How to Fix Electric Lawnmower (Rectifier) - Trips Circuit Breaker Short Circuit (Task Force)
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
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My mower is a Task Force that tripped the circuit breaker when you tried to start it. One or more of the diodes inside the rectifier fail and cause the short circuit. Installing a new bridge rectifier and adding thermal paste fixed it!
If your mower is sparking or doesn't start, and yet doesn't trip the breaker, it may be that you need to replace the brushes. I'll have to make a video about that. In the mean time, here is a link to the kind of part you need to buy. Make sure you measure your old brush dimensions (including the length of the spring) and find the right one that matches. This one here may not match your mower, but it is an example of what you should be looking for:
Example of brushes to purchase*: amzn.to/2sBapW9
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FrugalRepair, you are leading the charge of the FixIt movement (PUN intended). Good work, am subscribing to up your numbers. You deserve it.
Thanks! That is such an awesome encouragement! My hope with this channel is that it can help promote the movement of repairing things yourself rather than throwing them away. So many things I get for free that only take a little bit of effort and an inexpensive part to fix. The main issue I find is getting over the fear of "I can't do this". Hopefully I can inspire everyone that , yes, you can do it.
@@FrugalRepair I used to follow my dad around our house (built in 1854) when he would make repairs. From him, I learned basic household wiring repairs, how to fix electric lamps, and the basics of furniture repair. Regarding lawnmowers, once a new electric mower's electric activation unit in the handle stopped working. I had an old mower of an earlier model sitting by our back shed. Went to that older electric mower, took out the activation unit, and installed it into the new mower. Bingo! saved 250.00 on a new electric mower. What a sense of satisfaction! PS, one of the first troubleshooting tips for when you are working with electrical wiring contacts is to use the highest precentage of rubbing alcohol to clean the wires. Alcohol is a universal solvent and removes unseen gunk from electrical contacts. A couple of times I have had small electrical watches that had quit working . . I removed the back of the watch and sprayed 91% alcohol into the workings. Then I let it sit for 24 hours or more and then plugged in the battery. Has worked on half of the watches that I tried to fix. Heck, a new electric watch can cost at least 7.00 and up. Love fixing things.
@@j.b.9581 That's so great! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks...gave up on the mower until i watched your video. took me 5 minuted to fix it..works like a charm again
Nice! Congratulations on the repair.
Dude, you just saved me $100+, thanks a lot for posting this. 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Glad it helped!
Dude! THANK YOU! I can't believe you actually have the same freakin mower as I do! And the same problem! I'm too proud to ask my son or exhusband for help, so I have to fix stuff myself unfortunately.. hoping u have another video on blade replacement for this mower too..
Glad you fixed it! I haven’t needed to change the blade yet, sorry!
That’s what I call “laser focus” - working on that faulty rectifier without brushing away those nasty grass clippings!
Lol!
Haha, I totally noticed that too. So good. Sadly for me, I cleaned it all out first, hoping that some dampness was the problem, but it wasn't. Thanks to this video now the problem is diagnosed and the part is on the way!
Excellent instructional video. I have the same make and model lawnmower. It went DOA this past weekend. Followed your video and saved the lawnmower. Thanks. I'm going to subscribe right now.
Awesome! Congratulations and thanks for the sub!
Hi, thank you man. I just fixed my lawn mover today by replacing the item you mentioned. No more breaker strips. The lawn mover is working good now.
That is a simple and smart explanation how to fix the electrical lawn mower. Very, very illustrated. Thanks
Lucas Rivera You're welcome! Thanks for the encouragement.
Yes, thanks for the excellent video.
Excellent troubleshooting using DMM. Also use of thermal paste is something to note down (I just bought and used a Kobalt Corded Lawn Mower) for my future repair when time comes. I do not know whether the rectifier of one brand of electric motor will work with another brand of electric Lawn Mower (of same amp) because it is hard to find motor parts for the Kobalt Lawn Mower. I loved your video. Thanks for your time in preparing the video and sharing. Hats off, Sir.
Thanks for watching!
Thank You Thank You for this video You saved me from replacing our lawn mower 😊😊😊😊😊👍👍👍👍👍
Glad it helped!
My GreenWorks mower just died. Tripping the breaker just like yours. I opened it up and internally it was identical to what you have. Ordering the part on Amazon now, hoping I have the same positive outcome.
