Proper voltage on crank wire of New Holland 5610S solenoid

[ETpilot]

Good point on battery condition. I always start with a battery load test. If you don't have a battery load tester any auto shop will test for free.

 

[John_Mc]

Good point on battery condition. I always start with a battery load test. If you don't have a battery load tester any auto shop will test for free.

Load test is a great way to go, and the testers are not all that expensive. Testing battery voltage while cranking is another way of load testing, it's just not a calibrated method. If it were not so obvious that my battery was shot from the test-while-cranking, I would have dug out my load tester next.

 

[Texasmark]

Load test is a great way to go, and the testers are not all that expensive. Testing battery voltage while cranking is another way of load testing, it's just not a calibrated method. If it were not so obvious that my battery was shot from the test-while-cranking, I would have dug out my load tester next.

Got mine from HF for about $50....cheap enough to go for it. I got mine when I started having problems with batteries that did funny things when supposedly charging and then getting next to nothing out of what appeared to be a fully charged battery. The load tester has well paid for itself.

On finding bad junctions, if you stay on the start button long enough the bad spot will heat up and show you where it is. 1v drop at 200 amps, that many engines require for starting is 200 watts.....think 200w light bulb heat for a reference. Don't have to tell you how easy it would be to feel your wiring for a heat source like that. Ouch!

 

[hayydogg]

So the current status is that with a three foot long wire and spade connectors I was able to go directly from the switch's crank terminal to the solenoid. Starts just fine, (so turns out the switch is ok) but of course I have bypassed all the safety stuff by doing so. Tried to trace the circuit from the switch to the solenoid, but that is going to require an evening in the shop as it goes all over the place. Either the broken wire/ bad connection issue is what it is, or could be something with a safety switch in that circuit. I must admit, I would have no idea about adjusting a safety switch (assuming mine has that type hiding in the rats nest of wiring harness in there). The idea of a switch with adjustable contacts or some kind of sensitivity setting would never have occurred to me in a million years, so thanks for the heads up. Seeing as dad always used really really old equipment I feel pretty confident that I can avoid trying to crank it without depressing the clutch and making sure both selectors are out of gear for the next few weeks. If I showed up in front of him because of getting hurt for that reason, then I would have eternity to hear about it. Will get it fixed in case somebody else ever tries to use it though. Thanks for the helpful replies, this is the newest tractor I have ever owned by about 25 years, and they are certainly built a bit different in terms of electrical and fuel flow controls. Stuff from the 70's tends to have like 8 wires, one filter, and a mechanical fuel shut off on the pump.

 

[jaxs]

Good to know you found a way to use the tractor while you continue looking for the culprit. In light of you being comfortable without safty shutoffs in place,here's a tip to eliminate having to hold key in start postion while testing safty devices and looking for broken wire/poor connection. Make sure tractor is not in gear and keep hands clear of parts the move when starter engages. You will need a sack of feed on seat,clutch pedal bungeed down and anything else that operator ordinarlly does while starting tractor. Move the jump wire from solenoid to 12 volts +. The red-white wire now thinks key is in start position and leave's both hands free. You might first just shake wires,un-plug and replug connector to see if starter engages. You can use a light,a jumper wire with probe on each end or a volt meter to locate. We will talk about test light but procedure is exactly the same for meter and light. Only difference is that when bad connection is found,light will glow whereas meter read's volts and jump wire will engage starter. Touch either probe of light to a safty device or connector nd other probe to opposite terminal. When light glow's,there's a break in current flow between probes.

 

[ETpilot]

A quick test to see if you have a wiring issue is a continuity test. Find the W/Y wire at the switch. Connect your tester there. Find the end of the W/R wire at the solenoid. Connect the other lead on the tester there. Transmission in neutral. You should have continuity. No continuity means a fault in the circuit. DO NOT POWER UP THE STARTER SWITCH. If the continuity test fails then move to the safety switch. Do the test there. W/Y to W/Y. The continuity test is the safe way to go as no power is required other than the tester power. If you have a seat switch then weight is needed there. That may require testing the seat switch too.

My tractor is older than yours. Not sure of all the switches in the starting circuit for your tractor. Mine only has the transmission safety switch located under the cover where the Shift and Lo-High handles exit.

I'll see if I can look up the safety switch adjustment. I gave up on mine long ago and finally bypassed it.

 

[ETpilot]

Ok I found my manual. I don't really like there manuals. Using them is like working your way thru a maze.

Anyway 2 pictures regarding the transmission safety switch. One picture shows the cover with the switch wires extending from the cover. You can disconnect those wires from the wires leading into the tractor. Connect a continuity tester between those 2 wires. With transmission in neutral you should have continuity. If no continuity then switch is bad or not aligned properly. If you have continuity the problem is not the switch and you have to look elsewhere.

Page two give minimal instruction on switch installation and adjustment. You really have to look inside to see what is going on.

All this is if your tractor is like mine. The manuals I have cover many different tractor models. That is why the manuals are somewhat confusing and A mazing. Lol.

Hope this helps.

 

[ETpilot]

I posted a schematic for a handy dandy voltage/continuity tester, IMO. It works with a horn. So no meter to look at. No light to look at. Great when working alone. I once did landing gear troubleshooting on an airplane while working alone. The tester was in the rear of the airplane while I tested in the nose gear area. Works great. Make one and give it a try.

Voltage/Continuity Tester

Post 538

When testing we usually want to know do we have continuity, do we have voltage. Using a meter may come later.