I am 62 yrs old, NO children. I have a John Deere X-485 that I have already replaced the PTO (pull) switch on console and "reverse switch" on left side of chassis that controls the PTO to engage mower blades. The mower deck stopped working again. A JD technician told me that there is a diode on a circuit board that goes bad causing this problem. Sounds to me like just another "safety" feature that JD lawn mowers have notoriously. I have already jumped the "seat" switch years ago to allow the blades to continue to run when I get off tractor.
My question: is there a way to "bypass" the board with this diode to engage the mower blades? I am on a fixed income and cannot always have the local John Deere dealership to repair these things. I am fairly mechanical and have fixed all the things on this mower to this point.
Thanks, Roger

It would be unethical, and a serious safety issue to tell someone how to disengage a safety switch.

If there was an injury, the person telling you, how to do it, could be liable as part of a tort claim.

Also the seat switch is there for a very very important reason, I have a fried without a leg for bypassing a similar switch.

If this is not a safety, someone with knowledge of that switch may be here soon.
Any information to bypass a safety switch would be deleted.

I am not for eliminating safety features but watching YouTube videos can lead you to the proper repairs for your John Deere Tractor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDCJKIYLeRs

Hi,
I have a totally different thing to say, Not for bypassing safety devices. That said, have you noticed that applying the brakes while the deck runs disengages the PTO? On that vein it means the brake switch is involved there. Not a real common thing but I have seen broken brake switches before now. I know it under the left running board though I do not remember if is inside or outside the frame; I think it is visible by just looking beneath the left running board and that damage will probably be easily visible.
That said I think the person at Deere was probably speaking of the circuit board that is attached to the key switch module and I have not seen that happen. There is another module that is sealed that is just to the left of the steering column and visible by raising the hood and removing the left and looking in. Basically interesting to see it there though it is sealed and only checkable by substitution, not advised. Also do not overlook the PTO solenoid, it is the piece attached to the rear, top of the TuffTorq transaxle that has two wires leading to it. Also rare but check the wires.
Peace,
Clarke