Yes, failed bridge rectifiers. Keep me posted on how it goes. Or if you have any questions.
It worked! Thanks for making this video.
andreyco Awesome! So glad to hear. If you haven't subscribed I would be so appreciative if you did. I really enjoy helping others learn how to repair things themselves.
your lawn mower repair worked !!! thanks you are the best.
Congrats on your repair!
Managed to fix my mower thx 2 this video. Cheers!
That’s awesome, congrats!
Thank you so much! I have my lawn mower back.
That is great to hear!
This is exactly the "how to" I was looking for! Thanks!!!!
Is the bridge rectifier a universal fit? I have a black and decker electric mower. Don't you just love the free section of craigslist? I do. That's how I got 2 of my electric mowers and a bunch of other things that just needed some TLC.
The have a voltage and amperage rating so you need to make sure it matches. But for a corded lawn mower, they might all be similar.
Hello and thank you )and subscribed) for inspiring me to take my brushes out. I have exact same mower but my brushes where inside metal sleeve. Had problem of running intermittently and then not at all.
I finally figured out how to take the brushes out. The brushes are in a rectangular tube that guides the brushes.
You would not believe it but the brush sleeve/containers where chock full of grass and sludge. How in the heck did grass get in there?
Anyway, the square metal jackets come out by bending small tab down that is on the top so I could slide them out. The jackets looks like it has a metal version of a wood dovetail joint for a seem.
Anyway two needle nose pliers easily pries the jackets open. That allowed me to pull the brushes out and wash off the grass gunk sludge and then re-insert into casing.
Closing the jacket/casings back up was a bit of a trick but the use of channel locks did the trick. I had to play around with the corners and small dimples of the jacket a bit by bending them so the carbon brushes would pop out fast. If you press them in and they stick that's no good.
Once I got the carbon brushes where they both sprang out easy I knew I was home free. Runs like a charm. Thanks again as I was nearly seconds away from tossing it out to the curb.
That is great to hear! I'm glad you got it running again. I love the repair story.
I didn't think about the thermal paste, good looking out!
Worked for me. Thank you for posting this.
Yes. Thank you for walking me through this.
I hope it helped!
Very informative video
Thanks!
Thanks so much for this video. I sent it to my son.
KW MC901 thanks for the encouragement!
Thank you sir. I have the exact same model with the same problem. Troubleshooting right now... Mine made it 4-5 years old before giving me a problem.
You're welcome. Hopefully you get it going again soon.
Do all electric mowers use a dc motor? If so, would that mean you could easily change a corded mower into a cordless by removing the bridge rectifier and connecting to a battery?
As best I can tell from reading the specifications of the lawn mower rectifier is that it converts 120VAC to 170 V DC. Supplying 170 VDC from just a battery would be difficult. I imagine cordless electric mowers have more complicated circuitry that permits using batteries supplying much lower voltages than 170 VDC.
Thank you. Didn't have to replace the whole thing but found out that a simple wire was disconnected.
Glad to hear that it was an easy fix!
Thanks for posting this informative video.
Thank you for your encouragement!
Thank you so much, very well explained.
Glad to hear it was helpful!
@ 6:25 was like watching Bob Ross "The Joy of Painting".
Happy little rectifiers. :-)
Great explanation. I wonder why even the prong to my extension cord partially melted before the breaker turned off. We are ordering the part without buying the meter in hopes that it works.
That sounds a little scary that the breaker didn’t trip first. Hopefully replacing the bridge rectifier will do the trick for you.
My black & decker mower did the same thing because their switch wiring failed.
I replaced the switch as shown with the repair on this website, then the bridge rectifier,
and then the extension cord. nickviera.com/electrical/lawn_mower/bandd/index.php
You may need to check your circuit breaker.
Thank you so much, you just saved me from buying a new mower.
That is great to hear that you repaired it! Thanks for letting us know.
Thanks!
A number 1 BUDDY!!! I’m goin in right now, THANK YOU!!!
nice work!
Thanks!
Thank you so much
My lawn mower is greenworks . When I connect my plug to a socket my breaker rests why? What parts should I get and from where? What may be the reason?
When there's a short in the mower, usually the bridge rectifier, that causes the breaker to trip.
Frugalrepair. I have an electric mower, a sunjoe, tiny thing it runs but only for about a minute, then it shuts off...I wait about a minute, push the reset button and it starts again fine then after about 30 seconds it trips theswitchbox again. Any idea if its the rectifier or the switchbox?? thanks. Excellent video. keep it up.
