# No Power - Western Unimount



## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

Greetings...

Over the past couple days I've been rewiring my truck side plow electrical. Nothing too intense, just adding dual batteries, moving the solenoid to the driver's side, and replacing the factory main power harness with my own 4 gauge cables and plug.

Unfortunately, I believe I may have ruined my solenoid somehow. When I turn on the plow (with the switch on the joystick box) there is no power to the plow power plug. I checked for voltage on both of the two small pins on the solenoid, but there isn't any with the switch in either position. I'm not even sure how much or even IF there should be power in either of those wires.

The ONLY thing I did to the solenoid, other than moving it from the passenger's side to the driver's side, is that it seemed like the posts were loose, so I tightened the bottom nut before connecting the wires and tightening down the nut that holds the wires down.

Is it possible that I cranked them down too much and ruined the solenoid?










The solenoid is now mounted under the computer on the driver's inner fender. I changed to the aftermarket wiring connections because I wanted a heavier gauge cable and I wanted to make it so I could attach jumper cables without opening the hood. And since I had an extra clip, I made it so I could still use my jumper cables on vehicles that aren't equipped like my truck is. Sadly, I can't use them right now because I have Zero power at the bumper mounted plug.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

You realize there is only power at the two wire grill plug when you are operating the plow. You ain't jump starting with that plug, the plow solenoid is not designed for that long of a constant duty.


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## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

Randall Ave said:


> You realize there is only power at the two wire grill plug when you are operating the plow. You ain't jump starting with that plug, the plow solenoid is not designed for that long of a constant duty.


Nope, I did not know that. That is definitely good info to have before I screwed something up more than I already did. However, the fact remains that I don't have power to my plow motor. I hooked up the plow and it doesn't move.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Are you operating the controller functions?

Did you reinstall the plow ground?

Does the controller power up from a truck power source?


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

IA_Dave said:


> I wanted a heavier gauge cable and I wanted to make it so I could attach jumper cables without opening the hood. And since I had an extra clip, I made it so I could still use my jumper cables on vehicles that aren't equipped like my truck is. Sadly,


The only way your going to have both, is if your jumping the dead battery, and your operating the plow....i.e. making the solenoid close and send power to the dead battery.


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## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

dieselss said:


> Are you operating the controller functions?
> 
> Did you reinstall the plow ground?
> 
> Does the controller power up from a truck power source?


Yes, on all three...
I hooked the plow back up to the truck, plugged it all together and tried to move the blade. Nothing happens.


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Post a picture of how your solenoid is wired up


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

You wired in a second battery. How did you wire it? Is there power at the solenoid supply cable. Does the controller light up, does the solenoid click when commanded. The solenoid had two small terminals, when operating the plow, one should be hot, the other good to battery negative.


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## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

cwren2472 said:


> Post a picture of how your solenoid is wired up


I don't have a real picture available right now, but here is simple diagram.


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

IA_Dave said:


> I don't have a real picture available right now, but here is simple diagram.
> View attachment 187780


Yeah, that doesnt help


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Both the small wires do not go to the joy stick. Have someone operate the plow. Check what small terminal is getting current with a test light. Run a ground wire from the other small terminal to battery ground. Try that.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Grind off some paint on your fender under the solenoid, it grounds through it base in that diaphragm...


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## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

Randall Ave said:


> You wired in a second battery. How did you wire it? Is there power at the solenoid supply cable. Does the controller light up, does the solenoid click when commanded. The solenoid had two small terminals, when operating the plow, one should be hot, the other good to battery negative.


Q1. See picture
Q2. Yes. There is a cable direct from the 2nd battery to one side of the solenoid. It has 12v.
Q3. The two small terminals are connected exactly has they were before I moved it from one side to the other. All I did was replace the corroded crimped on ends on each wire and tightened the nuts on the terminals.


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## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

Randall Ave said:


> Both the small wires do not go to the joy stick. Have someone operate the plow. Check what small terminal is getting current with a test light. Run a ground wire from the other small terminal to battery ground. Try that.


I didn't have a ground wire when it was on the other side of the truck, but I can certainly give that a shot. Which of the two terminals should be grounded?

The two wires that are connected to it now are in the factory Western harness. There never was a ground wire on the solenoid when I installed it a few years ago, so I never connected one.


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## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

Mr.Markus said:


> Grind off some paint on your fender under the solenoid, it grounds through it base in that diaphragm...


