I found the problem on the Cub Cadet.

**miketx** · 04-13-2014, 12:33 PM

I knew it was not the battery. I charged the battery and it took a full charge and held it, but still the mower would not crank over, and nothing would come on. There had to be an open circuit somewhere. I turned the key on and checked for voltage at the starter battery terminal and there was none, So I took the battery out and started looking around at where the wires go. I found a solenoid like on old fords and I took that off and checked it and checked out ok. So I started tracing the hot wire from the battery to see if it was broke somewhere and I got lucky. As I was tracing the wire it disappeared into a mud hornets nest or some kind of dirt dobber nest. I took that off and lo and behold, a fuse. I pulled it out and it was blown so I put in a new one and when I turn the key on, the lights come on! It's fixed. Thanks for all the suggestions.

**imanaknut** · 04-13-2014, 12:46 PM

Nice when it turns out to be something inexpensive to fix. Amazing what a nest can do to the workings of electro-mechanical devices.

**El Laton Caliente** · 04-13-2014, 12:48 PM

Two banes of rural existence in Texas, dirt dobbers and red wasps...

**miketx** · 04-13-2014, 01:03 PM

BTW, you know what blew the fuse right? -- A queer electron!

PS -- That fuse was hidden pretty well, wasp nest or not!

**El Jefe** · 04-13-2014, 02:47 PM

Damn mud dobbers I hate em. But they're not as bad as the damned wood bees!

**Sherman** · 04-14-2014, 10:34 AM

Glad it was a easy fix Miketx.

Leave them mud dobbers alone. They kill spiders and they are fascinating to watch as the work on their nest. Scorpions on the other hand.........kill'em all.

**l921428x** · 04-14-2014, 10:51 AM

Hot diggity damn. BTW my yard could use a trim.

**l921428x** · 04-14-2014, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by Jefferson

Damn mud dobbers I hate em. But they're not as bad as the damned wood bees!

Jefferson you talking about the BBs that drill?
If so get some Iso Alcohol put it in a small spray bottle with a small stream. Pull the trigger.

**Helen Keller** · 04-14-2014, 11:28 AM

around here the ladybugs like to build the egg nests inside phone boxes , if you've worked with phone lines you know how little it takes to draw voltage from the line and make everything turn to shit.

**El Jefe** · 04-14-2014, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by l921428x

Jefferson you talking about the BBs that drill?
If so get some Iso Alcohol put it in a small spray bottle with a small stream. Pull the trigger.

Yes. I have found the spray stuff from Spectracide works great. You do have to be diligent tho.

**ready** · 04-14-2014, 02:51 PM

We used to have these bees that hung around the fruit trees at my grandparents house. These things were bigger than hummingbirds.

**00RedZX-6R** · 04-14-2014, 03:45 PM

Good deal. Do the blades stay on at full power now as well?

**El Jefe** · 04-14-2014, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by ready

We used to have these bees that hung around the fruit trees at my grandparents house. These things were bigger than hummingbirds.

The problem with wood bees is they attack all of your wooden stuff. Deck, garden shed, garden benches, ect. I hate them.

**ready** · 04-14-2014, 03:59 PM

Yeah I had them living in my shed too. It's amazing how they bore those perfectly round holes. Sometimes I'd be out there working I could hear them chewing away in there.