Maybe it could be getting hot enough to cause a short circuit in the rectifier and that is why you need to reset the breaker? I doubt it is the breaker itself. Thanks, I was just working on my latest video tonight.
have you resolved the problem? I am having the same issue, and test the rectifier come out good, but the mower started and run for 10 sec, and trip the breaker, reset, then another start and run for 10 sec, trip the breaker again....
Awesome I watched this video several times it lead me to find other issues such bad connectors and several months later the brush issue the casing is burned out hopefully changing it will help ..
Great job tracking down the issues! Let me know if you want any more help.
FrugalRepair ok I couldn't get the brush out itsbcasung (the plastic is burned unto it ) while trying I dented the casing inside the plaster now I'm afraid I will have to break the plastic to separate it and try to find a way to connect the brush sort of like the Black and Decker electric. Mower connected with a screw, I think many help or suggestions will be appreciated
Is there a way you can post a picture of what you are looking at? You will eventually need a sturdy way to hold that brush in place.
@@FrugalRepair I'm trying to find a way to post the image
THIS FIXED IT… but then not sure what happened but it stopped again after mowing high grass… I’m not sure if it’s just done or if I messed something up
Thanks for the video! I have the same lawn mower. Same situation (got it for free). Love the thing. Going to try to open it up and fix it the way you did, but have the same situation with stripped screws. It looks like you just cut it off at the bottom to get the top opened up. Is that what you did, and how did you reattach? Thanks so much!
I'm glad to hear you are going to fix it! Yes, I didn't feel like working real hard to save the screws so I used my sawzall with the hacksaw blade and cut the screws off. If you do this you could tap new screw holes but that seems overkill for a lawnmower. I just used duct tape. It looks ghetto but I didn't care. You could also use an adhesive that could bond plastic to metal. Hopefully you can get at least one screw out to re-use.
Excellent video, thank you for the clear explanation. On my mower, the braking mechanism doesn’t work. It turns on and runs fine but when the handle is released, it just slows down eventually instead of immediately braking. Could that mean the big 50w resistor needs replaced? Based on your other video about how the motor works, it looks like that might be the problem. If so, do you know where to buy a replacement?
I would suggest checking your resistor with a multi meter. For a replacement, I search on eBay, AliExpress and anywhere else I can buy it.
@@FrugalRepair Thank you for taking the time to reply. There is no continuity between the two terminals on the resistor so it is probably toast. I haven’t had any luck finding one on eBay but will try AliExpress.
THANKS!!! be well.
Hope you were able to repair it!
I noticed you’re using a 25 amp rectifier for a 12 amp motor. I have a 13 amp motor motor will the rectifier you’ve linked work on my lawn mower.
Since it works on yours I’m assuming it will.
Should work fine!
Nice video
My Task Force electric mower wiring became disconnected from the Start/Stop area. I'm trying to figure out where the white wire connects. Does it go back into the same plastic cap where the other white wire is at so they connect/touch each other? Or is it suppose to not connect to any other wire and serve as a "ground" wire?. Any help is appreciated. I can send picture if that helps. Thank you
My Kobalt 210 corded mower, just does not power on. The brushes are good. One was stuck and I freed it.
How did you use a sawzall to cut the screws? I've got the same mower and the screws refuse to unscrew.
I think I just put the hacksaw (fine tooth) blade in between the plastic and the deck and cut it off.
I have a greenworks electric mower. I did the rectifier replacement and that brought it back to life. Thanks! The problem now is that it is always on, the power switch has no effect...any ideas?
Great to hear you got it fixed! I don't have the same model as yours but it seems that the only thing left to check is the switch. It sounds like it is stuck in the "on" position. Maybe try clicking it a bunch of times with the power off to get it unstuck?
Bueno, Juan, please see my comment above about using 91% alcohol to clean the electrical contacts. But MAKE SURE the unit is unplugged when you do!!
I have a Greenworks 20-inch mower much like yours in this video. The blade auto-brake has stopped working. I recently replaced the motor for another reason and it worked fine. When the new problem started I replaced the bridge rectifier. That didn't fix it. It also has a cement resistor in the circuit. Could that be the problem?
What are your symptoms? Is the blade spinning? Does the resistor test out OK with a multi meter?
New rectifier, it started for a bit then it tripped the breaker, i do see spark one of the brushes before it died. You think i need a new brushes?
Good one 👏❤👌 but one thing i was looking for..which pins on a bridge rectifier are Dc and which are AC..this need to be explained 😟😟😢
Thank You, confirms what i thought repairing my in-laws mower...
Hope you can get it repaired!
@@FrugalRepair done and returned. Thank You!
@@pyronitro Great to hear!
Excellent 👍🏽
Thank you for the very informative video. I replaced the rectifier but when I turn on the mower there is a POOF sound, a bit of smoke, a burning smell, and the circuit breaker trips. There is no continuity between the AC terminals on the rectifier but there is continuity between the terminals that are wired to the brushes. Is that normal? The switch continuity test shows that the switch is working fine (and I tried replacing the switch with a new one too just in case). Does this mean the motor has failed? Is there anything else I can try?
Hello did you have the mower connected to the mains whilst testing this?
I.e the lever on the handle to the on position? Or do you just need to plug it in simply
Please do you know if KBPC2504 will work in place of GBPC2504
SHOULD I PUT 8A WHEN I BUY THIS DIODE MINE IS 8A AND KBPC2504 thanks it will really help
What is the probability the DC motor burns ? I just got a free lawnmower, I am guessing it overheated as it was full of grass, the one in the video died because the loose screw that was holding it against the metal radiator, the rectifier overheated and blew
Besides the rectifier going bad, another common problem is that the brushes wear down too much. And you need to replace them. If you don’t know what I’m talking about just google “brushes for electric lawnmower”
My Greenwork had this problem and I also replaced the bridge rectifier. It will now start up for a second or two but it still trips the breaker. the only clue I have is the engine sparks a little. I don't see any exposed wires. Any idea what I am doing wrong?
My electric mower has a bad connection between where the motor spins in the tower and the block of ??? That is shaped like a pack of old chewing gum. It is what is inside of where the blue is connected. What is that called?
It’s called a brush. You can buy replacements. The motor is a brushed motor (how it gets electricity to create the magnetic field).
Thanks for this video, Reese. I have a Task Force electric mower also but my problem is not the rectifier but the 90 degree connectors, encased in the milky plastic, to the rectifier. One of them broke so I duct taped it temporarily to finish mowing. To your knowledge, can those be purchased separately? And are they easy to replace, as you show for the rectifier in this video? Also, as I mowed with the cover off, I noticed a lot of sparks inside the motor - is that "normal"? (I thought it might cause a fire).
I imagine what you’re talking about is the silicone holding the connector down. I’m sure you can buy a replacement somewhere I don’t know what they’re called exactly, they might be 90 degree F1 or F2 connectors. For the sparks, it’s a brushed motor so that is the commutator delivering electricity to the motor.
The brushes do have a limited lifespan so it’s possible they need to be replaced. But my guess is that it’s normal.
@@FrugalRepair Thank you for both replies - I appreciate your help to ALL who ask questions/seek your advice ;)
My homlite Electric mower trips the house fuse box, I assume it's the same problem?
I wonder if you removed the grass from under the hood ...
I believe mine is cutting in reverse, can changing 2 wires on the rectifier change rotation?
Dc motor just reverse the positive and negative connection.
these things DEFINITELY need a built in breaker or fuse
That would make sense, wouldn't it? I'm guessing they are looking at cutting costs.
Hi, so I have the newer version of this mower and I tested the rectifier using a meter and it's fine. I can't get my mower to start, i wonder what the problem could be.
If it’s a brushed motor it may be the connection to the commutator. You can google how brushes motors work and maybe figure it out.
@@FrugalRepair model is 25022, im not sure what type of motor, looks similar to yours
Veneet Bansal mine is a brushed motor
I would check the voltage on the positive and negative terminal or brushes. Note that no reading when checking may mean open damaged rectifier.
I'm having the same issue as others below. After replacing the rectifier the safety switch doesn't do its job and the mower is always on. My wiring on the rectifier is a bit different than yours and I didn't take a picture beforehand. My white and black are opposite yours. I may have put it back together wrong, but the wire length seems to suggest it's correct.
On the safety switch I have continuity between the black in and black out. I also have continuity between the red out and the green out. When pressing the switch I lose the continuity between the red and green but it's maintained between the two blacks.
