I have never liked the safety switches often found on rider-mowers. In
fact, in the past I have disconnected them as a nuisance.

I bought a used rider this summer, and wouldn't you know - I was
knocked backwards over the seat back onto the ground by a low tree
limb.  I wasn't hurt too  badly, but the damned mower kept on going
across the street and across my loving neighbor's yard until it hit
one of his bushes.  No damage was done except to my ego.

With my new insight, I have checked and find no sign of any cut-off
switch under the seat.  I expected to find one - disconnected or
otherwise not working.  Okay, what would be the easiest way for me to
create and install such a switch?  Can someone reply with some advice
and particulars?

Thanks

Duke

PS the limb has been removed.

<j...@eldorado.com> wrote in message 
news:u...@4ax.com...

> PS the limb has been removed.

That was a bad idea. You could've re-enacted the event, submitted it to 
America's Funniest Home Videos, and *possibly* won some money. 

On Sep 1, 8:53=A0am, j...@eldorado.com wrote:
> I have never liked the safety switches often found on rider-mowers. In
> fact, in the past I have disconnected them as a nuisance.
>
> I bought a used rider this summer, and wouldn't you know - I was
> knocked backwards over the seat back onto the ground by a low tree
> limb. =A0I wasn't hurt too =A0badly, but the damned mower kept on going
> across the street and across my loving neighbor's yard until it hit
> one of his bushes. =A0No damage was done except to my ego.
>
> With my new insight, I have checked and find no sign of any cut-off
> switch under the seat. =A0I expected to find one - disconnected or
> otherwise not working. =A0Okay, what would be the easiest way for me to
> create and install such a switch? =A0Can someone reply with some advice
> and particulars?
>
> Thanks
>
> Duke
>
> PS the limb has been removed.

I'd ask myself this question:

If I've never needed a safety switch before this and in fact I've
always disconnected them and the offending obstacle no longer poses a
threat and I'm much more aware now of what can happen, do I really
need to add a safety switch or should I just add this to my list of
bad experiences and vow to keep my eyes open in the future?

If it was me I'd exclaim "Wow, that sucked!" and answer with the
latter.

<j...@eldorado.com> wrote in message 
news:u...@4ax.com...
>I have never liked the safety switches often found on rider-mowers. In
> fact, in the past I have disconnected them as a nuisance.
>
> I bought a used rider this summer, and wouldn't you know - I was
> knocked backwards over the seat back onto the ground by a low tree
> limb.  I wasn't hurt too  badly, but the damned mower kept on going
> across the street and across my loving neighbor's yard until it hit
> one of his bushes.  No damage was done except to my ego.

Most of these small motors seem to have a "solid state" ignition.    A 
magnet on the cam shaft both "charges" the magneto and then opens the 
electronic "points."    The secondary of the coil produces the high voltage 
for the spark coil.

The kill switch is almost always across the low side coil in parallel the 
the electronic or mechnical "points."   When the "points" open, the coil 
maintains the voltage and it's stepped up the the turns ratio.

The "run position" of the kill switch is OPEN.   The "kill" position is 
CLOSED.

ASSuming there is way of stopping the mower short of shorting out the spark 
plug then all you have to do is extend the wiring to your seat switch. 
Again, arange things so that the switch is OPEN when you are properly seated 
and CLOSED when you are off the seat.

While you may see some pretty crappy switches in such service remember that 
the peak voltage can easily be in the hundreds of volts.    IOW:  you don't 
want a switch from the auto parts store meant to switch 12 volts DC.

Radio Shack often has "hobby" stuff that might include a single pole, double 
throw "microswitch" with a long and flexible operating lever.   The long 
leverl will permit some overtravel without damaging the switch.

You use the N.C. and the common contacts.

You can either try to rig something on the seat (including a strong spring 
that will lift the seat or you can just arrange something as simple as a 
rubber band holding the switch level down and a strong string connecting the 
rubber band to your body.   When your body leaves the lower, you pull and 
break the rubber band and the machine stops.





> With my new insight, I have checked and find no sign of any cut-off
> switch under the seat.  I expected to find one - disconnected or
> otherwise not working.  Okay, what would be the easiest way for me to
> create and install such a switch?  Can someone reply with some advice
> and particulars?
>
> Thanks
>
> Duke
>
> PS the limb has been removed. 

On Sep 1, 9:14=A0am, "John Gilmer"  wrote:
>  wrote in message
>
> news:u...@4ax.com...
>
> >I have never liked the safety switches often found on rider-mowers. In
> > fact, in the past I have disconnected them as a nuisance.
>
> > I bought a used rider this summer, and wouldn't you know - I was
> > knocked backwards over the seat back onto the ground by a low tree
> > limb. =A0I wasn't hurt too =A0badly, but the damned mower kept on going
> > across the street and across my loving neighbor's yard until it hit
> > one of his bushes. =A0No damage was done except to my ego.
>
> Most of these small motors seem to have a "solid state" ignition. =A0 =A0=
A
> magnet on the cam shaft both "charges" the magneto and then opens the
> electronic "points." =A0 =A0The secondary of the coil produces the high v=
oltage
> for the spark coil.
>
> The kill switch is almost always across the low side coil in parallel the
> the electronic or mechnical "points." =A0 When the "points" open, the coi=
l
> maintains the voltage and it's stepped up the the turns ratio.
>
> The "run position" of the kill switch is OPEN. =A0 The "kill" position is
> CLOSED.
>
> ASSuming there is way of stopping the mower short of shorting out the spa=
rk
> plug then all you have to do is extend the wiring to your seat switch.
> Again, arange things so that the switch is OPEN when you are properly sea=
ted
> and CLOSED when you are off the seat.
>
> While you may see some pretty crappy switches in such service remember th=
at
> the peak voltage can easily be in the hundreds of volts. =A0 =A0IOW: =A0y=
ou don't
> want a switch from the auto parts store meant to switch 12 volts DC.
>
> Radio Shack often has "hobby" stuff that might include a single pole, dou=
ble
> throw "microswitch" with a long and flexible operating lever. =A0 The lon=
g
> leverl will permit some overtravel without damaging the switch.
>
> You use the N.C. and the common contacts.
>
> You can either try to rig something on the seat (including a strong sprin=
g
> that will lift the seat or you can just arrange something as simple as a
> rubber band holding the switch level down and a strong string connecting =
the
> rubber band to your body. =A0 When your body leaves the lower, you pull a=
nd
> break the rubber band and the machine stops.
>
>
>
> > With my new insight, I have checked and find no sign of any cut-off
> > switch under the seat. =A0I expected to find one - disconnected or
> > otherwise not working. =A0Okay, what would be the easiest way for me to
> > create and install such a switch? =A0Can someone reply with some advice
> > and particulars?
>
> > Thanks
>
> > Duke
>
> > PS the limb has been removed.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

