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Monday, July 8, 2019

A Toro Electric Mower, 120 Volt Corded


A roadside find. Width of cut is 18".


ID plate data:
  • AMPS 12
  • TYPE E120
  • MODEL 20646
  • SERIAL # 8930708 03
The cord connection plug looks very bad.


One prong has delaminated, and the plastic at its base is all bubbled up. I suspect that this mower has had a catastrophic failure of some sort. Let's get the top cover off for a look see.

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Top Cover Off, And A Startup -- WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2019

Four obvious No. 12 x 1 1/2" pan head threading screws with No. 2 Phillips recess fasten the cover in place. And here we are with the top cover off.


The blade is belt driven by a high speed universal motor. Drive specs from the service manual are:

'Motor 20,500 rpm with step down belt drive ratio 5.8-1. Blade speed at 20,500 rpm is 3,534 rpm.'

So blade speed on this electric machine is similar to blade speed on a gasoline engine mower.

I managed to plug an extension cord onto the distressed connection plug, and the machine starts and runs. So maybe the catastrophic failure that I was imagining was entirely an extension cord receptacle failure. A poor receptacle contact would account for the extreme heating in evidence at one of the mower's connector's prongs.

There's a lever in evidence that I suspect may be part of a blade brake mechanism. The lever doesn't appear to move or do anything when the deadman bail is operated. That bears investigation.

- - -

Blade Brake Revealed

With the belt slipped off the big pulley, an impact wrench makes short work of getting the 15/16" A/F (across flats) pulley nut off. (Support the blade from underneath, else the spindle will drop when the nut is removed.) Under the pulley is the brake drum. And all is revealed.


The motionless lever I was seeing is a spring anchor bracket. The blade brake mechanism is fine -- it's fully operational. So I appear to have a useable mower here; I just have to rectify that overheated plug prong problem.

- - -

Connection Plug Bypassed -- THURSDAY, JULY 11. 2019


And there we are -- the mower is fit for use and saleable.

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