Need Dump Trailer electrical help.

[scesnick]

Hey Fellas, I have a 12K scissor lift dump trailer. loaded it up with some gravel, got it home and it wouldn't dump. I hit the rocker switch back and forth and all i heard was clicking. once in about every five times the "Down" position will work but I can not get it to "raise at all. As i said , all I hear is a click..

I think I should mention that I am a graduate of the local Amish electrical trade school, so I know next to nothing about electrical devices. But, since the solenoid is in fact clicking, wouldn't that indicate that it is getting current to the solenoid? Or, since the solenoid will allow the dump box to lower, it isn't the solenoid that is the problem??? any ideas?

Also i attached a pic of the exact solenoid on my trailer.

 

[Pops15]

Loose connection or battery needs to be charged or replaced.

 

[kennyd]

The contacts in the solenoid could be burnt, causing the intermittent control.

 

[Skyco]

Is that an actual diagram of your unit?
Can you get to the motor terminals? Check for 12v on them when activating the "up" function. Does it have power down, ie the motor runs when it comes down? Thats the way the diagram shows. Mine comes down by activating a valve that releases hydraulic pressure, no running motor to come down, IOW the solenoind isn't involved in lowering. If it has power down then the 12v will be present on the motor but hot and ground reversed when lowering.
If you have a solid 12v on the motor but it doesn't run then you have a bad motor. If you don't have a solid 12v then you have either a low battery, or a bad solenoid or a bad switch..

 

[westbrooklawn]

I had a similar problem with my dump trailer just yesterday. It turned out to be an intermittent open in the hot lead within the cable from the unit to the hand held "up-down" controller (the corded hand held unit with the up and down buttons). I found it by using a volt/ohm meter and checking power from the source to the controller. Changed that cord out and all is well.

 

[scesnick]

Is that an actual diagram of your unit?
Can you get to the motor terminals? Check for 12v on them when activating the "up" function. Does it have power down, ie the motor runs when it comes down? Thats the way the diagram shows. Mine comes down by activating a valve that releases hydraulic pressure, no running motor to come down, IOW the solenoind isn't involved in lowering. If it has power down then the 12v will be present on the motor but hot and ground reversed when lowering.
If you have a solid 12v on the motor but it doesn't run then you have a bad motor. If you don't have a solid 12v then you have either a low battery, or a bad solenoid or a bad switch..

It is a power down unit. I will see if I can get to the motor but I think that will be a bit tough. since reading this I am leaning towards a bad cord/rocker switch. My buddy hard wired it last year because the plug was screwed up.
Yes, this is the exact solenoid that is on my trailer.

 

[AlanB]

First thing is borrow one of those Amish test lights......... Wait, that may be a problem Man, I had to read your line about the school a time or two before I caught it, heck, my parents never called me son...........

Anyway, get a test light, I suggest a good one as if you are running trailers much you will need it.

Ground clip on Black, or usually on the dump trailer just on the battery ground as it will be close enough.

Let me add, and I did not see where you checked it, insure you have 12+ volts at the battery and the battery is good.

Back to the solenoid.

Test light gator clip on the ground. Test light probe to Red tells you that you have Voltage from Battery to solenoid.

Test light voltage to top spade on left, when actuating switch tells if that side of switch is working.

Voltage to yellow immediately after above check while still holding button tells if the solenoid is engaging.

Same check on the other side.

Things I would suspect,

Charging system not working well (blown fuse on charge circuit of trailer) and voltage run low killing solenoid.
Bad connections (just start cleaning and protecting)
People bumping the button (usually what wipes mine out) it is better if you just engage the switch and go.

As you have attended that prestigious school rememeber that a soleoid is just a little electro magnet switch.

You apply the power to the spade terminals and it pulls in the magnet.

The base or top of the magnet has a copper plate on it that contacts a copper plate on the other side and is the "switch" that then sends (allows) high current down the wire.

That copper plate gets burned, nasty, corroded and it won't transmit full current.

In more standard solenoids often they loose ground through the base and that needs to be checked but yours is picking it up directly on cable (still check that connection) so that should not be an issue.

Good luck.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Good advise given here. I would get the guy over who jacked with the wiring last year to see if he can figure it out.

Chris

 

[tommu56]

Do you have a 12v test light?

Put it across the battery in terminals on the solenoid and it should light. TEST 1

Connect one end to the negative relay terminal (black)

Connect the other end on the a switch input terminal on the relay move switch both ways dose it light in only one position? TEST 2

Connect it to the other switch input terminal on the relay move switch both ways dose it light in only one position? TEST 3

Put it across the motor leads (note not to chassis ground) TEST 4

Toggle switch both ways and see if it lights up.

Yes then the motor is most likely the problem.

tom

 

[tommu56]

TEST'S:thumbsup: