Battery drain through stator.

[38racing]

A few years back I fixed a murray rider for a friend and sold it to a lady in the neighbourhood. She contacted me to say muffler had fallen off and her sil was supposed to look at it and hadn't. I agreed to look at it and when I got it home I realized it was left sitting for way too long. Gummed carb, seized spindles. Last problem I tracked down a bad ground cable. So I actually tested with a red ground cable and I'm now attaching new black cable. I noticed a spark when attaching the ground. Now it appears that I have a 7 amp leak through the stator maybe? I get it with key off, fuse in, stator lead connected. It a one lead stator output on 12 hp briggs lhead. If I disconnect either the fuse or stator lead the drain disappears. Battery voltage stayed good over 24 hours that sat and stator is charging battery at 13+. Assuming I'm using my meter correctly it starts at about 7 amps and then steadily drops. I put what I think is a 5 amp fuse (orangy) and it doesn't blow. Leaving meter connected it's down 5 amps after a few minutes. Ok. It stabilized at about 5 volts but I found the diode is hot to touch. Darn. I should have told her I was too busy. Especially since I told her I didn't think it qas going to be much to fix it. Thinking jus muffler.

[38racing]

Diode replacement in progree.

[KE4AVB]

It should be a 3A stator. They use an 1N5406(G) diode, (600V 3AMP). Normal max reverse current is 100 micro amp. I would say someone had connected the battery backwards and shorted the diode and probable shorted the stator too.

Briggs PN is 391507 for the diode only. Here I use the 1N5408G which is a 1000v 3amp diode. Now they can current surge of 200 amps but this not repetitive.

[38racing]

Ok. New diode. Same issue. Hear a click when inserting fuse. My stupidity. I reversed battery when replacing the ground cable. Maybe Murphy will have me replacing het stator now.

[KE4AVB]

Hmmm equipment numbers would to look up wiring diagram. While you if a fuel solenoid is involved disconnect it.

Meanwhile I go back to roasting here. heat index hitting 110+ right now and I am trying to make it through with just a fan.

[KE4AVB]

Just thinking are you using terminal splices for connecting the diode?

These are Briggs are using to attach the diodes. They are what you used on thermal fuses.

[Arkie]

Appears someone had installed a battery in reverse before you got into it.

Be sure you install the diode with correct orientation (and the battery polarity connected properly also) or it will heat and short again if installed backwards and maybe take out the stator.

I've replaced those diodes with 5 amp type 100 PIV at least.
Instead of fooling around with them small crimps I just cut the old diode out slide a piece of heat shrink upon the stator lead and install a clamp on hemostat and and use a solder iron. Do the solder fast, have the wire tinned before applying solder iron. The hemostat will heat sink the heat going towards the diode. Excessive heat is what damages the diode, either from soldering or from excessive current.

Hope your stator is ok. Most generally just getting the flywheel off on some of them old rusty engines can be a chore. (and then find a magnet about to come loose)
I sometimes wait couple days for Murphy to move on.

You really took on a mess. I've got into stuff like that. It was running ok when it was parked.
10 years ago you find out later.

[38racing]

Just thinking are you using terminal splices for connecting the diode?

These are Briggs are using to attach the diodes. They are what you used on thermal fuses.

I had the replacement diode assembly. I actually spade connected the diode lead to wire from under the flywheel. Other end is oem connector. I hadn't actually reversed the the battery but screwed up the cable positions. Maybe from having 2 red ones on it although one used as ground had extra lead so I should have got them right. Fortunately after doing it right the stator was still putting out charging voltage.

[38racing]

Appears someone had installed a battery in reverse before you got into it.

Be sure you install the diode with correct orientation (and the battery polarity connected properly also) or it will heat and short again if installed backwards and maybe take out the stator.

I've replaced those diodes with 5 amp type 100 PIV at least.
Instead of fooling around with them small crimps I just cut the old diode out slide a piece of heat shrink upon the stator lead and install a clamp on hemostat and and use a solder iron. Do the solder fast, have the wire tinned before applying solder iron. The hemostat will heat sink the heat going towards the diode. Excessive heat is what damages the diode, either from soldering or from excessive current.

Hope your stator is ok. Most generally just getting the flywheel off on some of them old rusty engines can be a chore. (and then find a magnet about to come loose)
I sometimes wait couple days for Murphy to move on.

You really took on a mess. I've got into stuff like that. It was running ok when it was parked.
10 years ago you find out later.

No . It was all me just screwing up the cable locations when switching out the test red cable with proper black.

[KE4AVB]

When it comes to wiring I prefer the KISS system. Especially when it comes to battery connections I never use two reds or two blacks as most of us will not being paying the that close of attention and will screw up by reversing them.

And Arkie it takes just a lot longer to find all the tools and solder the leads as it does with the splices. When all I got to do snip a splice, put it in my crimper, crimp it, and install a section of heat shrink tubing. [Crimpers, side cutters, wire strippers, heat shrink, and heat source]. Usually all in the same drawer. My splices comes in strips hence the snipping. Otherwise I got find the soldering iron, side cutters, wire strippers, hemostats, solder, heat shrink, and heat source. All over my my shop. And at least I know I will not solder problems later from the connection overheating.

But use what works best for you.