OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions On Ride On Mowers Questions On Victa Ride On Mower Frames Victa 3012TX solenoid wiring

Hello again.
Appreciate the help so far on other issue for various machines.
This question is for a Victa 3012TX where the previous owners of the machine have disconnected and unbolted the starter solenoid, for unknown reasons, and I'm trying to wire it back together using schematics from the Victa website but, have issues with the earth wire from the starter with this being a 3-post solenoid.
From what I have read about the 3-post solenoid, they earth through the solenoid body to the frame, which is the easy part to understand but, if this is the case, what is the purpose of the 3rd terminal post of the solenoid? Is it an earth or what?
Photos are attached of the schematics along with the existing wiring to be re-connected.
The problem I have is with the earth wire from the ignition, as it a bayonet connection when it reaches the solenoid end when I would have expected a flat "1/4" round post-style connection" to the solenoid. It doesn't make sense why this is is a bayonet!
If the solenoid is earthed through the chassis, then what is the point of the third post?
I would have expected the earth from the battery would be connected to this post, but the battery earth is direct to the chassis, and nowhere near the solenoid.
The kill switch from the seat (Yellow wire) is earthed through the bolt that secures the solenoid. If the third post of the solenoid was an earth point, then wouldn't it make sense that the seat kill-switch would earth through here and not the bolt attaching the solenoid to the chassis?
Too many questions for a simple answer that the electrical schematics don't answer.
Does anyone have a photo of the solenoid wiring for a Victa 3012TX, being model 31721x88B? If not, then how about the Cub Cadet variation 31721x88A of the exact same machine?
Photo attached shows solenoid and current wiring of the machine and another photo of wiring schematics and solenoid together for ready comparison.
Hope this makes sense and someone can assist in correct wiring.
Am thinking about running an earth wire back to the battery from the third solenoid post. Would this be okay in relation to other ride-on mower schematics/actuals?
Yes, I worked out the yellow wire from the seat cut-off switch was actually an earth wire to be connected through the solenoid mounting bolt, but thought it may help someone else to get it right.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Thank you for your assistance
Regards
Daryl

The third post, the small one, is the actuation for the solenoid. Generally the main battery terminal goes to the solenoid post and then a smaller wire will go from that to the key/start button and then from there back to the small terminal on the solenoid. The other large terminal then goes to the starter motor active. Most times the wire going back to that activation terminal will go via the interlock safety switches if they are fitted. Depending on how OH&S conscious you are you may choose to leave them out.

Thank you Aussietrev for your quick reply and information. With battery and solenoid located in the rear of the mower, I'll track which wires are going where before doing any of the rewiring. Will connect the earth return from the starter to the small post and change the bayonnet fitting to a post fitting. Other three post solenoids, which are at the front of a mower, normally have the main battery earth going to the smaller terminal and another from the ignition to the negative battery terminal (I think I got that the right way around)....
Appreciate your assistance.
Regards
Daryl

It is the positive that does the work Bushy, not the negative except on real old cars, mostly from England although early Holden's were positive ground as well. If you put an earth on the threaded terminal and have the solenoid mounted to the chassis you would have to be running a positive earth system and the electric starter motor will turn backwards and not engage.
Yours could be some weird thing that someone has rewired to be positive earth but it is pretty unlikely. Take a pair of jumper leads, hook one to the negative and the other end to the chassis. Hook the other to positive and touch the other end of it to the terminal on the starter motor. If it engages the gear drive and turns over the motor, it is a negative ground system. If the starter just spins but the gear stays down then it is possibly a positive earth but again, highly unlikely.

Thank you again Aussietrev for your reply. Light bulb moment after reading your comments and looking over electrical system wiring schemtics from Briggs and Stratton.
This will clarify my wiring: -
1. The main large red power cable from the battery goes to one of the main top posts on the solenoid.
2. The small red wire (with fuse and holder) goes onto the same post as the main battery cable above, as this is the power wire that heads down to the ignition switch.
3. The second large red power cable is then to be connected to the other top post of the solenoid and goes up to the front of the machine to the starter motor.
4. The small black wire is the return wire from the starter switch and connects to the lower small post to complete the circuit and activate the solenoid when the key is turned.
The first thing about this wire was confusing is that the wire is black, which is normally an indication that it is earth wire. The second thing, on this machines wiring that doesn't add up, is why does it have a female bullet connection rather than a ring terminal connection, which would have been easier to follow. I guess it was to confuse me, and it did.
5. The small yellow wire is direct from the seat cut-off switch and is direct to earth on the solenoid mounting bolts. I gather this is actually a return wire rather than an out wire as I had originally thought. :-)
This pdf file I located from Briggs and Stratton (although based on a Murray) helped to clarify your instructions and shows the wiring schematics for the 3-post solenoid model 24285 on this machine. It also provides schematics for 18 main wiring harness configurations: -
http://www4.briggsandstratton.com/m...MA-S-1612%202004%20Quick%20Reference.pdf
With your help and direction, I should now have this one sorted and may also help others in a similar situation.
Much appreciated.
Regards
Daryl

