# Cub cadet stator question



## sse1990 (Dec 5, 2015)

Hi, first post here. Found the forum when I wanted to install LED lighting in my snowblower.

The machine in question is a cub cadet 3x 28"HD model number 31AH57SY596 with a 420cc engine. Serial number on the engine is 490-WU/1309181A0053. The number on the wire coming from the stator is 751-12553. Has a yellow wire for headlight and a red wire for heated hand grips. It uses an 1141 bulb for headlight.
When I test the output at full throttle unloaded, the yellow wire outputs about 15v AC and the red wire is about 12.5v AC and about 11.7 V DC. Loaded, the yellow gives me between close to the same 15v AC and the red gives me about 11v AC and 11v DC.

I called the local service centre and I also called Cub Cadet to find out what the output is of the stator for amperage or wattage, but neither one could give me an answer.

I do not have heated grips installed. I did pickup a rectifier along with a couple capacitors and I also picked up a Grote par 36 LED light that is about 17 watts. I know I'm safe with that since the 1141 is 18 watts.
I'm curious what I can install on the heated hand grip output without overloading the stator, and what is needed to get only DC from that output. Another full wave rectifier and capacitors or something else since I do get do and AC on that output at the same time or not worth it since I'm not getting a full 12v at full throttle loaded with the 18 watt 1141 bulb.

Here is the light I picked up. Nice and bright. At least in my garage for the brief test with all the lights off since I have no windows.


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## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

sse
Only way to figure wattage is to measure output in milliamps with a meter then convert to watts using Ohm's Law. MH


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## sse1990 (Dec 5, 2015)

That will only give me the wattage of the load applied. It won't give me what the max output is. Even then you can overload it and will get a higher output than what it was designed for but it's life will be shortened.

You figure the manufacturer would at least know the output. They could only tell me the voltage rating but no current or wattage rating.:facepalm_zpsdj194qh


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

sse1990 said:


> That will only give me the wattage of the load applied. It won't give me what the max output is. Even then you can overload it and will get a higher output than what it was designed for but it's life will be shortened.
> 
> You figure the manufacturer would at least know the output. They could only tell me the voltage rating but no current or wattage rating.:facepalm_zpsdj194qh


Ya, you would figure they would. Just as an FYI, I have a Briggs engine with an 18 watt alternator. Briggs tech support would not give me that rating either, but somebody on this forum found a chart showing photos and specs for all the various briggs alternator/generator units and the ouput ratings for each. Briggs could not provide this.

At the end of the output cable on mine they have installed a diode (heatshrinked inline with the connector) to provide DC output for the headlamp. Now by the look of it, it's just a single diode, which means I'm getting half wave rectified DC out of that wire. Check your output cables and see if they also have diodes heatshrinked inline with the connectors. 

If so, you are probably seeing the result of only half a wave showing up on your AC meter as AC voltage (the other half of the wave looks like a drop to the negative half to the meter, but it more or less ends at 0 volts instead of the negative inverse of the positive voltage. The DC voltage reading from the same connector is what you have to work with If your unit is rated to run heaters, install them and connect them to the cable designated for heaters. 

The briggs chart shows some of their stators with separate windings for different loads so yours would probably fall under that catagory and it should be able to run both at the same time. 

My son just picked up a new B&S 29 inch blower with Lights, heated grips and electric chute controls even. I believe the grips even have two heat settings... I'm curious to see how well the chute controls work over the long term (or short term for that matter).


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## 2point2 (Sep 20, 2014)

cub cadet Canada told me this:



> The maximum output at 3,600 rpm is approximately 5 amps AC and 3 amps DC.


Red is DC, Yel is AC. I asked about the 420cc engine.

I converted the headlight to DC and used an 1156 LED bulb. I will be posting details tonight. Just finished 5 min ago.


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## sse1990 (Dec 5, 2015)

2point2 said:


> cub cadet Canada told me this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Interesting, they couldn't tell me that. Also I tested the red with the stock bulb connected to it for a load and I was still reading both AC and DC voltage. Yet the yellow was only giving me AC.
The LED light I installed is just right around the same wattage as the stock bulb so that side is ok.
I also just ordered some 10 watt led lights that claim to be 12 volt AC or DC input. So I can throw those on the red wire and see what happens. 

The output they told you was for each wire or total over the 2 wires?


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## 2point2 (Sep 20, 2014)

You need to be careful with the DC voltage circuit (red). There's a few different ways to create "DC" voltage and I'm certain that hand-warmers don't require a nice clean DC signal. I've heard people call it "dirty DC". I didn't even bother taking an oscilloscope to the stator because it's clearly shown on the service manual which circuit is AC and which is DC. 

Check out the last few pages of the manual. DC is used for the hand warmers. You'll see that in the wiring diagram. My wires were different colours but the circuit was exactly the same as shown minus the chute controls.

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/cub-cadet-snowblowers/24569-shop-manuals.html

I converted the stock bulb to DC so that I can run a 1W LED instead of a 15+W 1141 bulb. I can run both of my 27Watt LEDs as well as the 1156 led with non issue. My goal was to stay under 60W but my math tells me that the yellow (AC) circuit is 80W.

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...my-led-project-26-3x-hd-420cc.html#post783401


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to the forum SSE :white^_^arial^_^0^_


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## sse1990 (Dec 5, 2015)

2point2 said:


> You need to be careful with the DC voltage circuit (red). There's a few different ways to create "DC" voltage and I'm certain that hand-warmers don't require a nice clean DC signal. I've heard people call it "dirty DC". I didn't even bother taking an oscilloscope to the stator because it's clearly shown on the service manual which circuit is AC and which is DC.
> 
> Check out the last few pages of the manual. DC is used for the hand warmers. You'll see that in the wiring diagram. My wires were different colours but the circuit was exactly the same as shown minus the chute controls.
> 
> ...


Looking at their diagram in the shop manual, I can see they are using the chassis for the AC and the DC grounds which explains why I get an AC reading on the DC circuit.
Seeing that it should output 5A on the AC side and I was told from CC, it should run around 12.8v loaded I figure 64watts. The light I installed is 17.5w. I have 2x 10w lights coming plus I was going to replace the stock light with an LED but I'm installing a SPDT switch so I can leave the stock light on during the day and only turn on the "brights" at night.
So if the 5A is true then I'm fine with my setup and don't have to worry about it since I'll be under 30 watts as long as I keep the stock light turned off. I may even install the 2x 10w lights on a second switch so I have the option of having those on or off in combination with the stock or the single light I just installed.


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