Seat safety switch

[SunshineYankee]

Having problem with switch killing BX engine when I turn to check rear attachment or get off the tractor

 

[ovrszd]

Yep. Common problem on many tractors. Usual fix is to disable the switch. This is done by unplugging it under the seat and putting a jumper wire on the tractor end of the plugin.

 

[Roadworthy]

Check the rod on which the seat pivots. It may have come loose on one end. There may also be an adjustment or tab to bend. It's also possible the switch itself is cracked and has moved.

 

[SunshineYankee]

Yep. Common problem on many tractors. Usual fix is to disable the switch. This is done by unplugging it under the seat and putting a jumper wire on the tractor end of the plugin.

After I splice a jumper wire on the tractor end of plugin, where do I attach the jumper wire

 

[ovrszd]

After I splice a jumper wire on the tractor end of plugin, where do I attach the jumper wire

The terminal is a two wire terminal. Your jumper wire connects those two, completing the circuit like the switch does when you sit on the seat.

 

[fried1765]

Yep. Common problem on many tractors. Usual fix is to disable the switch. This is done by unplugging it under the seat and putting a jumper wire on the tractor end of the plugin.

That is the PERFECT fix.
As mentioned elsewhere, when the seat switch is unplugged, and not bypassed, your tractor is also much less likely to be stolen.

 

[GeneV]

Depending on switch design, you could just ziptie it so the plunger is permanently depressed.

 

[ChevyKeith]

I have been thinking for a while about the seat safety switch on my cabbed L5240. Sometime when I am leaning forward to see a pallet it cuts off the tractor. I am pretty safety cautious as my dad and uncle were both killed in tractor accidents. However I feel inside the cab I am pretty safe leaning forward to see the pallet forks. Also my wife is too small to keep the switch pressed, when it bumps it cuts out on her no matter how I adjust. So I was trying to think of a way to be able to bypass this safety when absolutely needed. I know this may be a bad idea and I am not suggesting anyone do it, I just felt that for me if there was an issue and I needed my wife to move the tractor it would be safer as there is often no one else around.

I wired in two relays and a hidden momentary button so when the button is pressed it will override (just for that session) the safety switch. Each time the tractor is started the safety is in place like always and then only if you know where the button is and press it once will it override the safety till the tractor is turned off.

Again this safety is there for a reason and for most people its is best to leave it alone. For my particular situation, I felt safer if I knew that my wife in an emergency could move the tractor. I think this is a personal decision and you must accept all responsibility for any modifications you may decide to do. I probably would not have done this if not for the cab, and my wife and I both know to never get out of the cab with this safety override activated which I see as a big danger.

** details **

I found the wires to the safety switch in the seat (flip seat up and look under it from passenger side)
I checked with volt-ohm - one was hot the other became hot when switch closed
I decided to put in 2 relays and a momentary switch. What I wanted to accomplish was a hidden button that if pressed would bypass the safety just for that one session. Once tractor was turned off and restarted safety would be reengaged. That way it is functions unless someone presses the button and then functions again next time it is restarted.

So I wired from ground of both relays to ground on tractor
On the first relay I used the positive from seat switch wire to the positive on relay
Then from same positive switch wire into the momentary push button and then out of the momentary button to the trigger on 1st relay
Then took output of first relay and ran to the trigger of second relay, positive of second relay, and also to the trigger of the first relay
Then from output of second relay to the other wire of the safety switch (the one the switch makes hot when closed).

Probably an easier way with special relays or chips but these are standard automotive relays I had around and I know how they work.

 

[joefromga]

You should post the numbers you connected to on the relays and add a light or buzzer to the output side so that you know the seat switch is bypassed. A flashing led would be ideal for that situation.

 

[ChevyKeith]

You should post the numbers you connected to on the relays and add a light or buzzer to the output side so that you know the seat switch is bypassed. A flashing led would be ideal for that situation.

Had not thought of a flashing led - I may put that in - would be easy.
If any one is interested I could find time to put together a simple schematic diagram.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Had not thought of a flashing led - I may put that in - would be easy.
If any one is interested I could find time to put together a simple schematic diagram.