Lastly, there's a bit of a burning smell when the mower is on. Is that from the thermal compound or another issue? I haven't used the mower in over a year.
Do you think I have a bad switch or did I mis-wire it?
Thanks!
The burning smell would not be the thermal compound. My guess is that it is the brushes contacting the commutator (its how this electric motor makes its electrical connection). You could wipe the commutator (where the brushes touch it) with some isopropyl alcohol if you wanted to try cleaning it. If the switch is in the "off" position you should not have continuity between both black wires but you should with the red/green (this is for the dynamic braking circuit). Sounds like you wired it correctly since it is working. Let me know if you have any more questions.
FrugalRepair thanks for the reply. I'll have to try cleaning the brushes.
Thank you for the video. I now have 1 working mower rather than 3 semi-dead ones.
Glad I can help!
Great video! I have a homelite mower. I cut long grass with it and now the mower won't start. each time i plug in, the circuit breaks. last time, when I plugged in, I saw some smoke from where the extension cord connects to the mower. Should I still try changing the rectifier? thanks!
Thanks! Can you test the rectifier with a multimeter? That will tell you if it has a short circuit in it or not for sure. Otherwise, you'll just be taking a shot in the dark by replacing it. Though, it sounds like that is the most likely culprit.
Hi. Thanks for the quick replies! You are so helpful :) I switched the rectifier and now the mower just starts when I plug it in. is it still safe to use? if not, what should I try doing?
Is it possible that the switch is stuck? Maybe play with it and wiggle it around? I'm sure you can cut your fine in this condition but the safety switch should be working. Worst case, you may need to replace the switch.
I know I need a new rectifier for my Task Force lawn mower but the screws for the motor cover are old and apparently stuck/stripped. Any suggestions for getting the cover off? Thanks.
Just had the same issue and used a screw extractor set to remove them, the DeWalt DWAMIEXTRACT3 extractor set with the #1 size bit, and it worked like a charm. You will also need an extension to hold the bit because the screws are set a little deep. There are no instructions but you just use the sharper looking cutter bit in a drill set with the reverse direction selected and let it cut into the screw head by running it slowly for about a minute. Then flip the extractor bit to the cone side and even more slowly, still with the drill in reverse, use it to grab the screw head and back it out. That takes about another minute. If it isn’t grabbing, flip it to the cutter end and try that for another minute.
so whys this happen in the first place what cause,s this or could cause it to happen.
So what does it mean if there is no short across the rectifier bridge, but the circuit breaker still trips? Defective switch?
Probably. There is a short somewhere in there if that is happening. You could disconnect the bridge rectifier leads from the switch to isolate the short
@@FrugalRepair The rectifier does not need to be installed and connected to be tested correct? I took mine out (making note of the connections) and using my meter checked for a short......none. Can the switch be defective? Can I test it with my meter? There are 4 connection points on the switch, same as the bridge. I have also heard of the brushes causing problems if they are worn. But how badly worn do they have to be....?
Ok. I purchased the parts from your links and installed on my Kobalt KM210. Took the pic so I didn’t mix up the wires like you encouraged. Followed the pic when installing the wires on the new rectifier. But now my lawnmower runs continuously without having to be engaged by the handle. I’m guessing some of the wires are not matching what’s inside the new rectifier. I’m not comfortable switching the wires around to different posts without some guidance. Any suggestions??
My guess is that your issue is in your handle. The AC power shouldn't go to the rectifier if the switch at the handle is off.
@@FrugalRepair ok thanks for your reply. I’ll check it out.
lovely...good one
Vishva Mithra Sarvathra Thank you!
ALL YOU SHOW ARE NEWER ELECTRIC LAWN MOWERS. BI'M INTERESTED IN THE FUSE BOX
My task force has a larger ceramic resistor inside reading 50W4RJ. I noticed this part was not on your mower, is this another part that could fail? My original rectifier ruptured and after replacing it there were a few sparks thrown and did not continue to work after sparking. (The parts that sparked were things I never touched to start with.)
I'm pretty sure there is a ceramic resistor (on the other side where the multimeter was). Maybe you accidentally shorted the new rectifier?
@@FrugalRepair It was a pack of two rectifiers and after inserting the second one the lawnmower did not respond when plugged in. I am not sure if I somehow blew the resistor or if there is something else that is causing this. The motor did not spin up normally when the sparks were being thrown and they sparks were coming from the other electrical terminals on the motor and the resistor.
