# Simplicity Regent 14 Hydro with electrical issue



## andy1850

Thanks in advance for your help.

I have a simplicity regent 14 hydro that will not crank. I used it just two weeks ago and it was fine. Here is the issue:

When I turn the key it makes a click and then a Whine. The battery cables get very hot and start to smoke. I replaced the positive cable which had some corrosion on it. Now the negative cable is smoking and gets very hot. Their is some rust on the other end which connects to the Solenoid (i think). Any suggestions as to what the problem is?

I charged the battery and it is showing a full charge.

Thank you for any suggestions.

Andy


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## CRussell

If you can roll the motor over by hand check the starter.


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## Country Boy

It almost sounds like your starter motor may be shorting out. Try removing the starter from the tractor, and put it on your work bench. Using a set of jumper cables, test the starter off the unit. You'd clamp the black cable to the housing of the starter and to the negative battery terminal, and connect the red clamp to the positive battery terminal. Touch the positive terminal on the starter with the other red clamp and see if it cranks over. If it still doesn't work, replace the starter.


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## andy1850

I appreciate the help. I will try that tomorrow. Do I need a special b&s wrench to loosen these bolts?


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## Country Boy

If you can't get to the bolts easily, you can test the starter on the unit. Just disconnect the battery cable from the starter and do the above procedure while it is installed. In theory, you could simply use the positive cable from the jumper cable from the battery to the post on the starter, but that won't isolate a bad ground. By using both sides of the jumper cables (you can connect the negative cable to the engine block instead of the starter if needed) you isolate the starter from the rest of the electrical system. That will tell you if the starter is good or not. If the starter works fine by jumping it, then you need to start tracing back through the system to find the faulty part. The fact that you were melting your battery cables makes me think its the starter, because nothing else in the system draws enough current to do that. Also, make sure you can turn the engine by hand before testing anything. I have seen engines that seize up after running and don't crank the next time they try to start the machine. If the engine can be turned by hand, then you can start testing the starter. If not, then you have a deeper problem.


*MAKE SURE THE UNIT IS IN NEUTRAL AND THE BRAKE IS LOCKED BEFORE TESTING THE STARTER ON THE UNIT!* You don't want the tractor running you or anyone else over while testing it.


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## andy1850

I tried the starter using jumper cables and got a spark but nothing else. How do you turn this motor by hand?


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## Country Boy

If you want to turn the starter motor by hand, you may need to remove the engine shroud over the flywheel. That will allow you access to the drive end of the starter so you can spin it by hand.


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## Paul40

I agree with the above trouble-shooting procedures, but to make certain that the engine won't unintentionally start when (or if) you crank it over, remove the spark plug cables first.


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