Toro Snow Blower starter problem

[Tom in St. Louis]

I have an old Toro S-200 snow blower. The electric starter won't turn over when I push the starter button. In doing a little checking around, one possible problem is the bridge rectifier. Does anyone know how to test a bridge rectifier to determine if it is okay? Thanks for any help.

Tom

 

[old]

That rectifier is not in the start circuit it is part of the charge circuit. One easy way to check where the problem is, is with a simple piece of wire. It has a solenoid and has 2 terminals on the solenoid. 2 are bigger ones and one small one. Jump across the 2 bigger ones with a heavy piece of wire. If it spins over then you battery is good and the cables and connections are good. If it does not spin over and you do not at least get some sparks you may have a bad connection. If it does spin over then use a piece of wire from the small terminal to the battery side of the solenoid if it spins over that way then starter wire of switch is bad. If it does not spin over then the solenoid is bad.

That all said if it spins over when you do any of that you can at least get it started so you can go play in the snow.
Where I am here at the Lake of the Ozarks we did not get enough snow to even worry about a shovel

 

[Bob]

Is this a 120 Volt AC (wall plug) powered starter or a battery-powered starter?

 

[Janicholson]

A full bridge rectifier converts AC into DC. The outcome is a pulsed DC, not pure. There are four diodes in the bridge, The diagram supplied will provide answers. With it disconnected from the wall plug, and the starter, electricity will flow with an ohm meter in the direction of each arrow on the symbols. If it shows no conduction one way and none the other it is probably good. Jim

 

[Tom in St. Louis]

Are you saying I should get continuity in one direction, but not the other? With the blower connected to 120v and the starter switch pushed in, should I get a DC voltage from the terminals that go to the starter motor? Thanks.

 

[Russ from MN]

I guess I always assumed that those starters were AC, just a universal motor like a drill. I would check for power at the motor, if you do, then take the starter apart.

 

[grizz02]

don't over think it , its more then likely just the push button switch I have had two go bad

 

[guido]

Hello old,

The stayer system is 120volts. Never had one apart. He says there is a rectifiers, so the stater is DC?
Here is the complete unit, just bolts on the engine, no battery,

Guido.

 

[Janicholson]

The big answer is that I gave you the answer you asked for. I said it was necessary to take the bridge out of the system to check it. I do not know (and doubt that) there is a bridge in the system at all. It requires an ohm meter to check diodes. If the machine has a rubber block that AC plugs into, you are not going to get at the (supposed) bridge. JIM

 

[old]

Here is one of the good reason lack of info on the part of the guy asking for help can get the wrong info. My self I have never seen any starter set up other then the battery type on these machine so I had to go with what I knew

 

[Bob]

(quoted from post at 15:53:48 01/13/19) The big answer is that I gave you the answer you asked for. I said it was necessary to take the bridge out of the system to check it. I do not know (and doubt that) there is a bridge in the system at all. It requires an ohm meter to check diodes. If the machine has a rubber block that AC plugs into, you are not going to get at the (supposed) bridge. JIM

Wonder if it's a Briggs engine? They use rectifiers in their 120 Volt starters.

Below is a link to service information on one version.

IIRC, they made starters with 4 individual diodes mounted on the brush holder, as well.

http://recoveryvehicles.tpub.com/TM-5-4240-501-14P/css/TM-5-4240-501-14P_188.htm

 

[bjb in TX from Ne]

When the bridge rectifier when out on my electric lawnmower, it would instantly trip the breaker.