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Farmall & IHC Tractors Discussion Forum
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Adding safety switch to H/300

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26Red

05-04-2004 14:11:38




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Has anyone added a clutch safety starting switch to their tractor?




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Ed Hotaling

05-05-2004 13:29:31




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 Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to 26Red, 05-04-2004 14:11:38  
I have a not-quite 2 yr old and a 5 year old nephew who was city-raised until a couple of years ago.
I have thought about a clutch switch on my H. I did rewire the H to use a key switch and solenoid for the starter. It had been converted to 12 volt a few years ago, the starter was rewound for 12V, and the 6V push-button switches kept burning out. I was able to use shorter battery cables and when the kids climb up on the tractor, there is no push button to hit.
If you want, I can get you the material list.
Ed

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FC

05-05-2004 11:54:46




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 Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to 26Red, 05-04-2004 14:11:38  
Just an idea, but some of the automotive parts places have battery disconnect switches which mount on the battery post. Not sure if it would work or not, but might be worth a look. These are usually used on race cars, etc. A simple twist of the knob turns the battery on or off. They are fairly inexpensive as well. Here is a link to Jegs who has some.

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26Red

05-05-2004 08:19:34




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 Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to 26Red, 05-04-2004 14:11:38  
Thanks all for the replies. I have a niece and nephew that are growing up really fast, my dad asked me to come up with some modern safety features, just to be on the safe side. He is an advocate of tractor safety, and does not allow the kids to ride on the tractor with him or anyone else. We currently remove the key or disconnect the battery, but I was looking for a better solution- such as a battery disconnect switch and a clutch switch.

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Steve W (NY)

05-05-2004 05:43:15




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 Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to 26Red, 05-04-2004 14:11:38  
I didn't go that far, but I added this switch to my BN. Yes I have kids. Whoever suggested that you need to watch your kids has no kids or 2 or less. I have three, all with minds of their own. They do the darndest things, and they do it fast. When I first got that BN, it was amazing to me how much more dangerous it seemed than the Ford 2N I have. The seating position, lack of safety features, etc. I have taken my ids many times in my lap on the 2N, but wouldn't consider it on the BN, for all these reasons. But when I'm not there, and the kids are playing in the barn, they are bound to get up on the tractor and press buttons. So the switch is on it now.

Luckily I got in the habit of always checking the tranny to be sure it's in neutral befr starting anything..... so the interlock isn't so big a deal.

Take Care
Steve.

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David in UT

05-05-2004 10:22:04




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 Re: Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to Steve W (NY), 05-05-2004 05:43:15  
Steve,

One of my friends told that the difference between having two kids and having three or more is that you can play man-to-man defense with two, but you gotta go to a zone defense above that. (My wife and I are are implementing the zone defense in October...)

- David



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Steve W (NY)

05-05-2004 13:28:57




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 Re: Re: Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to David in UT, 05-05-2004 10:22:04  
Yes....the math doesn't work. 1 Kid plus 1 kid seems to be way more work than twice the first one, and those same two kids plus a third seems like way more work than adding half of the work of the first two again. Get ready to go zone. I feel like we've lost all control, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Take Care & Good Luck
Steve



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williamf

05-05-2004 03:26:53




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 Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to 26Red, 05-04-2004 14:11:38  
I'm not sure how the 300 is wired, but my H has the push button starter on the side of the steering post. It would be fairly simple to add another button in the cable, so that both would have to be closed for power to get to the starter. The second button could be mounted so that fully depressing the clutch pedal made it. I've got a Ford with a switch in the transmission that requires it to be not just in neutral but with the shifter held in the exactly correct position, with a little side pressure. Useless, as the only practical way to use it is to straight wire past it.
Wm

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David in UT

05-04-2004 18:21:32




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 Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to 26Red, 05-04-2004 14:11:38  
I added a keyed ignition to my '50 C this winter for some safety. I find my kids like to play on the tractor, plus I like the notion that it's a bit more secure when I walk away from it.

I'll have to look at my wiring diagrams again to be sure, but I don't think I've cut out the starter. So presumably, you could have the tractor in gear and hit the starter and get it to move a bit. The coil is definitely cold without the key, so it wouldn't fire, but it's not quite as safe as a clutch switch would be.

