# Upgraded 12v key start and lights



## Macplee (Feb 17, 2018)

I snowblow 6+ house each storm. Got the Ariens Hydro Pro 36 to cut down the time and for its muscles. However, this thing is a beast to move around if I ever run into any problem. I wanted to convert it to 12v key start plus some lights. I was told by both Ariens and B&S there’s no 12v starter for this model snowblower or the right voltage converter or battery tray. I took that as a challenge, and after several weeks of research and one day of wiring it is finally done. Some may think it’s not worth it, but that’s not what projects are all about I don’t think. It’s the thrill of the challenge and doing things with pride.


----------



## JJG723 (Mar 7, 2015)

Nice job! Looks like it came that way.


----------



## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

I think it is worth it, but how did you do it? In this case lots of excellent pictures still need a few words to explain how you overcame the limitations stated by Ariens and B&S.


----------



## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Can you list the sources for your materials?

The metal base for the battery, did you make that? Or did you buy that? From where?


----------



## AriensPro1128 (Nov 9, 2014)

I have a 28" Ariens 924508 with 12v starter. Standard OEM battery tray parts were used. You can look them up on any parts site such as Jacks. The 36" model, either 924506 or 924507, orients the tray the other direction.


----------



## Dannoman (Jan 16, 2018)

Nice work!


----------



## Macplee (Feb 17, 2018)

Town said:


> I think it is worth it, but how did you do it? In this case lots of excellent pictures still need a few words to explain how you overcame the limitations stated by Ariens and B&S.


Ariens just pointed me to B&S for the 12v DC starter. They also told me they don’t make a battery tray for the Pro 36 period. I know they make it for the 32 and for the older Pro 1332 so I called ProParts Direct and they helped me find a tray and cover that fits. I just had to drill the 4 holes on the housing to mount it.

B&S told me their records don’t show Hydro Pro have a 12V starter option. The closest was a another Ariens 32” model but it doesn’t use a B&S engine. I looked up the parts manual for the Hydro Pro 36 and it clearly shows part 309B as a 12v starter but there were no reference to parts number. I removed the factory 120V starter, counted the teeth and went on eBay to look for 12v starters for B&S with exact number of teeth and approx 13-16hp rating. Took a chance and just ordered it and it fit.

As for the voltage regulator. Same thing. Ariens pointed me to B&S and B&S told me they don’t have any record of a part that matches. Again, the Ariens parts manual shows the part as part 501 but have no reference to what exactly the part number is. I did a lot of cross referencing with different Ariens with B&S engine of similar size and some users from here posted or emailed me B&S regulator wiring visuals but none match the one I have exactly. Trusting my gut through the cross deferencing research, I found a B&S regulator with matching voltage rating as stator. 

All in all, I learned a lot about my Ariens Hydro Pro 36. And my 10 year old son and I had some father and son bonding moments wiring this thing up. I will try to post some photos of the lights on and may be a video. The day I finished the project I end up letting a buddy borrow it for tomorrow’s big storm 18”+. He needed it more than me, and he helps me. I will be using my back up Ariens 1332 instead.

Here are photo of the parts.


----------



## Macplee (Feb 17, 2018)

Here are few more pics


----------



## Freezn (Mar 1, 2014)

Fantastic job!!! Thanks for sharing!!!


----------



## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

Well done piecing it all together.


----------



## rslifkin (Mar 5, 2018)

Sorry to bring this back from the dead, but I'm debating doing a similar conversion on my Pro 28. While you were working on the conversion, did you end up finding out how much stator output the 420cc Briggs has in the form Ariens uses it? I'm mostly curious to know how much lighting I could run without losing use of the heated grips before I need to look at upgrading the stator.


----------



## Macplee (Feb 17, 2018)

I honestly don’t remember. I believe it was 12-16 amp. I will have to look more closely. However, I wired the new lights to the 12v battery directly instead. That way you don’t have to worry about light flickering etc. 

I wired a master kill switch before the push button start. The front LES light bar and the rear amber lights are controlled by individual switches also after the kill switch. When the kill switch is off nothing gets power so no drain on the battery.


----------



## Macplee (Feb 17, 2018)

Replaced solenoid. I just tuned up the Ariens and got it ready for the winter. The cheap solenoid that came with the 12v starter stopped working so I replaced it with a heavy duty B&S one. It’s back in business. Looking forward to the snow.


----------



## rslifkin (Mar 5, 2018)

I ended up talking to Briggs, and they confirmed that the original stator is 60W AC output. I ended up buying a bigger stator for my setup that'll give 10A when combined with the regulator, as the stock light and grips would have the stock stator maxed out when both are on. 



So at this point, the plan is bigger stator with regulator, and have that feed the battery. Grips, light, etc. will draw from the battery (so the stock headlight is getting a switch added).


----------



## Mountain Man (Oct 14, 2018)

I also have a Pro 28 12V key start. There arnt many of the key start machines out there. I'm surprised, as they are much easier to start in a shed, remote location, end of driveway. No need to find an extension cord, buried in snow.


----------



## rslifkin (Mar 5, 2018)

Ariens doesn't even offer it as an option anymore on any of the Pros, from what I can tell. End result of my setup should be much more user-friendly than the stock setup. Headlight won't dim if you idle the machine down while stopping to look at something (it'll just draw the battery down a little if the engine isn't putting out enough juice at the lower RPM). And no shoulder abuse or extension cord games to start it (particularly nice if you shut it off to talk to a neighbor or something).


----------



## topher5150 (Nov 5, 2014)

Macplee said:


> Ariens just pointed me to B&S for the 12v DC starter. They also told me they don’t make a battery tray for the Pro 36 period. I know they make it for the 32 and for the older Pro 1332 so I called ProParts Direct and they helped me find a tray and cover that fits. I just had to drill the 4 holes on the housing to mount it.
> 
> B&S told me their records don’t show Hydro Pro have a 12V starter option. The closest was a another Ariens 32” model but it doesn’t use a B&S engine. I looked up the parts manual for the Hydro Pro 36 and it clearly shows part 309B as a 12v starter but there were no reference to parts number. I removed the factory 120V starter, counted the teeth and went on eBay to look for 12v starters for B&S with exact number of teeth and approx 13-16hp rating. Took a chance and just ordered it and it fit.
> 
> ...


do you have a part number, or a link for the little amber lights? I can't get the whole picture to show up


----------

