How To Change A Candle On A Trimmer

Trimmer ignition. Principle of operation and possible malfunctions

If the owner of the lawn mower wants to adjust the ignition system on his own, he should understand the principle of operation of this unit. In an internal combustion engine, it consists of a flywheel and a magneto (coil). In turn, the flywheel includes an impeller that performs the function of cooling the motor and a number of permanent magnets.

How To Change A Candle On A Trimmer

Second way

If you cannot use the tester, there is another way to test. In this case, it is important not to touch the cylinder with the electrode, otherwise the coil will be damaged.

  1. Remove the spark plug cap. You should not unscrew the plug, as this will preserve the compression.
  2. Then you need to pick up the nail with the removed cap and insert it tightly into the cap.
  3. Next, the cap with the nail should be securely tied to the cylinder with a dielectric. In this case, the electrode should be at a distance of 5.5-7 mm from the cylinder body, but not touch the mass.
  4. Then, using the starter, you need to simulate starting the engine with the ignition button turned on. In this case, you need to carefully monitor whether a spark appears, and try to determine its color.

There is one important point to consider when diagnosing: unheated magneto in any state can form a powerful spark. However, if it is faulty, then, after warming up, it stops creating current, and the trimmer will not start. Later, after cooling down, the coil returns to the operating level, the tiller turns on and runs for some time at idle or under load, until the temperature of the magneto rises again. In this case, the part must be replaced with a new one.

How to set the ignition on the trimmer

Often, owners of gasoline braids are faced with the fact that the ignition does not work on their equipment. In most cases, the problem is really with this node. To fix it, you need to adjust the ignition on the trimmer. But at the same time, it is not uncommon for the ignition coil to be in good working order, and the breakdown must be looked for elsewhere. The ignition system is designed in the same way on four-stroke and two-stroke internal combustion engines, therefore, troubleshooting of this unit is performed in a similar way. In addition, the technique of different brands has almost the same design of this most important component of the tool, which means that the adjustment process will be identical both for the Soyuz or Prorab trimmers, and for Huter or samples of other brands.

Operating principle

When the flywheel spins, an electric current is generated in the magneto, creating a spark on the spark plug as the magnets pass under the coil.

Features of adjustment on different models of trimmers

The ignition system works in a similar way on different brands of equipment, so the adjustment process will look the same. Differences, if any, are insignificant. They are mainly related to the disassembly of equipment. For example, removing the cover from the engine on different trimmers is done with some differences. So, on Patriot devices, you first need to unscrew the bolts and disconnect the air filter housing with a slotted screwdriver. After that, the plastic cover will be very easy to remove. A detailed diagram and device of a trimmer of a particular model are usually shown in the instruction manual of the tool.

So, you can do the ignition adjustment for a gasoline trimmer with your own hands. This process is not difficult if you know the correct procedure. But first, you need to exclude possible malfunctions of other components and parts, for example, spark plugs or magneto, which may cause the lawn mowers to not start the engine. However, disassembling equipment from different brands, you need to take into account the likely differences in design, which are described in detail in the user manual.

Diagnostics of magneto

Magneto is a key component in engine ignition systems. It is a core coil that is surrounded by a primary and then a secondary winding. If this part is defective, there is no spark on the spark plug and the fuel will not ignite.

How to wind the line on the trimmer correctly

A garden trimmer is a useful tool that makes life much easier for any gardener or private home owner. The grass just rushes in the summer, especially after the rains, so you can’t go anywhere without it. But over time, sooner or later, the line in it will end, and it will be necessary to insert a replaceable skein of new line. Some summer residents find themselves in a dead end. How to do it yourself? So our article will help them.

Changing the line on the trimmer

This article will tell you how to change the line on the trimmer. For some people, this job may not be easy. But the step-by-step instructions that are available here will help you in this matter.

So the first thing to do is remove the gear cover. We combine the hole on the side of the curly lower washer and the axial recess, insert a screwdriver to fix the shaft from scrolling. Now unscrew the nozzle. The thread on the shaft, as a rule, has a reverse thread, take this into account when loosening.

Next, disassembly of the nozzle follows. There, the cover is fixed with latches through the holes. So you just need to push these clips into the holes and the cover will come off. If the attachment has automatic / semi-automatic line feeding modes, it means that there is a spring inside, which can simply fly out when the lid is opened, be prepared for this. We lay out all the removed parts neatly in order.

Now it’s time to take the fishing line and unwind 5 meters from it, cut off this piece. Pay attention to its thickness, do not wind a line of greater thickness on the unit than specified in the manual for the tool. Otherwise, there will be an increased load on the engine and a greater fuel consumption during operation. We bend the measured line in half to find the middle and get a loop.

