Installed the replacement controller for the blades. Still no idea what happened to the old one. The new one doesn’t have an LED display, which I really don’t need. I was tempted to leave the switch out, too, since the speed knob also is an on / off switch, but decided to leave it in. Easier to reverse the blades, which are sharpened on both sides. Had to cut some new plastic for the dash, but I am getting good at that. I also realized that my kill switch is “normally open”, the opposite of what I need, so I ordered a new one.

On test I heard a pop and smelled something burning. Damn. I had wired the new controller battery outputs to the motor terminals. It was labelled in only Chinese, but it matched the old one and I could read the English on the circuit board underneath. Totally my fault. Seems I blew a 30A fuse on the battery cable that I put in just for extra safety. I am becoming a big believer in safety.

Swapping the fuse, the motor controller still works, but haven’t hooked up the blades to see if I damaged anything. Also been studying the brake and the blade deck lift mechanism. Both are big and heavy and complicated. Going electric simplifies just about everything but now I need to re-invent the lift and the brakes. Oh, used some of these German wire connectors. No reason to go back to wire nuts. I’m told to be careful and buy the real German product and not cheap knock-offs.