@@FrugalRepair Turns out it was the brushes on the motor not making good connection. I was able to get the mower to start a few times, but the brushes were the source of the sparking and the internals were so full of rust that the springs were bound up/the brushes were so worn that both brushes were not always making contact.
My electric lawn ower (1 year old) starting shutting down after running for about 15 seconds. I removed housing and vacummed out all debris. Engine appears in good clean condition. Cutting blade rotating no problem. Any suggestions how I an fix this? Does it sound like a rectifyer issue if the electricity works then shuts down.
It could be that you have to replace the brush in the motor or maybe a faulty switch somewhere in the handlebar assembly. It could also be a rectifier, maybe overheating? Those are some guesses.
@@FrugalRepair thanks for info. FYI I found out the mower was under a 2 year warranty I spoke to tech person at the mfgr and he said it was a memory board issue and to simply pack it up, return it and I would get a brand new machine. I did just that. Apparently they don't have a service technician or small engine mechanic in Victoria. This was also a lesson as to why it pays to buy some items from a big box, national chain. My bet is to replace the board would probably have cost under $15 and taken maybe 10 minutes. But, in today's economy I was more cost effective to just give me a new $300 piece of equipment, no questions asked. What a country!
I wonder why they just didn't use an a.c. motor, if it plugs into the outlet.
I think single phase AC motors have zero starting torque. So to get this to work you'd have to have some way to kickstart the blade.
Hey I did the same fix but now the lawn mower stays on all the time. That is, the switch thing on the handle doesn’t work it’s just plugs in and stays on
I have the same mower as all the men on this chat. my mower started smoking. tripped the breaker. and didn't start again. I changed the bridge connector. and placed electric tape on the wire covers because they were all black. didn't work.
the two sides connectors on the motor kinda melted. so do you think its the motor and where can I get one
You probably don't need a new motor. You probably only need to change the brushes (where you noticed the melting. They push up against the "commutator" on the motor). I put a little comment about it in the video description along with a link to the kind of thing you need to buy. You only need (2) of them (one for each side). Let me know if you have more questions.
I checked out the rectifier but there was no short there. But when I ohmed the resistor/cap I noticed there was a short there. Do you think that's my problem?? Thnx
if you found a short circuit, then that sounds like a problem
i wouldnt follow the printing side as a guide to the pin out of the new device.. a lot of time with electronics repair, the original manufacturer has long since dissipated, but you will find the same part number now being manufactured by 10 new places. They all will work just fine, but all will have slight differences from one another. One difference is the arrangement of pinouts or slight case modification.
Another thing to note is to not get hung up on using the EXACT same part as the one you are replacing. Sometimes to buy the same part from the same manufacturer etc. will cost 10 times what it costs for a part of equal quality and performance, sometimes even better. I suggest when you have a part fail, you search for the datasheet and review the specs. Search for a component that is equal to or exceeds the rated max voltage, amperage, and power ratings. I've seen massive price differences in newly manufactured stuff like bridge rectifiers vs. appliance and tool replacement brands. (2$ vs 10-15$)
Good luck and happy mowing! dont cut my grass!
I was curious about the DC to ac does it change to 120 volts DC or to another voltage? I would like to use it as a charger.
You would have to look up the equation (and you'd have to get a datasheet for the bridge rectifier to get the values). There would at least be a voltage drop across the diodes so it wouldn't be exactly 120v. You may want to read up on it some more before trying to charge anything. Straight out of the rectifier you are getting a ripple in the current that you would want to deal with.
Thanks for the info... Good help.
My screws are also stripped. How did you get the plastic housing off of yours?
I used a hacksaw blade on my sawzall and cut between the chassis and the plastic housing. It cut the 4 screws without any trouble.
hi I have a 19" 12 amp version and use a 15 amp extension cord, and my son used it and didn't know any better and plugged it into another extension cord instead of directly in the wall outlet. he did a small yard and it was bogging down a lot he said and then totally stopped working. So I am guessing this was because the amps were only around 7.5 running thru the cord. what do you think is wrong with it? burned up motor or somethign else?
Did you try it with a short cord, and it doesn’t turn on? The “bogging down” is a clue that maybe what happened is that the bridge rectifier got too hot and broke. Did you open the top also to look for anything out of place?