I'm interested! Please do sketch out a diagram. Your setup sounds like the next-best safety system I've seen. Much better than simply wiring the switch down.

 

[ChevyKeith]

I used 2 Bosch style relays and a momentary switch

5 pack of relays - Amazon part B01KVZ2MU4
5 pack of switches – Amazon part B00U5UBU9K

Again I am sure there is a more elegant way of doing this but this worked for me and was something I understood. I am making the schematic from memory but I just did it last week so hopefully its correct.

 

[Smokeydog]

Like your idea. Often have to stand to look at something with the loader or bush hogging and having the engine quit is not safe. Like you I like to work safe but sometimes safety systems can get in the way. Several times I was ready to jumper around the seat switch or put in a switch to jumper around. The elegance of your way resets back to OEM each time you restart.
Relays under seat or dash? Mine is a open station tractor so need to protect relays?

 

[Smokeydog]

2 Pack AC/DC 12V Red LED Flash Indicator Light with Buzzer LB-12V-R | eBay

Red flashing and buzzing indicators.

 

[ChevyKeith]

I fit the relays and the button under the seat. Ones I used (amazon) are automotive style big, use them under hood on vehicles. I think they are pretty tough.

 

[ChevyKeith]

I am sure we could trigger an led w/o needing more power. If we did a buzzer, we may need to tap into a better line for power than the seat wires.

 

[rScotty]

I like the seat switch fix, very clever - and I always enjoy looking at clever gadgets. On the M59, I bypassed my seat switch the first day I had it after the switch nearly caused a bad wreck. We were working down an incline when I stood up to get a better look at the bucket and the engine unexpectedly just quit! The sudden stop threw me forward over the steering wheel and almost off the tractor. That switch can be a dangerous feature for someone not expecting it.

50 years of operating tractors, and that's probably the closest I've ever come to getting hurt.

It there any reason it couldn't be wired the other way around? A flashing LED indicates danger, and in my experience having the seat switch active so that it shuts off the engine during normal tractor operation is definitely the more dangerous situation.

I like that solution rather than just bypassing the switch as most of us do. After all, there could be times when we might want the seat switch to function as Kubota intended - although right now I can't think of when or why that would be. So even though their reasoning mystifies me, there is probably some reason they put that switch there.
rScotty

 

[Gem99ultra]

I used 2 Bosch style relays and a momentary switch

5 pack of relays - Amazon part B01KVZ2MU4
5 pack of switches – Amazon part B00U5UBU9K

Again I am sure there is a more elegant way of doing this but this worked for me and was something I understood. I am making the schematic from memory but I just did it last week so hopefully its correct.

View attachment 648805

Many thanks for the schematic. I think I'll add the red flasher/buzzer to this arrangement.

 

[ChevyKeith]

I like the seat switch fix, very clever - and I always enjoy looking at clever gadgets. On the M59, I bypassed my seat switch the first day I had it after the switch nearly caused a bad wreck. We were working down an incline when I stood up to get a better look at the bucket and the engine unexpectedly just quit! The sudden stop threw me forward over the steering wheel and almost off the tractor. That switch can be a dangerous feature for someone not expecting it.

50 years of operating tractors, and that's probably the closest I've ever come to getting hurt.

It there any reason it couldn't be wired the other way around? A flashing LED indicates danger, and in my experience having the seat switch active so that it shuts off the engine during normal tractor operation is definitely the more dangerous situation.

I like that solution rather than just bypassing the switch as most of us do. After all, there could be times when we might want the seat switch to function as Kubota intended - although right now I can't think of when or why that would be. So even though their reasoning mystifies me, there is probably some reason they put that switch there.
rScotty

You could use the unused outputs from the relay to trigger a led when the safety was operating and then the other output to trigger another led when the safety was bypassed. Its a pretty simple wiring system so I think it would be easy to alter however you wished.

Safety issue I see is the tractor running and you standing outside working and accidentally press the forward or reverse it could drive over your foot. Or if you dont have a cab and get thrown from tractor it could be set speed and drive over you.