Hooked Jumper cable backwards - fried stuff

[Patrick McGuire]

While sleeping, I hooked jumpers on the tractor + to - and - to +. Smoke issued immediately from the starter assembly area. Everything electrical died.
Charged the battery, tested the starter assembly at O'Reilys (failed) Installed a aftermarket starter assembly. Still dead.
Tractor is 1982 L275 DT.
Any advice on where to go next? (other than the dealer).

 

[olthumpa]

First welcome to OTT


Check your fuses - doubt that is the problem but 1 min to check.
There should be a RED wire coming off the solenoidal on the starter that goes to the starting switch. It should be larger than the other wires in the wiring harness, check to see if it has melted and check all other wires for melting.
Getting under the dash is a bitch.

That is where I would start. Where I might end up
Keep us updated as to what you have done and it it worked.

Good luck

 

[jerrell]

patrick don't feel so bad about it , i'll bet everyone on here has done the same thing, just jerked them off faster than you, that first PSSSST is a sure tell of wrong hook up..

 

[BadDog]

That's odd to me. On an old tractor, there are minimal (no) electronics, so I would expect it to survive with very minimal damage if any.

 

[NewfyDad]

I'm not familiar with that machine, but the next thing I'd do is check for a burned out fusible link somewhere in the major wiring, perhaps between battery and starter.

 

[Tx Jim]

I also agree on checking for a fried fusible link or blown fuse.

 

[lsmurphy]

The electrical system on these, particularly the older tractors, are simple. Make up a new harness and new battery cables, will cost you about $50 and will take about 3 hours.

You may have fried the ignition switch also.

Make a jumper to the starter and get it running, you will then be able to determine whether or not you fried the rectifier.

 

[Patrick McGuire]

re-checked all the fuses I could find, then realized there is fusible link in the "big red wire" (2" green loop) between the starter and the switch. That was the problem. It looked alright but continuity showed it open. Fashioned a jumper and everything looks good. I'm told O'Reily can provide replacement wire and connectors.
Thanks Everybody!