Z723 mower dies/blows fuses

[hunt_ak]

Getting the mower going for the season after a motor rebuild and after pulling out of the shed it died and wouldn't restart. Turns out a 5amp fuse was blown in the little fuse box near the seat. Replaced fuse, started, and once I was ready to engage PTO, it blew the 5amp fuse again and died.

Of course the little cover on this is labeled 1-6 but there's no diagram that shows which slot is for what. I found this fairly unhelpful diagram online but I'm not sure which fuse sizes go in which slot and if they are correct.

Also, since the machine died once just slowly backing out (blew a fuse) and then a second time engaging PTO (blew the second fuse), two separate tasks, I'm wondering if anyone has ideas on where to look first.

Two missing slots on the fuse box were both 5amp. Moved the fuse from the far left to the other empty spot and it blew that fuse as well.

 

[Russell King]

Look at your picture of the fuse block. Just above and to the left is a sticker with information on three fuses. I assume that has something to do with that fuse box. Not sure if it covers all six positions.

It sounds like there is something wrong with the safety switches or the wiring that is grounded and blowing fuses when the switch is activated.

First thing I would do is find a wiring diagram and see what the fuse is for and what wires are powered by the fuse.

 

[Bee-Positive]

Not sure if it's similar but looking at the Z724 WSM found here wiring goes from the starter switch to the fuse, then to the safety relay, PTO switch, hour meter, and fuel meter.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

stored in shed..... bet mice have been busy... chewing the wires....

 

[hunt_ak]

Look at your picture of the fuse block. Just above and to the left is a sticker with information on three fuses. I assume that has something to do with that fuse box. Not sure if it covers all six positions.

It sounds like there is something wrong with the safety switches or the wiring that is grounded and blowing fuses when the switch is activated.

First thing I would do is find a wiring diagram and see what the fuse is for and what wires are powered by the fuse.

Yeah the sticker doesn't decode it much for my pea brain. The two empty slots are where the 5a fuses went that we pulled.

I'll dig into the wiring diagram that Bee-Positive linked above.

Hoping the mice didn't get to it! We don't have a lot of mice-chewing problems up here in Alaska but ya never know.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Short of the cables or short within the switches to chassis / ground.

Connect 12V 55W lamp instead of fuse. Lamp will light when short is present and also protect your wires, same way as the fuse.

 

[hunt_ak]

Update: It's definitely the PTO switch somehow (edit: not necessarily the switch itself but related to the electric PTO clutch system). More troubleshooting today but we did verify that it's not the seat switch or other switches. The mower will run and drive and start fine but when you engage the PTO switch for the mower deck it starts to spin up but then blows the 5amp fuse in the middle of the fuse block.