I plan on adding a dead man switch to it this month...not sure if it's necessary, but I've heard that you might need one for some parades, and I'm scheduled for the July 4th and July 24th (Pioneer Day in Utah) parades...whooohoo! I bought a jet ski safety switch, and I'm going to install it where my old, unused (now) ammeter is.

- David

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CNKS

05-04-2004 17:50:49




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 Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to 26Red, 05-04-2004 14:11:38  
Safety switch?? I have cranked about as many tractors as I have used a starter on. Most of the idiot proof stuff on equipment is a pain in the patoot.



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Bob

05-04-2004 17:12:47




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 Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to 26Red, 05-04-2004 14:11:38  
If you have a friendly auto parts salesman, look at a switch catalog and find something you could use. Like a older brake light switch and wire into the starter relay switch wire or if that isn't possible into the ignition circuit in this case the tractor could roll but would not start.



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Wardner

05-04-2004 14:57:57




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 Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to 26Red, 05-04-2004 14:11:38  
I think those switches are an abomination but I can understand why auto companies need to reduce their exposure to lawsuits from knuckleheads who don't know enough to select neutral when starting. If I had one on a tractor, it would be secured with electrical tape to render it "normally closed". I also don't like starter buttons that aren't hot until key turns on ignition.



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Bob

05-04-2004 16:41:42




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 Re: Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to Wardner, 05-04-2004 14:57:57  
Wardner,

You must not have and kids at your place, or any friends with kids, or any neighbors with kids... or any relatives with kids!!!

I'm with you, I HATE safety switches, but I put up with them for the sake of others that might climb unattended onto the tractor! The damage that can occur in a few seconds can kill, or maim someone for life!



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riverbend

05-04-2004 20:25:25




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 Re: Re: Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to Bob, 05-04-2004 16:41:42  
Bob,

You have a good point and I understand your concern about the kids getting on your tractor and getting hurt. Our granddaughters are here this week, and someone has to keep on eye on each one, all the time. All the time.

I'm more worried about them falling down the stairs or getting out in the road than climbing the tractor, switching on the ignition, putting the tractor in gear, advancing the throttle, and pushing the starter button.

The point is that it is the adults' responsibilty to keep the kids safe until they are old enough to know better. Maybe an interlock is the way to do it, but who's to say they won't fall off the hay loft or drown in the river ?

Greg

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Bob

05-04-2004 21:26:20




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to riverbend, 05-04-2004 20:25:25  
My experience is that the first thing a kid will do is to push buttons, or turn the key to try to start the tractor, and a clutch or transmission safety switch is a good idea!

I have an 8N Ford (Yes, I have "red" ones, too). They have the transmission interlock on the starter button, so they won't start in gear. I was an only child, and when I was a teenager I painted up the old 'N, and installed a keyswitch with a start position, because the transmission switch was bad. Years later, I put it back to original, after leaving the key in it, and the tractor unattended for a few minutes. One of my boys was about 5 or 6, and turned the key, and it started! Thank God is was in low gear, so I could catch up quickly!

Another incident, we were remodeling the house, and had a tractor with a loader on it with an 8' bucket parked with the bucket up close the the front steps so the carpenters could throw the old sheetrock in the bucket. We had a sitter on a Saturday, and left the kids home with her and went out of town. I made sure the key was out of the loader tractor, knowing the kids would climb in the cab. What safety dummy me forgot was to lower the loader to the ground. The bucket was probably 2 or 3 feet off the ground loaded with scrap, busted up sheet rock when Son #3 got off the front step into the bucket, and Son #2 got in the cab and pushed the hydraulic lever, dumping Son #3 and the construction mess into a not-so-neat pile. Thankfully, he was not hurt, but it illustrates the point that no matter how carefully you think you have safety covered, there's always another way for an accident to happen! The tractor didn't even have to be started for kids to get into danger!

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riverbend

05-04-2004 16:39:27




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 Re: Re: Adding safety switch to H/300 in reply to Wardner, 05-04-2004 14:57:57  
When is is cold, I pull the choke out, give the starter a couple cranks, open the choke, then pull the ignition switch, one or two cranks and the H usually pops right off.



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