging it will work.

Sean

Eh, that's just my nephew, he'd be alright

Seriously, I don't mind the safety talk one bit. I am a big safety guy myself. However, for normal usage it simply has to go. I am a skinny 145 lbs, and even leaning to make sure the bucket is clearing an obstacle causes the engine to cut out.

And you are right, unplugging it just makes it unusable. I can zip tie down the seat up/seat down sensor, but that's not the one giving me problems. The other sensor is inside the seat itself and unless my full weight is directly on it, it thinks I passed out and fell down to my doom. I just need to be able to see the corners of my tractor while I'm operating. Can anybody help me out on how to bypass this sensor? I'm no electrician, but I can follow directions.
:drink:

 

[Chilly807]

I didn't think the L3540 used two different switches.. the reason I say that is because my L3400 uses a single switch that senses three different conditions. In the first (lowest) position, with operator's weight in the seat all functions are enabled (run in gear, and PTO are enabled). In the middle position (seat down and no weight in seat) the tractor must be in neutral to run, and having the PTO engaged will stop the engine. The last position (seat flipped up) enables the PTO to run as long as you flip the seat up within about three seconds of taking your weight off it. I don't think it will allow you to have the tractor in gear and running with the seat up, but I haven't tried that.

You must actually have wires running to the inside of the seat cushion?

Mine occasionally cuts out when I lean to the extreme right to look at the corner of the bucket, since the seat frame flexes and the switch is on the left side. No shame there for you, I weigh 200 lbs plus !

Sean

 

[ddb123]

You are right, I do have wires running directly into the seat cushion. I think these are the ones that go to the "problem" sensor. I would rather deal with the sensor than take a pocket knife to my seat. Maybe Kubota sells seat weights for riding position ballast!