It's worth a shot. I'll give it a try in the morning.


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## Mebes (Feb 7, 2004)

IA_Dave said:


> ... I checked for voltage on both of the two small pins on the solenoid, but there isn't any with the switch in either position. I'm not even sure how much or even IF there should be power in either of those wires...


 Small pins should have ~12 volts across them when the motor is supposed to be running. So if you are holding down the up, left, or right buttons on your controller you should see power.
Keep in mind newer controllers time out after a few seconds so you will need a helper when testing for voltage.



IA_Dave said:


> ... so I tightened the bottom nut before connecting the wires and tightening down the nut that holds the wires down.
> Is it possible that I cranked them down too much and ruined the solenoid?.


Possibly.
In most cases the big threaded posts can be spun without damage, but the small posts have a small wire attached to each of them inside the solenoid that can break off if the stud is spun too far.
The bottom nuts are there to keep the stud from spinning and it is ok to tighten them you just need to be mindful that the stud does not spin.

Do you have a meter that can check ohms?
If you do disconnect the wires and measure the resistance across the 2 small studs.
Reading can be anywhere from 5 to 13 ohms depending on what exact coil you have but you should see something in that range if the wires on the inside of the solenoid are intact.


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## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

Mebes said:


> Do you have a meter that can check ohms?
> If you do disconnect the wires and measure the resistance across the 2 small studs.
> Reading can be anywhere from 5 to 13 ohms depending on what exact coil you have but you should see something in that range if the wires on the inside of the solenoid are intact.


Thanks for the info. I'll check this in the morning.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

Hook your plow up... take a screw driver and arc it across the two big posts on your solinoid. If the plow tries to jump, you have a bad solinoid, if it does not try to move, then you have a wiring issue.

Stand clear of plow when doing this. Plow will try to jump if it is wired right.


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## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

cwren2472 said:


> Yeah, that doesnt help


This is a brand new solenoid that I just installed. Still nothing.


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## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

Mebes said:


> Small pins should have ~12 volts across them when the motor is supposed to be running. So if you are holding down the up, left, or right buttons on your controller you should see power.


Well, this may be my problem then. Upon measuring this voltage, I only get around 2 to 3 volts. Both small relays in the wiring harness click when operating the joystick and the red power LED in the joystick box dims when operated.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

First, let's rule out a failed Motor. Run jumper cables to your plow motor from the battery, staying awsa from the plow. See if it works. Yes, then do as asked, jump the relay, does it work? Did you check the ground circuit on the small terminal? Where is your control feed tapped?


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## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

I believe I have solved the issue. I have installed the ground wire from the small terminal of the solenoid that the org/blk wire is connected to. The solenoid now engages (clunks) when the joystick is moved and the red power LED no longer dims. I will have to take my truck home (doing all this in the heated warehouse at work) and attach the plow to verify that it works now. I will update once I have done this.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

IA_Dave said:


> I believe I have solved the issue. I have installed the ground wire from the small terminal of the solenoid that the org/blk wire is connected to. The solenoid now engages (clunks) when the joystick is moved and the red power LED no longer dims. I will have to take my truck home (doing all this in the heated warehouse at work) and attach the plow to verify that it works now. I will update once I have done this.


There ya go, that solenoid is grounded through that small terminal, not the base. Hopefully she will work now.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

IA_Dave said:


> I have installed the ground wire from the small terminal of the solenoid that the org/blk wire is connected to.


Like an external ground?


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## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

dieselss said:


> Like an external ground?


Yes. I made a ground wire that goes from the small terminal where the org/blk wire connects and grounds to one of the bolts that is securing the solenoid to the inner fender.


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## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

Randall Ave said:


> There ya go, that solenoid is grounded through that small terminal, not the base. Hopefully she will work now.


I'm happy to update that everything is working correctly now. Actually, the plow is quieter. I don't hear the motor as loudly, like it's not straining as hard now. I'll attribute that to brand new copper wire between the battery and pump motor.

Sadly, I have discovered that my brake lights aren't working (pretty sure this is not plow related). I swear, if it ain't one thing, it's another. Why can't I fix something on this truck without discovering a new problem? :laugh:


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## IA_Dave (Jan 22, 2014)

*Thank you to everyone that offered advice. *

I am certainly glad to have found this forum.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Good deal, MJD bills monthly.


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