# Boss RT3 no power



## snowdayton (Mar 21, 2015)

I've got a Boss RT3 that I used last year on my F250 with no issues. I'm hooking everything up for this winter and I've got no power to the plow or the control. Where do I start to find the culprit? I I'm hoping it's a simple ground wire that's come loose or corroded, but wanted to see what the best procedure was to troubleshooting no power issues.

FYI, this was a used plow and truck so I'm not sure who did the install or if all the wiring schematics were followed exactly as specified. I did check the relays and one of the spades on each relay were super corroded and gross, but I cleaned them and put them back in with no luck. Again, I assume it's a ground issue because plow, headlights, solenoid, and controller have no power.

Thanks


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Did you check the main plow power and ground at the battery?
The controller power where it connects to the trucks fuse box?

What was done to the truck lately?


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

First thing to check is the ignition wire at the fuse panel. If you check the fuse panel, you'll see a wire clipped on to an original fuse (or should be.) The wire sometimes pops loose.


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## snowdayton (Mar 21, 2015)

dieselss said:


> Did you check the main plow power and ground at the battery?
> The controller power where it connects to the trucks fuse box?
> 
> What was done to the truck lately?


Truck has had some simple maintenance, brakes, ball joint, battery, brakes.

I jumped the solenoid with a screw driver and I'm getting power to the solenoid, but nothing to the plow lights and the controller.

I there are a couple 10 amp fuses close to the battery, but I don't see where else the controller would have fuses. I checked all the fuses in the truck panel and under the hood and they all seem good.

I'll get the main power and ground. Anything else?


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## snowdayton (Mar 21, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> First thing to check is the ignition wire at the fuse panel. If you check the fuse panel, you'll see a wire clipped on to an original fuse (or should be.) The wire sometimes pops loose.


I didn't see and wires or add a fuse adapters when I looked yesterday.

I did install a GPS tracking unit earlier this year and added a couple of add a fuse adapters to the fuse box. I'll check to see if I knocked anything loose. It should be pretty obvious though, right....a loose wire dangling around?


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## Kevin_NJ (Jul 24, 2003)

The controller needs a 12V source that should only be live when the ignition is on. You need to track down where that is. Installers use various sources for it. Sometime a fuse inside the cab, sometimes a fuse under the hood, sometimes they tap into a wire. Too often they do a poor job of it and it come loose. There should be an inline fuse for that as well. 

Start at the controller and follow the wiring loom towards the engine bay. At one point that 12V supply will leave the rest of the wire loom. 

A good test light and/or meter is good too.

You can find wiring diagrams on BOSS' website. They will show you which pin at the controller connection needs that ignition source power.


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## snowdayton (Mar 21, 2015)

Got it figured out. A wire was so corroded it broke off of the terminal that connects to a relay.

Thanks for everyone's help!


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