TC30 Won't turn over - Do I need a new Safety Controller? Big Bucks :-(

[ksshooter]

Out of the blue my 2006 TC30 decided not to turn over. This was after I already ran it on Sunday, attached finish mower, took off grapple and prepared it to mow. Came back after lunch and tractor will not turn over. Long story short...5 amp fuse blown, and other blow as soon as you put them in! that includes a 10 amp as well. Dead short to ground on back side of fuse. ripped apart entire instrument cluster and disconnected everything I could think of. I finally disconnected the Safety Controller on the firewall and that stopped the short. If this is the culprit, a new one is $328!! Honest!!! Anyone have experience that may help? I need to do something fairly quickly since nothing gets done without the machine. Thanks!! Here some additional information...if this does not cure the problem, they will not take it back. No returns accepted on electronic parts!! I better be really sure....

 

[Soundguy]

i'm not up on them new machines.. what are they calling a safety controller.. can you post some details.. a schematic or something?

 

[ksshooter]

I don't have a schematic with me but it is a sealed module containing a number of switches/relays that are related to safety interlocks such as making sure the transmission is in a neutral setting and shutting down the tractor if the seat switch opens up while in gear. My previous tractors were all early 1950s Fords so this is new to me also. I need to see if I can get a schematic to post. Thanks for the quick reply. Tom

 

[duckfarmer27]

ksshooter -

Hate to say it but get a schematic. I started a thread today on my TC-35 with similar problem. Yours sounds like maybe easier to diagnose - you have a dead short somewhere and should be able to track it down with a meter. I would not buy any parts until you are pretty darn sure what it is that's bad.

Will be interested in how you make out.

Dale

 

[Soundguy]

agreed.. if we can see a schematic of what this sealed unit is looking at, we can probably isolate, and for testing purposes, bypass each circuit out of it and see which one is faulting.

 

[ksshooter]

I have a schematic but there is no way to figure out what is inside the Safety Controller. It only shows the wires going in and coming out. No idea what attaches to what inside of the controller!! I will have to call the dealer to see if they can test it.

 

[duckfarmer27]

I will have to call the dealer to see if they can test it.

KSS -

Take all that with a grain of salt. As I detailed in my post yesterday, using the NH shop manual to test the Operator Safety Module on my TC-35 the manual says the part is bad, but it works fine. In talking with my dealer NH updates their manuals with service bulletins - but is not always forthcoming, in his opinion. In my two working lives I was used to systems that updated the manuals if errors were found, but evidently NH is not as good about it as others. At least this is my experience.

Dale

 

[Soundguy]

does it show what the module hooks to?

 

[ksshooter]

does it show what the module hooks to?

yes, it shows where all the wires from the module go to in the tractor. You just don't know what is inside the module. I do know that the wire that has a dead short to ground that is blowing the 5 Amp fuse, plug pin 10, is also a direct short to plug pin 11, which is ground per the schematic. New controller needed. I ordered it an it is on the way. The tractor will never work with that wire shorted to ground.

 

[Splitter1973]

I have the same exact problem on my 2008 TC30. I just arrived at the same conclusion after unplugging the safety controller module and testing it. That pin 10 (power, connects to positive wire running to 5A fuse) is shorted to the neighboring pin 11, which is ground. Guess I'm looking at replacing that expensive controller as well. Any recommendations on where I can purchase that controller at reasonable price? Also, I'm a bit nervous about plugging in an expensive new module without knowing what caused the first one to go bad. Not a part I want to be replacing multiple times