@@FrugalRepair I will look. What signs will it have?
@@FrugalRepair if that rectifier is broke where would I get another one? have a link?
I’d look for any loose connections. If you have a multimeter you can test the rectifier. I could explain it but there is lots of info online. I have a link to a bridge rectifier in the video description you can look at.
I change it and it make no difference can you help me please
Where did you get the start/engage handle for that mower? My problem is in the handle, a little plastic piece cracked and now it won't engage.
I'm sorry to hear. I didn't replace the switch on this mower. Do you think you could repair it?
I am going to try to rig it up somehow. lol
Awesome! Let me know if I can help.
How'd you get the cover off the mower? My screws don't come out.
I used a sawzall and cut the bolts off at the threads.
@@FrugalRepair Gotcha, yeah I flipped the lawnmower over and saw the rusted bolts and I knocked them out with a hammer.
I have a 1 yr old black and Decker electric mower that hums when I turn it on, the blades don't turn. It does not trip the breaker. Any idea what this could be?
Thanks for asking! My first thought is that the brushes are worn out, or at least one of the brushes is worn out. There are probably two brushes that connect to the commutator. If you don’t know what that is, google that word and look at some pictures of what a brushed motor is. You should be able to take the lid off of your mower and see for yourself if that is the case.
@@FrugalRepair by brushes it seems you mean the spring loaded piece of carbon that comes in contact with the motor, I checked mine , both appear to be in good shape. I cleaned them up with sandpaper, still no go
Also the blades do turn, but very slowly, like 1 revolution takes about 5 seconds, and I do get a loud hum sound.
That sounds to me like something is impeding the axle. Does the blade turn freely by hand?
@@FrugalRepair it does turn, but there is resistance . It doesn't freely spin
I have a Greenworks that trips the breaker when I try to start it (brand new mower). I've tried it on a normal outlet in the garage as well as the WR outlets outside. I tested for continuity on rectifier like you said, but that checked out good. Any thoughts?
If the breaker is getting tripped when you go to start the mower then you have a short circuit somewhere. The most likely culprit is the rectifier but it could be something else. Has the mower ever worked?
No, it is brand new. I didn't want to deal with the hassle of returning
it if I could be sure it was just a $10 part that I needed.
Sounds like you might want to return it. Sorry to hear that. Its a bummer when new things come out of the box broken.
So I had a replacement sent and it was the same issue, so then I literally tried it on every single outlet on the outside of my house and found that it does in fact work, but only at one of them (they are all connected to the same breaker, though). So I was thinking it was due to distance from the breaker and voltage drop, but this outlet isn't even the closest to the breaker panel. Now I'm just baffled.
I'm glad the mower works. Are you 100% sure that they are all on the same breaker? That is, if you turn off the one breaker, do all of the outside outlets stop working?
hey man why is my lawn mower starting as soon as I plug it in, and now after replacing the rectifier i dont need to pull the switch?
Check for continuity with your multi-meter on the hot (black) AC wire and where it connects on the rectifier. You can even unplug the black wire from the rectifier to isolate this wire while you test it. If this is shorted/connected then something in the switch needs to be repaired or replaced. The default setting for the switch is to complete the circuit with the dynamic brake (ie that big resistor). It's default position should not be to send power to the rectifier/motor. Let me know if you have more questions.
Will a 50 amp rectifier work? If so, Any advantage ??
That means it can handle more current so it should work. No advantage.
@@FrugalRepair thanks!
Electric lawn mower starts and works but after a while cuts .opened it and found a sparked cable that goes to one of the legs of the capacitor ,checked the capacitor and it was reading or showing that its ok,what could be wrong
Do you mean the rectifier? That is what converts AC to DC for the motor.
Hi can you tell me which volt meter you using for test for sotcurcuit
Pretty much all digital multi-meters have a continuity setting.
If you want a suggestion, you can check the video description. There should be a link there.
No sir I already check description I need to know which you using red volt meter
I’m sorry about that. I just updated the video description with links. Can you check it again?
You are not understanding my point m talking about volt meter where you buy from and can you make video on it so which one i need to buy my lawnmower is not working but I don't know how to check problm or which volt meter I need to buy m not talking about bridge rectifier plz tell me
Thanks for your post. It worked for me but now the mower starts as soon as I plug it in rather than when I push the start button. Any idea how to fix that?
