Washed tractor, dash instruments went berserk

[Mosey]

I washed my Boomer, which I've done many times before, and when I went to start it the glow plug indicator light came on and stayed on no matter how long I held the switch. I finally just started it anyway and it started right up. But, then the tachometer didn't work for about 5 seconds. I drove it into the garage and the tachometer seemed to be OK. I shut it off, tried the glow plug light again and it still wouldn't go off. After letting it sit for a few hours, the glow plug light worked normally again, so I guess it's OK now. Any ideas on what caused this weird stuff? I've washed the tractor before and never had any problems.

 

[normde2001]

I believe you will find that water is a pretty good electrical conductor. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[djradz]

Did you use a power washer? /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif I've never had any trouble with my TC-40D even though the top of the instrument panel has been wet plenty of times. I think it would take quite a blast to get water into the electronics enough to cause a problem.

 

[frank_f15]

seems like u got a little water in there, as the tractor gets older it might leak a bit where it did not before, when washing use a light spray to rinse, normally once they dry out they go back to normal. gave u a scare hey? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Mosey]

I used a pressure washer, but was careful not to use it on the dash (at least I thought so). A lot of tractors sit out in the rain, so I was surprised to have a problem like this. I guess I'll just have to be even more careful around the dash.

 

[jinman]

Hey Danny, my Class III has a relay panel on the left side of the steering column. When I had the cowling off, I rinsed some dust off and ended up with a steady glowplug lite like you until I blew some air into the relay panel and dried it out. I'd suspect your pressure washer found its way into that area on your tractor. Also, I have a friend who suggests not using a pressure washer at all. He washes with a rag and just blows dust out with compressed air. He reasons that a tractor that's used will always be something less than perfectly clean. I can't really find too much fault with his logic. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[RickB]

The glow plug indicator relay and its connector are apt to take on water and produce those results. The same components are used on prior NH compacts, with the same possibilities. The good news is this; they usually dry out and go back to working, and the relay controls the lamp only, not the glowplugs. Use care and descretion when washing tractors; especialy under the hood.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I just took a look at the schematics for my tractor and looks like there are several places in the circuit that tracking could occur. They break the negative of the lamp to control it, so if you got the wiring wet and it tracked to ground it would light.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

After washing, use air to blow out any electrical components, I also do this with my MMM. I use twice as much air than water. Seems to do the trick.