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Repowering and safety features

4.7K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  sciphi  
#1 ·
Any of you who have re-powered, what are you doing with any built in safety features? (i.e. interlock).
I just finished repowering my Ariens, and as of right now, there is no need to have the interlock level down for the engine to continue running when the auger is engaged.

Just interested if people are bothering to hook this stuff back up? I used a B&S snow engine that has a key system, but there's nothing in any documents that I have that illustrate how to deal with this.
 
#2 · (Edited)
If I'm understanding what an interlock is... (some kind of additional protection.. if this lever and that lever are this way then do this otherwise do that)
Some people wish it would just go away and consider it just another way to make the engine refuse to start.
Trouble is ... they can fail
Some probably just disconnect the whole wiring and rely on throttle kill switches instead if they can - not sure on that one - thinking aloud
 
#3 ·
The "Interlock" is basically a dead man switch. If you have the auger lever engaged and you take your hand off the switch, it kills the engine.
Otherwise, you can turn on the auger with the engine running and literally walk away, I feel like that's incredibly dangerous.
It's fine for the engine to run without the auger without someone at the controls.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Yes that's what I guessed.
Then it's up to you... you seem to think it's important so... get it working :)

Sometimes I like to scratch my nose.... hate it if the engine shuts down... I'd need to use my other hand ;-)

By the way .. the logic of those systems is "reversed"... some switches are OFF until pushed and others are ON until pushed.
I had a post somewhere explaining how that works for some Toro model somewhere.
Just be on your guard as you try to figure it all out... Normally-open and Normally-closed push switches reverse all the logic.
Some systems like the one on a Toro borrow a little bit of power supply to operate that "Interlock Module" (I'm guessing that's what it's called)
So yes... kinda like a kill switch... or a dead-man switch ...serves the same purpose... but subtle differences... hence the need for the logic in the "Module"
 
#5 ·
look at the throttle assembly and see if when it is moved to past idle it shorts/grounds out the coil. if so i would think the dead mans switch on the handle could be wired to that contact wire and kill your motor as on the oem engine.
al my toros' don't have a dead mans only a auger stop when the handle is released, to stop the engine on my new one i have to pull out the key or slide the throttle past idle to stop
 
#9 ·
I've only done 2 re-powers on 1980's Toro machines. I kept the shut off systems the same in that they both had an ignition key up on the control panel. I figure you want to keep the safety features (and warning labels) intact so that the safety compliance of the machine is equal to or better than the original.

I had to figure out the wiring of the new engine and splice the ignition switch in accordingly.
 
#10 ·
I made sure all the safety interlocks were working on the old Toro's I've rehabbed......not an easy task! I just put a newer 10 hp Techumseh on my older 70's 924 Ariens, and I made sure the auger interlock was connected.......but I have a zip tie on the handlebar to hold down the grip while I use it!
 
#12 ·
My Toro needs the lever squeezed and held down for the auger to turn. Both the old and new engines could be left running without hands on the blower. My old Ariens had only an on/off lever for the auger. Yeah, the Toro is safer.