JD445 blowing fuses

19 years ago

I recently bought a used (2001) JD445 that came with a JD tiller. I hooked up the tiller and engaged the PTO. Everything went fine. I lowered the tiller into the ground. Everything went fine. I moved forward about 1 foot and one of the fuses blew. I put another one in and it did the exact same thing. I had my dealer come pick it up and their technician can't figure out what's wrong.

He replaced the seat occupancy switch and that seemed to cure the problem temporarily. I tilled most of the yard yesterday but did have a couple of occasions where I blew a fuse. It seems to be more likely if you are on any sort of incline, rotated on the North South axis. So, right side is higher than the left. I should point out that the dealer had tried to fix this problem with the previous owner and couldn't figure out what was going on then either. They replaced almost every electrical part trying to track down the culprit - all to no avail.

So, now I have two questions... A) Does anyone have any idea what might be causing this? Is there a safety feature that would prevent the PTO from operating if the tractor was on an angle. B) My dealer has offered to take the tractor back and give me my money back. I really like the machine and think I got a pretty good deal. However, I don't want to think that I paid all that money for a defective machine. Should I just give it back to them and let it be someone else's problem?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

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Comments (11)

johnsinva
19 years ago
To my knowledge there isn't a safety feature which cuts out the PTO in the event the tractor is operated on an incline so that one side is above the other. I routinely mow with mine while traversing banks and it runs like a champ. You have a great setup and it would be a shame to have to let it go because of a nagging electrical issue. Perhaps the problem lies in the PTO system itself? The rear PTO is added as a kit and I believe a new solenoid and PTO selector switch are installed as well. Perhaps something intermittent is going wrong with one of these things - improperly wired in so that your right side higher than left causes a short somewhere? Does the mid-PTO exhibit the same behavior? If you feel you got a good deal on the machine I would exhaust every possibility before getting rid of it. Perhaps the dealer could send his tech out to your place so you could re-create the problem on the spot. This might give them a better idea of what to look for.
brodgers
Original Author
19 years ago
I love the tractor and really did get a good deal. I'd hate to send it back. They have replaced the solenoid to no avail. I don't know whether they have replaced the entire PTO system. The machine has no problems with the mid-PTO. I am inclined to keep the machine since I can find a work around. I just need to buy a big box of 15 amp fuses...
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johnsinva
19 years ago
Try posting your question to the weekendfreedommachines site. You might also try the JD Garden Tractor club on yahoo. Both these sites have a wealth of technical info and some very helpful members.

Did you get your rig with the 450 tiller?
brodgers
Original Author
19 years ago
Yep, I've got the 450 tiller and it is a workhorse. I'll check those other sites and see what I can come up with.

Thanks again.
bill_kapaun
19 years ago
I'd stick an ammeter in series with the fuse and see what the actual "typical" current draw is. Maybe, for some reason, the circuit is drawing too much for a 15 Amp fuse to handle on a continuous basis. If everything seems reasonable, I'd check it again after using that circuit for a while and see if the current draw is increasing as the unit gets used.
metal
19 years ago
Did you buy your fuses at Harbor Freight? Another thread says they have been recalled.
gilli2007
19 years ago
You could try a bigger fuse. 15 amp is not usual for a lawn tractor. We usually use at least a 25 if not a 30 amp.
engine_tech
19 years ago
DON'T use a bigger fuse! You'll cook the circuit board it mounts to.
brodgers
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks for all of the input. The fuses were not from Harbor Freight, so I think I'm safe there. The manual calls for a 15amp fuse in this location. When I got it back from the dealer, they had installed a 20amp fuse (still had same problem). I am assuming that since they used one that a 20 amp is OK, but not preferred. It doesn't really matter because it blows whether you've got a 15 or a 20 in. I might as well follow the factory suggestions and stock up on the 15's.
engine_tech
19 years ago
You've probably got a short to ground in the harness. The tiller likely shakes things up enough for it to short out. You could try wiggling the harness by hand to see if you can find the bad spot (fuse will blow). Look under the fenderdeck, as the wires can get pinched there. Adding the rear PTO also causes the dealer to install an extra harness and module in the harness under the dash (near the circuit board). Make sure nothing got shoved in and cut by a bolt or sharp edge.
steve2ski
19 years ago
I would take the Dealers offer of giving my money back. Then I would look for a Tractor that does what I want it to.
I love my Wife and family, love my friends also.
Own my equipment to do what I want it to, if it doesn't, it's gone.
If you love it you enjoy the good, and accept the (bad) things you don't like? After all it was a good deal right?