There are a couple of notches in the middle of the coil, sometimes these are not notches, but holes located opposite each other. With a loop we cling to one of the notches and wind the fishing line counterclockwise. If the reel has 2 compartments, then we wind each end of the line on them separately. Leave the last 15-20 cm free and clamp them while in the recesses of the coil.

We assemble the device again, pull the free ends of the fishing line into the holes on the body. We put on the lid, snapping the latches into their grooves. Now you can pull out these loose ends of the line.

It remains only to attach the working node in place, as in the first paragraph. Do not forget about reverse rotation on screwing.

Now you can learn how to wind the line around the trimmer. Actually, the whole process was detailed above. No time-consuming operations requiring the presence of specialists. Your lawn mower is ready for use again.

Types of trimmer heads

The grass mowing head is a cylindrical body in which a spool (bobbin) is inserted with a fishing line (cord) tucked in it. This design can be installed on both gasoline and electric trimmers. The heads differ in the way of threading and feeding the cord and are of 3 types.

  1. Automatic. Cord feed is performed after the user reduces engine speed. Although the automatic line feed is convenient if a large amount of work is being done, such bobbins have one drawback. A high thread consumption.
  2. Semi-automatic. The use of this type of heads does not require the user to perform complex manipulations. The principle of their operation is designed in such a way that the cord lengthens automatically while the apparatus is operating at full speed. It is enough to lightly tap the trimmer head on the ground (this removes the blocking of the cord), and the line is pulled out of the bobbin due to centrifugal force, and then it is cut to the required length with a knife located on the protective cover.
  3. Manual. To lengthen the cord, the device must be stopped, after which the line is pulled manually.

Based on the above, semi-automatic bobbins are the best option. It should also be borne in mind that the trimmer spools are single-string (used only for trimming the grass) and two-string, which are used for mowing tall grass and small, thin-stemmed bushes.

The first way

To correctly determine how many meters of fishing line is required for a particular reel, it is necessary to wind it on the bobbin so that the skein does not exceed the diameter of the sides. If the line sticks out over the edges of the spool, you will not be able to insert it into the casing. After you have decided on the length of the material, it must be threaded into the bobbin, so do the following.

  1. It is necessary to fold the fishing line in half so that one end of it is 10-15 cm longer from the other.
  2. Please note that the bobbin is divided into 2 parts by a central border, from which charging begins. Find a groove on it and insert a cord bent in half into it, applying a little force.
  3. It is very important to determine in which direction the line is wound onto the reel. If you look closely, you can find an arrow on the bobbin or an inscription with an arrow indicating in which direction the winding should be carried out. There are times when there is no arrow on the coil. In such a situation, you can look at the arrow drawn on the mowing head and wind the cord in the opposite direction.
  4. Winding should be carried out neatly, turn to turn, with maximum thread tension.
  5. After the laying of the cord is completed, you will first need to fix the short end of the line by inserting it into a groove of a suitable diameter on the side of the reel.
  6. The second end, the one that is longer, is attached in a groove on the opposite side of the bobbin.
  7. After fixing the fishing line, cut off its ends, leaving an allowance of about 10 cm.
  8. Next, you need to install the loaded bobbin into the mowing head. To do this, alternately inserting and pulling the thread into the outlet holes of the head, place the bobbin in the casing, then, applying the required force, pull the fishing line out of the fixing grooves and tighten it.
  9. Now you can put on the cover and fix it with the latches.

How to remove and disassemble a coil

Before starting the line change process, trimmer users need to remove and disassemble the reel. Let’s see how to do it.

The trimmer mowing head consists of several parts: a cover, a spring (not on all models), a bobbin with a cord and a cover.

In trimmers, 2 options for attaching the mowing head are most often used.

Changing the line to a disc or knife

When ennobling a home plot, park areas and other places where it is required to mow various kinds of plants, it is often necessary to change the cutting tool in the trimmer. This is dictated by the fact that the standard cord installed in the mowing head can only handle grass. But when a bush or young growth of trees appears on the path of the worker, the fishing line cannot cope with such a task, and it must be replaced with a more efficient cutting tool.

Trimmer manufacturers have foreseen such situations, and supplemented their products with a mass of attachments in the form of knives with several “petals” or in the form of discs, similar to circular saws.

If you replace the line with a knife with several “petals”, then this tool can mow both tall grass and plants with thick and dry stems. And by changing the fishing line to a disc, the lawn mower user has the opportunity to cut shrubs or small trees.

Knives and discs are installed according to the following algorithm.

  1. The first step is to remove by locking the shaft, the mowing head (turn clockwise) or the boot nut if the unit has not yet been used.
  2. Position the saw or cutter blade so that it fits over the small protrusion (bushing).
  • Install the attachment cover on top of the knife and screw the nut onto the shaft (counterclockwise).
  • Tighten the nut (counterclockwise) using a pipe wrench.
  • For a better understanding of the tool changing process, see this.