The wrist band switch found on boats and jetskis would work and avoid
modifying the seat.  I suspect you could find a normally open one
though most are normally closed.  Since it's a rider a normally closed
one might be more appropriate.  Most likely the existing key switch
turns on 12v to the ignition.  So a normally closed switch could be
used in series with that wire.

Some riders require you to hold a pedal down to go.  Then when you
fall off it quits moving.  That's a better soltion as you don't have
to restart it if you have to get off for a moment to move something
that's in the way.

On Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:53:38 -0400, jw wrote:
> With my new insight, I have checked and find no sign of any cut-off
> switch under the seat.  I expected to find one - disconnected or
> otherwise not working.  Okay, what would be the easiest way for me to
> create and install such a switch?  Can someone reply with some advice
> and particulars?

Problem there is that I often find myself shifting my weight when I'm 
doing the ditches - both for balance and to keep the mower from losing 
traction; I'm not sure how reliable a seat switch would be in those 
situations (my lawn tractor's old and never had one, and I've never used 
a more recent mower that does).

What would maybe work is some sort of kill switch based upon a plug that 
had to be inserted into the dash, connected via a short cord and clip to 
my belt. That way if I fell off, the machine would still stop because the 
plug would be pulled out, but I'd still be able to move around in the 
seat.
 

In article 1...@news.eternal-september.org>,
 Jules Richardson <j...@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> What would maybe work is some sort of kill switch based upon a plug that 
> had to be inserted into the dash, connected via a short cord and clip to 
> my belt. That way if I fell off, the machine would still stop because the 
> plug would be pulled out, but I'd still be able to move around in the 
> seat.
>  

  That sounds like the way the dead man's switch works on wave runners.

-- 
  I want to find a voracious, small-minded predator 
and name it after the IRS.
Robert Bakker, paleontologist

On Sep 1, 10:23=A0am, Kurt Ullman  wrote:
> In article ,
> =A0Jules Richardson  wrote:
>
>
>
> > What would maybe work is some sort of kill switch based upon a plug tha=
t
> > had to be inserted into the dash, connected via a short cord and clip t=
o
> > my belt. That way if I fell off, the machine would still stop because t=
he
> > plug would be pulled out, but I'd still be able to move around in the
> > seat.
>
> =A0 That sounds like the way the dead man's switch works on wave runners.
>
> --
> =A0 I want to find a voracious, small-minded predator
> and name it after the IRS.
> Robert Bakker, paleontologist

You could also "invent" your own with a 1/4" phone jack.  Just short
the terminal in the male half and attach a cord.  Probably get a
female dash mount socket and a male jack from radio shack for well
under $10.

I used to do the same thing with a 1/8" one on RC sailplanes planes as
an off switch.  Hung a red banner off it.  Nothing worse than letting
a plane loose and then figuring out you didn't turn on the receiver :-(

j...@eldorado.com wrote:
> I have never liked the safety switches often found on rider-mowers. In
> fact, in the past I have disconnected them as a nuisance.
>
> I bought a used rider this summer, and wouldn't you know - I was
> knocked backwards over the seat back onto the ground by a low tree
> limb.  I wasn't hurt too  badly, but the damned mower kept on going
> across the street and across my loving neighbor's yard until it hit
> one of his bushes.  No damage was done except to my ego.
>
> With my new insight, I have checked and find no sign of any cut-off
> switch under the seat.  I expected to find one - disconnected or
> otherwise not working.  Okay, what would be the easiest way for me to
> create and install such a switch?  Can someone reply with some advice
> and particulars?
>

If this forced dismount only happened once, it's probably not worth the 
trouble to make modifications. 

On Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:53:38 -0400, jw wrote:

> I have never liked the safety switches often found on rider-mowers. In
> fact, in the past I have disconnected them as a nuisance.
> 
> I bought a used rider this summer, and wouldn't you know - I was knocked
> backwards over the seat back onto the ground by a low tree limb.  I
> wasn't hurt too  badly, but the damned mower kept on going across the
> street and across my loving neighbor's yard until it hit one of his
> bushes.  No damage was done except to my ego.
> 
> With my new insight, I have checked and find no sign of any cut-off
> switch under the seat.  I expected to find one - disconnected or
> otherwise not working.  Okay, what would be the easiest way for me to
> create and install such a switch?  Can someone reply with some advice
> and particulars?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Duke
> 
> PS the limb has been removed.

Ask someone local at a small engine repair or lawn equipment repair for a 
parts layout. It's very dumb to remove that switch and you found out why. 
I left mine intact on the Deere tractor but I defeated the button that 
kills the motor if you reverse without pushing it.