There is a safety switch usually located underneath the seat of most riding lawn mowers. As a person sits in the seat, a switch detects their weight and activates the ignition switch by closing an electrical circuit. The blades of the mower are disabled then.
If someone falls out of the seat while riding the lawnmower, the switch will also turn it off. Eventually, the seat switches cease functioning and prevent the mower from starting. It is possible to start the mower without putting weight on the seat by bypassing the switch.
Seat safety switches look like a four-pronged plug with a top push button. On the inside of the button, there are two contact sets. There are two sets of blades that complete a circuit between each other, and there is a third set that helps connect the two sets. The engine is connected to one pair, and the ground is connected to the other.
There are some mower seats that have a mini switch under them that you can hold closed with a wooden wedge. Unplugging the wires and bridging the wires will not affect the motor if it stops when unplugged. That is why disabling the seat switch can be a good option.
How to Disable Seat Switch on a Husqvarna Mower?- Disabling the Seat Switch
Safety switch on mowers tends to cause annoyance to some people. For that, they must press the switch as soon as they begin moving in reverse. It is often necessary to bypass the safety switch in order to solve this problem. You can avoid this hassle by disengaging the seat switch on your Husqvarna Mower by following these steps:
- The first step is to turn off the riding mower. You can do that by turning the ignition key to “Off.”
- Step two involves holding the mower by the back of the seat. The safety switch wiring can be seen when the seat is pushed forward to reveal it.
- The seat bottom will be connected to the switch by two wires. Next, you need to cut the wires near the switch with the wire cutters.
- Wire strippers should be placed about an inch from one of the loose ends of one wire. Pull out the protective coating after gripping the wire with the wire cutters. Proceed with the second wire in the same manner.
- In this step, you have to twist the copper wires tightly in a clockwise direction while holding both wires side by side in one hand.
- Now make sure that electrical tape is wrapped clockwise around the wires at least three times. Turn the wire nut clockwise while pressing it onto the tape.
- Next, put the wires under the mower seat and sit again after setting them down.
There is another way you can disable the seat switch on your Husqvarna mower. The process is:
- A power switch is located under the seat on the Husqvarna mower, and a four-wire cord attaches to it. The four-prong connector should be removed first.
- Remove the plunger switch after removing the seat from the tractor in the next step.
- Then take the plunger switch apart. It is not an easy task. It is not something that can be accomplished easily.
- In the next step, you can put a rubber chair bumper. The bumper is used to protect wood dining chairs from scratches and scuffs. It is screwed to the plunger and the plunger button.
- A plunger switch fits into the indention in the rubber chair bumper. The rubber chair bumper must next be discarded along with the screw in this step.
- Afterward, you should reinstall the seat on your Husqvarna mower. This method has the advantage of the rubber chair bumper being able to be removed at any time and not damaging any other parts.
Reconnecting and Testing
After you have disabled the switch, you have to check if it has been done properly or not. Because if not, the mower will not work. So, you must reconnect the batteries and check them for reliability. Following is a description of how to reconnecting and testing:
- You need to reconnect the positive cable first before connecting the negative one. After connecting the positive cable, connect the negative cable as well.
- The next step is to lower the front hood. It is necessary to install the screws and replace the hood in its previous location for this.
- The next step is to test the mower if it functions correctly. For that, the key must be placed in the ignition switch before you can sit comfortably in the mower seat.
- The next step is to start the mower by turning the power on. Test the mower by lowering the deck and engaging the blade.
- In order for the disabling of the safety switch to be successful, the mower must be moved into reverse easily.
Warning
Disabling the safety switch has some demerits too. As the safety switch enabled auto safety by turning off the deck or mower blades when the user is accidentally falling down, it would not do it anymore if something like this actually happens after you disable it. A battery-operated lawn mower that can be started with a seat-mounted switch will also make lawnmowers easy for small children to use. Make sure to store your ignition keys in an area where children will not be able to access them.
Also, be sure not to permanently disable the lawn mower safety switch while disconnecting it. There is a risk of voiding the manufacturer’s warranty if you accidentally disable it permanently. Therefore, you should be careful about it.
Final Words
The lawnmower safety switch can be bypassed successfully with a little bit of technical know-how. This can even be done without consulting a technician. If a tractor can’t start or operate and the cause is suspected to be a safety switch, make sure that all switches are engaged properly.
In addition, the wiring harness may also require maintenance on other components. It is imperative that electrical systems are diagnosed and serviced according to industry standards. And while you are doing it by yourself, make sure to be extra careful because any small mistake can bring harm to you and your Husqvarna mower.
