# JD Power Flow and Leaves



## smchri0 (Mar 31, 2017)

I have a number of beds and areas that I cannot drive over to pick up leaves. JD dealer talked me into a Power Flow bagger system for my 1025R with 60" mower. He said I could take leaves out to the lawn or pavement and pick up the leaves. I have kept engine speed high, ground speed low. I have tried high and low deck heights. Impeller clogs, chute clogs. System blows leaf part everywhere except into the bag. Any thoughts?


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Howdy smchri0,

Welcome to the tractor forum.

Try using the left half of your deck only for picking up heavy layers of leaves.....allow the right half of the deck to mulch and blow leaves to the power flow system.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Do you have hi-lift blades,or standard blades on it?
Hi-lift works better for bagging/mulching.


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## smchri0 (Mar 31, 2017)

Thanks​, gents. I will try using only half the deck. I have stock blades.
The problem is not lift, but of clogging the system. The finely chopped leaf matter clogs the chute then the impeller, and stuff blows out the right front corner of the deck and the system chokes. 
I am wondering if the system is not meant to mulch leaves only, which is want the JD guy swore it would do.


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

I have the Power Flow 700 series on my JD X749, works like a champ. Except when the blower belt tightener gets clipped by a bush and the belt releases, or when my wife puts the belt on without the twist to reverse the direction (top of deck where the belt is flipped front to back).

On really wet leaves it requires going slow or two passes, one with the hydraulic deck raised, the second with it down. Air flow is critical.


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

RC's post reminded me that the drive belt has one twist in it to reverse direction. If the belt doesn't have this twist, the Power Flow doesn't work. Weird setup.


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## Thomas (Nov 1, 2006)

Are the leaves somewhat dry?


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## smchri0 (Mar 31, 2017)

Thomas -- they are. if they aren't freshly fallen, I rake them out and turn them so they will dry. But no matter how dry they are, they retain some moisture. I'm thinking that the leaves are reduced to such a fine mulch with much more surface area exposed--and the ratio of moisture to surface area is greater in the fine mulch--that the small bits stick together. And stick together. I'm getting lift--the leaves are mulching, stuff is going into the blower--but the fine mulch doesn't seem to go all the way up the chute and then clogs all the way back down into the impeller. Thanks!


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

This is a puzzle, my John Deere blower/bagger picks up Black Walnuts still in the wet husk and those massive amounts of wet leaves.

I would make a trip back to the dealer with a warranty claim. That blower should blow so hard that you have to clean the screen of chopped material that sticks in the in the top of the bagger lid with every dump.


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