    The line is flying out

    The reason that the cord unwinds after starting the unit can also be a weakening of the spring inside the head. In addition, there are times when the mowing head flies apart when the machine is turned on, and the spring installed in it is lost. Inexperienced users do not notice the absence of a spring and assemble this unit without it. Therefore, the cord does not hold, and under the influence of centrifugal force flies out.

    Line problems

    Trimmer users, both gasoline and electric, sometimes have problems with the cord. “Advanced” mower owners easily cope with the difficulties that have arisen, understanding why this is happening, and for beginners it is a problem that has no rational explanation. But in fact, everything is solved quite simply. The most common problems that happen with the line are as follows.

    Blades

    The number of blades is important when solving diverse tasks. So, two or three pieces are enough to grind the grass. To harvest hay, it is necessary that the disc has four to eight blades. To destroy small shoots of trees and shrubs, instead of blades, the discs should have a large number of small teeth.

    When is the use of knives relevant?

    When using lawn mowers in summer cottages, the fishing line is the most popular attachment. It has a low price, is suitable for different trim heads, and is safe to use. The disadvantage of using a fishing line is that it is convenient only for mowing low growth. In other situations, the string will hit immediately, regardless of whether a petrol or electric trimmer is used. In addition, vegetation is wound around the spindle, which creates significant resistance on the shaft and leads to its breakage. It can also cause the piston system to fail in lawn mowers or to burn out the motor in trimmers.

    Therefore, for mowing tall or hard vegetation, various attachments are used. So, for harvesting tall and coarse grass, thin shoots of trees and shrubs, it is better to install and use a disc. This nozzle clogs up much less frequently, which contributes to greater wear resistance of the equipment.

    Disk selection criteria

    You need to choose a plastic or metal knife, taking into account the area of ​​the site that you plan to process, as well as the type of trimmer. Electric or gasoline. The number of blades will depend on which growth needs to be removed with the tool. You can choose the desired shape of the disc, the number of blades and the material of manufacture using the instruction manual for the device. Usually it prescribes which cutters are recommended to be used to solve certain problems.

    Rules for replacing knives on the grass trimmer

    If the trimmer disc is used regularly, it will need to be removed from time to time and sharpened or replaced with a new one. This part can be made of metal or plastic, have a different number of blades, but the replacement process remains the same. over, this procedure is similar for the equipment of different manufacturers, be it Carver or Huter, but slight differences are possible. It is quite easy to change the knife on the trimmer if you follow the safety precautions and know the correct procedure, which can be found in the user manual. The entire replacement process step by step, as well as the method of self-sharpening knives, will be described in this material.

    Lawn mower disc features

    Knife discs are produced in plastic and metal, as well as in various shapes to perform diverse tasks.

    1. Two-, three- and four-bladed knives with pronounced blades are used for mowing grass and tree growth. However, they are not suitable for making hay, as they grind the shoots, chopping them several times.
    2. The massive four-blade discs are designed not only for clearing the ground from grass, but also for mowing hay. They prevent repeated cutting of the shoots, thus making them suitable for harvesting for the winter.
    3. Discs with cutting edges around the perimeter are relevant for beveling reeds and reeds. These knives are very heavy. A necessary quality to cut through thick stems.
    4. Professional saw blades for brush cutters and lawn mowers for cutting small trees and bushes.

    Plastic knives are used as an alternative to metal discs. They do not need to be firmly fixed in the head, but they rotate as a result of the action of centrifugal force. The strength of plastic knives is high, so the service life is quite long.

    Disc sharpening

    Regardless of the quality of the disc, over time it becomes dull and begins to chop grass poorly. If the knives are still relatively new and replacement is impractical, you can sharpen them yourself.

    To sharpen discs, you must:

    • Disassemble the trimmer, remove the knives;
    • Carefully inspect the disc. If cracks are found, it is better to replace the part with a new one, since its further operation is unsafe;
    • Bent blades can be gently bent with a hammer;
    • Given the size of the disc, you need to choose the right file for metal, this will provide more convenient work;
    • Sharpen all upper cutting edges of the discs at an angle of 30 °;
    • Reassemble the trimmer in reverse order.

    To sharpen the disc, you can use a sanding machine at low speeds, setting a grinding wheel with a medium grit. With such a tool, the process will move much faster. For safety, you need to wear gloves on your hands, and a protective mask or goggles on your face.

    So, for mowing grass on gasoline and trimmers, plastic and metal discs of various shapes and with a different set of blades are used. They are chosen in accordance with the type of work performed and the size of the cultivated area. If the blades on the mower are dull, it is easy to sharpen them or change them yourself. Despite the simplicity of the procedure, you need to be careful and remember about safety, so as not to injure yourself through negligence or damage the equipment. A more detailed description of replacing the knives in relation to a specific trimmer model can be found in the operating instructions or on the manufacturer’s official website. For clarity, the general scheme of the process is shown in.