Oh, and the regulator rectifier ground wire is clean and tight so it seems to be well grounded.

 

Are you sending 12v to the clutch directly or from the normal pto switch?

 

Connected clutch wires directly to the battery and heard a click.

Also, I wasn't sure if the gap would cause the resistance to change in the coil so i adjusted it to various depths and took readings with the multimeter and only got 0 ohms so I guess it is toast.

I just ordered a new clutch, it was about $250 shipped from jthomas.

 

The gap would have no effect on the electrical readings. A simple test of the clutch would be to send 12v to teh clutch leads, and see if you can hand turn the clutch pulley. If it turns the engine over, its good. Then I would check to see if the mower is sending power to the clutch, and how much power is going to the clutch. A dirty connection or corrosion in a wire could cause resistance in the circuit that would draw more amperage pop a fuse. Since you said the clutch is clicking when you sent it power, I'm willing to bet it was good.

These answers to the next two questions will help a ton to diagnose this...

How many volts were being sent to the clutch when you engaged it?

Disconect the battery cables. Engage the blades as you normally would, and measure the resistance from the positive battery cable, to the positive terminal at the clutch wiring plug. What is the resistance? Do the same from the negative battery terminal to teh negative terminal at the clutch wiring connector. What is the resistance.

Finally, nearly 0 ohms of resistance on a clutch coil is normal. its a coil of laquer coated copper wire, so there is no resistance to measure with an ohm meter. It works on induction, so the load isn't applied until current is going through the coil. If there was no continuity between the leads, then I would suspect the coil. Or if there was a dead short in the coil, that would also cause. But I would have tested further prior to buying a $250 clutch...

 

The gap would have no effect on the electrical readings. A simple test of the clutch would be to send 12v to teh clutch leads, and see if you can hand turn the clutch pulley. If it turns the engine over, its good. Then I would check to see if the mower is sending power to the clutch, and how much power is going to the clutch. A dirty connection or corrosion in a wire could cause resistance in the circuit that would draw more amperage pop a fuse. Since you said the clutch is clicking when you sent it power, I'm willing to bet it was good.

These answers to the next two questions will help a ton to diagnose this...

How many volts were being sent to the clutch when you engaged it?

Disconect the battery cables. Engage the blades as you normally would, and measure the resistance from the positive battery cable, to the positive terminal at the clutch wiring plug. What is the resistance? Do the same from the negative battery terminal to teh negative terminal at the clutch wiring connector. What is the resistance.

Finally, nearly 0 ohms of resistance on a clutch coil is normal. its a coil of laquer coated copper wire, so there is no resistance to measure with an ohm meter. It works on induction, so the load isn't applied until current is going through the coil. If there was no continuity between the leads, then I would suspect the coil. Or if there was a dead short in the coil, that would also cause. But I would have tested further prior to buying a $250 clutch...

Higher resistance will cause less current flow, not more. OP said he has 30v at the battery... That will blow fuses. I'd test or replace the regulator.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohm%27s_law

 

Higher resistance will cause less current flow, not more. OP said he has 30v at the battery... That will blow fuses. I'd test or replace the regulator.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohm%27s_law

My mistake. you are correct. However the question of how much voltage is being sent to the clutch is still valid.

 

Actually, a clutch will have around 2.5 to 3.0 OHMS.
You must make sure you are using the LOW OHMS scale on the meter.

As a destructive test, the OP could wire the clutch direct to the battery with a 10 AMP fuse. Since a good clutch should only draw about 3-4 AMPS, if the fuse blows the clutch is shorted.

 

Its going to be the switch itself or a fuse. I would bet a switch. Need to check voltage at the connector should be 12v while the engine is on, pto engaged, and all safety switches jumped or someone operating them.

 

I would put in a new volt regulator before running that new clutch on 30vdc....unless you mistakenly read the alternator output , in AC volts, at the regulator , and not at the batter. Cuz 30vac would be about correct flowing to the regulator...but not correct for the output going to the battery....and, of course, save you old clutch...

 

There are Kohler and Kawasaki un-regulated charging systems used on units without a battery or electric start feature but equipped with electric pto clutches. Some of these will produce 15-30 unregulated DC volts.

Previous commenters were also correct, most warner or orgura clutches will have a ohm range of either 1.8-2.5 ohms or 2.5-3.5 ohms. IF there low or wide open, they will not engage or take out fuses.

Easiest test is with a multimieter, At the 2 pin connector that plugs into the clutch, with all safety switches in the right state and the pto switch on, is there 12 volts or more being sent to the clutch and a proper ground path? If those two signals are present to the clutch, then usually its the clutch itself. If either one of those is not correct, its a wiring, charging or safety system issue (switch).

 

OK...I did not consider non battery machine...but user says he measures the voltages at regulator/rectifier,
I guess it could have simply been a rectifier...unregulated...and certainly much higher voltage...I dunno how any clutches survive , but guess they do...Just not familiar with non battery uses...

 

Wx man says more rain Tue. so I'll have a chance to do some more tests. Also, I'm going to see if I can get a bearing puller from Autozone so I can crack the old clutch open and inspect for damage.

 

Wx man says more rain Tue. so I'll have a chance to do some more tests. Also, I'm going to see if I can get a bearing puller from Autozone so I can crack the old clutch open and inspect for damage.

I wouldnt open it up until you know everything else is good. There isnt mutch to look at and nothing is serviceable. If you want to do it just because, I get it. But dont expect it to work afterwards.

 

UPDATE:

I haven't had time to do any more tests or tear apart the old clutch. I put the new clutch on and it didn't work. I think as the old clutch failed, the over-amperage killed the delay module (did I mention I had a paperclip in the fuse holder? did I also mention the paperclip was on fire?:usflag. I removed the delay module from the circuit (for test purposes ) and it fired right up. So my old 36" WB is back in business.

 

I'm still not convinced you needed a clutch. But as long as you got it going.... nevermind it's not right.

 

I'm still not convinced you needed a clutch.

Isn't 0 ohms a definite indication of coil failure?

 

0 ohms is definite indication of a dead short....Thinking your meter is not precisely calibrated --Read ohms with your meter leads connected to eachother..then add that to the total when reading the clutch..