Did it do that before the repair? It would most likely be an issue in the safety/start switch. Maybe playing with the switch a bunch and wiggle it around might work then try plugging it in. It seems stuck in the "on" position. You could always take it apart to see.
你好，我的草坪机也出现了和你同样的问题，你怎么解决？谢谢！
Do you have the same mower I have in the video? I don't know what else it could be besides an issue with the switch. It may be stuck in the "on" position.
My lawn mower brand model is: KOBALT KM210. Before the use of normal, once again in the process of cutting grass suddenly repeated tripping, and later I found on the Internet that the rectifier is broken, I changed one, after the trip did not trip, but a power mower will automatically open The I do not know where the problem is. Back to me and then check the "open" position is not good. Thank you!
I'm not sure the translation happened correctly. Did you open up the start switch assembly to see if the switch is stuck in the "on" position?
My boss rota 37er lawnmower is not picking grass up
Hi, i just replaced the rectifier today, it runs now, but... it starts up as soon as i plug it in. please help, Ron
I’d google for a diagram of an electric mower. There are some good illustrations out there. Your switch maybe the problem.
@@FrugalRepair Hadn't had a chance to check out the switch up on the handle. will do it this weekend. Thanks so much
If my meter reader doesn’t beep, what should I look for? A reading of zero?
What kind of multi-meter do you have? Are you sure it has a continuity setting? If you have a short circuit then you can also use the resistance setting (ohms) to verify. I couldn't tell you what number it would be but it would be less than infiniti (which an ideal open circuit would have). The bottom line though is, if your house breaker is getting tripped when the mower turns on and you have a bridge rectifier like this one, then you almost certainly have a bad rectifier.
We have a Craftsman 34-82141 Digital Multimeter with 8 Functions and 20 Ranges. When I tested the rectifier, I got a reading of zero. I am not knowledgeable of multimeters. I did go ahead and order a new rectifier, so here’s hoping it will fix the mower!
My earthwise 24 volt lawn mower won't start i charged the battey still no light
Make sure to use a multimeter to test that the battery's voltage is good. I'm wondering if I should make videos about electric lawnmower fixes. I have one but it's not had any problems yet.
How did you put the cover back on?
Well, I never really went back to fix it right. I left it ghetto and used duct tape. I should probably drill two pilot holes in the decking and put in two screws to hold it down.
FrugalRepair thanks. I totally forgot about duct tape. I'm having the same problem with the screws.
Please help! I have the same mower. I bought it used two years ago and it had a little glitch - I would often have to turn the blade by hand a little first and then pull the lever before it would start. This year it mowed fine once, but last week it acted like it was getting bogged down by grass that wasn't thick or high. I tried switching to a better extension cord but it slowly died and wouldn't restart. It didn't trip the breaker and the ext. cord is good. However, if the lever was secured in the 'on' position and the blade was spun, it did kinda run, cough, and spark for a half a minute...(Yeah, I know!) Now nothing. Any ideas? (Except for half of the start lever broken off, it looked mint when I bought it.)
Have you taken off the lid and done a visual inspection? Make sure all of the electrical connections to the rectifier, the motor, and the brake resistor all look good. Also, how does an electric motor "cough"? =)
Everything inside looks great. I took the connectors off and put them back on. *It was supposed to say catch and spark. It would spark, spin a few times, slow down, then do it again.
lunaticsanon sorry for the delay. I wonder if the bridge rectifier is the problem. You could measure the output of the DC voltage.
lunaticsanon I doubt it is the motor itself that is bad.
Hey, I don't know why I didn't think about this before but it sounds like you need new brushes for your motor. They are only a few dollars and should be very easy to replace. I put a link to an example in the video description. You'll need to measure your old ones to make sure you get the correct size of brush. Let me know if you have an more questions.
you dont need thermal paste
its not made to need that, the aluminum plate dispenses heat
GOOD JOB though
THANKS
Thank you for the encouragement! You're right that the mower will run fine without the thermal compound and that metal piece is the for heat dissipation. The issue (other than low quality manufacturing) is that heat is probably the biggest contributor that will cause the one of the diodes to go bad inside the rectifier (and cause the short circuit). We also want to consider efficiency. So while you have the mower apart why not put some thermal compound on to aid the dissipation of heat and increase the lifespan and efficiency of the rectifier? Any thoughts?
The paste helps in transferring heat from the rectifier ic to aluminum plate.