Battery cable shorted, did I fry anything else?

[crash-harris]

While mowing today, my positive battery cable worked its way between the batter and frame, causing a short so bad that the mower died and nearly melted the negative battery terminal with smoke pouring out from under the seat (I though the hydro unit was on fire!).

I thought a got the cable away from the frame with a piece of wood, but part of the cable was so stuck to it when I came back from the garage with tools. I replaced the cable with one from my parts tractor and added another ground cable after verifying that the ground from the block to frame was still intact, and I have a different battery on the charger.

BUT...does anyone know if anything else could've fried because of this?

I'll be putting the other battery in quickly before work in the morning to see if I get key-on power...

[cooperino]

What model tractor

[ol'George]

I'd be nice to know what you are working on but you defiantly hurt the battery.
time will tell if it was a a death knell for it or just a real good wake up call.
prolly not hurt anything as it was quick, but a fuse could of blown because of a dead short of the charging system, you will know soon enough when you hook up everything.
You sure let out the magic smoke, and that is never good.
----------did you have to change yer britches?

[crash-harris]

Tractor in question is a 1250.

When I put the charged battery in this morning, I got headlights (I have them direct wired from the battery). I did get key-on power and got the "click" when engaging the PTO clutch with the engine not running, but no crank, no start. The only fuse I have (that I know of) is for the PTO.

And I was pretty close to needing to change my shorts when it happened!

I did have to walk about an acre or so and back to the tractor, so that's how long it was shorted. Half of the positive cable was still stuck to the frame when I got back to the tractor with the tools to remove the battery.

[CADplans]

Originally Posted by crash-harris

I did have to walk about an acre or so and back to the tractor, so that's how long it was shorted. .

If the battery was shorted that long, a plate in the battery has warped,, the battery is damaged,,

Expect charging to not help that battery,, Road Trip to the Walmart Battery Department,,

[spndncash]

Battery has to be shot I would think. Any car parts store will test it for you free.

Before putting a new battery in this system I would check some items. I would start with checking the components and continuity of the wires end to end and then verify each wire did not melt the insulation and short to ground or another wire in the harness. there is not a lot to the harness.

As a test, you can bypass the PTO circuit if it is suspect, but it does not sound like it is. The Key switch may have melted with that much current for that long. Solenoid should be fine it was not engaged when this was going on. If the headlights and the PTO work then I would not think the ammeter was damaged. You can jump the solenoid to see if the starter works.

[crash-harris]

I would like to clarify, the battery I charged last night and put in this morning was not the battery that was in the tractor when the short occurred. I did test the voltage on the one that WAS in during the short, and it was over 12V, but I'm pretty sure it now has a bad cell and would fall on its face HARD if it has a load on it.

I work at an auto parts store and so be testing the battery when I click back in from lunch, but I'm sure it's toast.

I pulled the key switch, but the only ones that we have in stock are 5 pole, whereas the Cub Cadet one is a 4 pole switch.

[R Bedell]

When replacing an Ignition Switch, one has to consider the "function" of the switch as well as the number of terminals.

The CORRECT Ignition Switch for the Quietline Series is: IH-61524-C3 IGNITION SWITCH

[crash-harris]

The ignition switch seems to be fine, but I barely got a stuttered click from the starter relay. I applied 200A boost to the battery that I installed this morning (that had dropped to 11.15V since this morning) and finally got the starter to attempt to do something.

Yes, I disconnected the regulator, but reading the side of the starter, I'm hoping that the short didn't hurt the regulator.

I currently have the battery on a 40A quick charge worth the voltage regulator disconnected. I guess I'll see what it does when the tender says it's charged.

After some messing around, I finally got the starter to roll over enough to crank the engine.

[crash-harris]

It appears that my other battery is also bad. I took both into work to exchange them for a new one that I will try this evening.