Branson 3725CH PTO Problem

[450]

Has anyone had any issues with the PTO blowing fuses? Mine is blowing the PTO fuse fairly regular and I知 not having any good luck with the dealer. They have been screwing around for 3-months now and the problem is still there. They are replacing the switch now as I type this but I will just about bet you that doesn稚 fix the problem. I think it is the PTO solenoid myself but looking for any help. Thanks

 

[K5lwq]

Don't give up on your dealer. Tracking down a electrical problem like this can be difficult. You are correct that the coil may be the problem but it could be any number of other things.

Does it blow the fuse right away or does it last for a little while then blow?

 

[sd455dan]

Has anyone had any issues with the PTO blowing fuses? Mine is blowing the PTO fuse fairly regular and I知 not having any good luck with the dealer. They have been screwing around for 3-months now and the problem is still there. They are replacing the switch now as I type this but I will just about bet you that doesn稚 fix the problem. I think it is the PTO solenoid myself but looking for any help. Thanks

Dealer should be able to use an inductive style DC current meter and actually see how much current is flowing while the solenoid is activated.

 

[450]

Some times right away and others not. When it blows the fuses right away I can disconnect the solenoid and it will stop blowing the fuse and usually will work for awhile after plunging back up. I have looked for bare wire that might be shorting out but haven’t found anything. With the solenoid disconnected I have never been able to get it to blow a fuse no matter how many times I turn the switch off and on.

 

[K5lwq]

The solenoid is the draw so it stands to reason that unplugging it would stop blowing the fuse. They probably could ohm the coil out and determine if it is in spec or not.

As sd445dan pointed out, I would want to know how many amps it is pulling. It would be interesting to see if the amps climb over time. Please let us know what they find out and I hope they get you back up and running soon!

 

[ptsg]

Would a semi stuck spool cause the spool to pull more amps? Let's say the spool is not travelling the entire stroke, can that cause a coil to pull more amps and heat up?

 

[K5lwq]

Possibly, but unlikely. If I was trouble shooting this problem I would ohm the coil out and compare with a known good coil. I use to keep parts just for that reason. Sometimes it is easier to put a known good part on and see if that solves the problem.

I would also do voltage drop test to rule out any bad connection drawing more amps. The switch very well may be the problem but I like to confirm issues before guessing. Takes a little longer but keeps customers from coming back. I hated seeing a vehicle I just worked on show back with the same issue. No money in that. Most mechanics feel the same way.

 

[ptsg]

Possibly, but unlikely. If I was trouble shooting this problem I would ohm the coil out and compare with a known good coil. I use to keep parts just for that reason. Sometimes it is easier to put a known good part on and see if that solves the problem.

I would also do voltage drop test to rule out any bad connection drawing more amps. The switch very well may be the problem but I like to confirm issues before guessing. Takes a little longer but keeps customers from coming back. I hated seeing a vehicle I just worked on show back with the same issue. No money in that. Most mechanics feel the same way.

I never really messed much with solenoid valves my self. That's why I was asking that.

I agree with having extra parts around to switch and troubleshoot that way. Measuring the amps and ohms it's an easy and cheap way to troubleshoot this.

 

[K5lwq]

Yes and I like comparing to a known good part far more then going off of what is typed in a book. Seen too many mistakes that cause headaches. This is a more difficult find because whatever the problem is it is just beyond the fuse rating.

I remember a customer complaint that his car would die every time he turns right. I test drove the car several times and never could duplicate the issue. Finally I told him to drive while I rode and turns out he thought he was a race car driver. He would take turns fast enough that the tires would squeal. Turned out to be the wiring harness would sling over and short a wire on a screw. That took a moment or two to locate.

 

[bernardcuziillo]

When it blows the fuses right away I can disconnect the solenoid and it will stop blowing the fuse and usually will work for awhile after plugging back up.

This makes it pretty clear that the solenoid has an intermittent short to ground. If it were the wiring between fuse and solenoid, unplugging the solenoid would not stop the blowing. I'd say replace the solenoid. A sly dealer may pirate one off a new tractor to get you going without waiting for one to ship. Not kosher, but it works.

I've had my solenoid and valve in and out while chasing a PTO problem. It's a 10-minute job.