As there were no photos of this solenoid (Victa part number 24285, so guess Murry would be 24285MA) fully wired on the internet, I thought I should share these to help others who have the Victa 3012Tx model 31721x88B or the Cub Cadet model variation 31721x88A using this 3-post solenoid. Apart from the battery being too bad to turn the starter (just clicked), the solenoid activates using the ignition key, but haven't confirmed it as fully operational yet with a new battery, but am confident these are now correct.
The first photo shows: -
1. The main (large red) power cable coming in from the battery to the right bolted with the smaller red wire (with fuse that goes to ignition switch) connected to the first post.
2. The yellow wire, from the seat cut-out switch, bolted to the chassis as an earth wire.
3. The small black wire, being return from the starter switch, is now bolted to the small (low) post, and,
4. The large red power cable (going left) is connected to the 2nd solenoid post, which is direct to the starter motor.
The second photo, which may not be so clear (sorry), shows full configuration from battery to solenoid, fuse connection, seat cut-off, starter motor connection and black return from ignition switch.
Thank you to aussietrev for his valuable input and helping me put my brain into gear to realise the circuitry that the solenoid was making.




Hope this helps others, in the same situation, sort out their solenoid wiring.
Appreciate the assistance given and trust this will be an invaluable source in the futureas well.
Regards
Daryl

Now I am confused with this 3-post solenoid. New battery was installed and, again, it just goes click when activated by the ignition key indicating power is being pushed through the circuit by the ignition key back to the solenoid. If I short the solenoid across the top power terminals, then the start motor activates to turn the motor over. I initially thought it was a faulty solenoid, so I swapped the main power terminals around and still get the same result, just a click of the solenoid activating to complete the power circuit. Could it be a bad earth on the solenoid or an ignition switch fault? Will check this out tomorrow with an auto-electrician mate, but would prefer to sort it out here to help myself and others. I have seen an earth wire on other machines going back to the battery from the solenoid to guarantee a good earth point, but is it a necessary evil?
Would appreciate any feedback, and if I get the answer myself, then I will share the results here.
Appreciate any assistance provided on solving this issue.
Regards
Daryl

Try this test bushy,

This is part of my test procedure for a suspect solenoid.
Prove the coil has continuity and measures a resistance value (value should be in the manual you posted).

If the coil checks out, connect a known good battery 12 Vdc to the coil, whilst measuring the continuity across the main contacts, like my image.




From what you have said your battery is fine, maybe the coil is energising and becoming an electromagnet, like it should, but the contacts are seized inside & not closing, which does happen.
If all is good, you should measure a very low resistance across the main contacts, like 0.1 Ohms.

Thank you mark electric for your information. I connected a battery as indicated and there was no continuity shown on my ohm meter. One main post was a bit suspect, and is probably why the solenoid was disconnected and just laying in the mower, so I will just grab a new coil and let you know what the result is when installed.
Appreciate your assistance.
Daryl

Good morning mark electric.
Thank you again for your assistance in helping to determine the cause of my power issue. The new solenoid has been installed and I now have power to the starter motor when I turn the key.
Also replaced both battery cables with new ones, a little longer than the original to allow for some flexibility with regard to battery post positions due to variations of having either right or left positive terminals.
To help others, I took another photo showing the new solenoid now fully wired and working, which may assist someone else where their 3-post solenoid had been disconnected.
Onward and upward. To the carbie next and see if I can get the motor to run.
Have a great day.
Daryl

That is a quality job, well thought through and attention to detail.
Nice images as well.

I forgot to mention before and meant to, I have in the past, had to get the old solenoid apart, clean it all up (corrosion, clean the contacts) and put them back together.

New parts in some of my jobs, where just not available, or if so, the wait was months.

I think you have the nuts on upside down on your solenoid terminals. They have a "built in" washer which should be facing down. They may well vibrate loose over time and cause a poor contact which can melt the solenoid body.

Thank you mark electric for your compliments and positive feedback. I'm very appreciative of your recognition of how I wanted to write my post and have the end result shown with a quality photo, which was to be easy for someone with limited experience to able to follow.
I was unable to find anywhere on the internet written instructions, details or pictures of a fully wired 3-post solenoid, except within schematic diagrams, so I wanted to ensure someone, some day, may find these photos and information to assist them with their own project.
Thank you to all Forum Members who have contributed to this part of my ride on repair.
Have a great day/weekend.
Regards
Daryl

Good morning aussietrev.
Thank you for your comment. The nuts used on the main power solenoid posts are Nyloc, which is why they may look like they are upside down with a washer on top, but you made me take a second look to make sure it was correct. Had me worried for a second as hands were blocking view due to mounting position of the solenoid inside the chassis frame.
Have a great weekend.
Regards
Daryl