Gary Prentice

Understood. What I mean, if I've wired it wrong and the solenoid is still getting a live feed from elsewhere, somehow. Even a short circuit, due to the orientation of the engine on its side. Of course this should be evident by burnt wiring/insulation. As you said, the solenoid coil should either work or not. In this instance it would appear that either it didn't, or the engine received another fuel source. I'm leaning towards the faulty solenoid, which should be easy to confirm. The bonus of the incident is that it may be an early indication of a failing solenoid. Better to sort out in the workshop than stuck out on a site somewhere.

Is that 'Self Optimisation of Gum trees – Braided Reaction Wood Development' because it doesn't seem to be out there anymore. Well, not to my limited IT ability to find.

I'll look at the air filter, to check for the presence of oil, just to check it off the list. You're right, of course, about 4-strokes on their sides, but I think this was running for more than a few seconds too. (wonder how the 4-stroke saws have overcome this?) I'm probably wrong on definitions, but I thought an open circuit was exactly that- not a complete circuit. Anyway, the ES is working now, as is the ignition, which is the puzzler. We bought this machine used, with issues, a year back. The previous owner had supposedly had a lot of people look at it and couldn't get it to run properly. The main issue was an inline filter full of debris, but to cut a long story short, a short fried a load of wiring. The manufacturers were helpful but didn't have wiring schematics for all the diodes,cutting disc switch & magnetic brakes/clutches and the lombardini schematic didn't exactly match either. I rewired it and got everything working and this happens. So when it rolls over and the ES and ignition both fail to operate, my concern is I didn't wire it correctly:confused1: Hopefully, testing the ignition/ES with the solenoid in various orientations will identify the problem, as Treequip proposes. If not, I'm stuck.

The thought had crossed my mind:001_rolleyes:, I'll try re-orientating the solenoid whilst testing the emergency stop. Obviously I'm not happy to let it go out if there's a fault. I'll check the air filter too. Any idea how long it could run on fumes for? Its a bit worrying that all the safety features to stop the engine could be made useless due to the oil in the filter though. No real way round that except don't roll it over.

Ok Thanks Andy

Sounds like a plan:thumbup1: Excusing my electrical ignorance, but could/would a low battery charge level have any affect on the coil? We had a faulty rectifier on it last year and the voltage dropped sufficiently for the electro-magnetic clutch to slip, so I wonder if the solenoid would act similarly.

I knew someone would ask? Off the top of my head I couldn't say. I get lost with all we have, I know it runs a water cooled lombardini derv engine, think its a FSI or something

One of our staff managed to roll a stumpgrinder this week. Of concern is his claims that both the emergency stop button and the ignition failed to stop the machine. On being manually 'righted' the emergency stop worked! Testing in the workshop shows that both the ignition and the ES are working correctly. This machine is wired so that the fuel solenoid is closed (or opened- I'm not certain exactly which way it works) when it receives current. Is it possible that due to the position of the solenoid, it could stick in its working position? Any one else had the same problem or experience?

I've no idea, It's one of tony's pics. I was having a poke at his post on the potential for failure of the oak of the op's. Meant light-heartedly with no malice intended or implied. Which I hope was recognised.

Dick Leigh, Clitheroe

This ones still standing:001_tt2: sorry Tony, I just couldn't help myself.

Definitely one for the bantam weight climber.........

Whilst writing my post I did actually have a quick revision of 3998. It's quite informative and one of the more definitive parts of the recommendation/standard. As I understand it, it's usage is to mimic the natural growing down/inwards as senility occurs. Particularly used for restoration of lapsed pollards, where a single hit, back to the pollard knuckle would be too drastic. Sorry if I'm a bit rambling, I was on site at half six and just got home.

Hopefully. Worst I've come across was "prune tree". This was for twenty odd trees.

I read a paper I while back, possibly by the ancient tree forum or helen read/ted green, on retrenchment pruning on beech lapsed pollards. It may have been Hatfield Forest. The early attempts were disappointing with a high percentage of fatalities. Later attempts, starting with secateurs, were more successful. But as you're describing it's carried out over a period of time. I think with the beech it may have been twenty to thirty years. I wasn't disagreeing with Treeseers post, as such. More with the articles authors need to justify his work. I think it's a subject that divides the industry. On one side it's a perfectly justifiable technique to retain mature and veteran trees and on the other its a means of controlling size cos Mrs Miggins thinks its too big. In both cases its a form of management, but one seems to be for all the wrong reasons - perfectly good trees and unnecessary work.

But we're so lucky in the middle of summer, working in T-shirts in the sun, while they're stuck in their offices:001_tongue:

I'm not trying to be argumentative but it can be explained and justified as much as anyone likes, it's still topping. Either the industry, the British Standards and ANSI, are going to one day agree that in certain situations it becomes an acceptable form of management. Or the debate will continue ad infinitum. Me, I'm sitting on the fence.

Good luck with the other one. Tbh, it was a good buy at £125. Brand new. I,d be tempted to contact the seller.

So you kept quiet, waiting for a sniper bid:001_tt2:

Yeah, I got it. The other one was bid on, so the buy it now finishes and it goes to auction. Hope it does everything I want now.

:confused1:I just kept waiting for the Benny Hill music

I've just found the new one on a buy-it-now. Why don't you buy that one and I'll bid on the cheap one.... Or I could bring mum and his brother:001_tt2: They're a wee bit bigger now.

fight you for it:001_tt2::001_tt2:

Shhh... don't tell everybody. Are you the seller?

I've absolutely no idea what you two are talking about:blushing: which isn't that an unusual position. So now I'm going to have to go back to Strategies of wood decay, Tony's PDF and work it out..... and I've already got a headache:sneaky2: edit; and much appreciated Tony:thumbup1: