Solenoid Help

[Scott Forman]

Still fighting a leveling system solenoid.

The one that I removed is a 3-pin model. The wire that runs to the
small pin is hot (delivering 12v to the solenoid) when the levelers
are "at rest" and the solenoid is open. When a leveling switch is
activated, calling for the motor to run, the wire to the third pole
is grounded (12v goes away) and the solenoid is supposed to close,
completing the circuit and running the motor.

On the original solenoid, I could see grounding of the third pin wire
on my multimeter when a button was pressed, but no voltage came out
the other side to go to the engine. Bad solenoid, I assume.

So today I find an 80amp, continuous, 3-pin, grounded, "normally
open" solenoid at NAPA and install it. Still no-go on the motor. A
check of the multi-meter shows something interesting...the wire that
runs to the third pin shows zero volts "at rest" when connected to
the pin. Disconnect it so it hangs free, and it once again shows
voltage at rest and grounds out when a leveler button is pushed. But
when it is connected to the solenoid, no voltage at any time.

I know the motor will run, because I can jump across the solenoid and
get it to go.

What am I doing wrong? Is "normally open" correct or do I
need "normally closed"? Is a grounded unit correct, or do I need an
insulated one? Any other ideas?

FRUSTRATING!
Scott Forman
86 PT38
Memphis

[Ron Thompson]

Scott, what you have there is a simple circuit. You have a wire that carries 12v
to energize the solenoid when a ground is applied to the other side of the
solenoid winding. Without that ground on the other side you will see 12 volts
because there is no complete circuit till the levelor button is pushed and
supplies a ground to energize the solenoid. Once the solenoid is energized it
completes a circuit to the hydraulic motor.

The motor if it is not running needs to see a ground and 12 volts on the other
side of the motor winding. If it meets those conditions the motor should run.

The solenoid circuit could operate this way though, One side of the solenoid
winding is grounded all the time and the 12 volts is switched by the levelor
button./

I am not offering this as a solution to your problem, just food for thought. If
I had more information about how it is wired I could make a determination.

For example:

1. Does the solenoid motor contacts complete a circuit to ground or does it
complete a circuit to 12 volts.

2. Do the leveler buttons complete a circuit to ground or to 12volts. If they
complete a circuit to ground then the other side of the solenoind windings
should have 12 volts on it. If the leveler buttons complete a circuit to
12volts then the other side of the solenoid windings should have a ground.

I wish I could do a drawing on this forum. It would be much easier to show what
I mean.

Maybe what I have said here will ring a bell with you and you can solve your own
problem.



Scott Forman <sforman@...> wrote:
Still fighting a leveling system solenoid.

The one that I removed is a 3-pin model. The wire that runs to the
small pin is hot (delivering 12v to the solenoid) when the levelers
are "at rest" and the solenoid is open. When a leveling switch is
activated, calling for the motor to run, the wire to the third pole
is grounded (12v goes away) and the solenoid is supposed to close,
completing the circuit and running the motor.

On the original solenoid, I could see grounding of the third pin wire
on my multimeter when a button was pressed, but no voltage came out
the other side to go to the engine. Bad solenoid, I assume.

So today I find an 80amp, continuous, 3-pin, grounded, "normally
open" solenoid at NAPA and install it. Still no-go on the motor. A
check of the multi-meter shows something interesting...the wire that
runs to the third pin shows zero volts "at rest" when connected to
the pin. Disconnect it so it hangs free, and it once again shows
voltage at rest and grounds out when a leveler button is pushed. But
when it is connected to the solenoid, no voltage at any time.

I know the motor will run, because I can jump across the solenoid and
get it to go.

What am I doing wrong? Is "normally open" correct or do I
need "normally closed"? Is a grounded unit correct, or do I need an
insulated one? Any other ideas?

FRUSTRATING!
Scott Forman
86 PT38
Memphis






Ron Thompson
Waller, Tx.
1995 WLWB 42'Blue Bird
Body #F112297
(cockyfox@...)

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[mbulriss]

Ron,

You can do a drawing and put it in the Files and reference it from a
post. Then it will be available in the future for others to reference.

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
San Antonio, TXC


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Ron Thompson
wrote:
>
> Scott, what you have there is a simple circuit. You have a wire that
carries 12v to energize the solenoid when a ground is applied to the
other side of the solenoid winding. Without that ground on the other
side you will see 12 volts because there is no complete circuit till
the levelor button is pushed and supplies a ground to energize the
solenoid. Once the solenoid is energized it completes a circuit to
the hydraulic motor.
>
> The motor if it is not running needs to see a ground and 12 volts on
the other side of the motor winding. If it meets those conditions the
motor should run.
>
> The solenoid circuit could operate this way though, One side of the
solenoid winding is grounded all the time and the 12 volts is switched
by the levelor button./
>
> I am not offering this as a solution to your problem, just food for
thought. If I had more information about how it is wired I could make
a determination.
>
> For example:
>
> 1. Does the solenoid motor contacts complete a circuit to ground or
does it complete a circuit to 12 volts.
>
> 2. Do the leveler buttons complete a circuit to ground or to
12volts. If they complete a circuit to ground then the other side of
the solenoind windings should have 12 volts on it. If the leveler
buttons complete a circuit to 12volts then the other side of the
solenoid windings should have a ground.
>
> I wish I could do a drawing on this forum. It would be much easier
to show what I mean.
>
> Maybe what I have said here will ring a bell with you and you can
solve your own problem.
>
>
>
> Scott Forman <sforman@...> wrote:
Still fighting a leveling system solenoid.
>
> The one that I removed is a 3-pin model. The wire that runs to the
> small pin is hot (delivering 12v to the solenoid) when the levelers
> are "at rest" and the solenoid is open. When a leveling switch is
> activated, calling for the motor to run, the wire to the third pole
> is grounded (12v goes away) and the solenoid is supposed to close,
> completing the circuit and running the motor.
>
> On the original solenoid, I could see grounding of the third pin wire
> on my multimeter when a button was pressed, but no voltage came out
> the other side to go to the engine. Bad solenoid, I assume.
>
> So today I find an 80amp, continuous, 3-pin, grounded, "normally
> open" solenoid at NAPA and install it. Still no-go on the motor. A
> check of the multi-meter shows something interesting...the wire that
> runs to the third pin shows zero volts "at rest" when connected to
> the pin. Disconnect it so it hangs free, and it once again shows
> voltage at rest and grounds out when a leveler button is pushed. But
> when it is connected to the solenoid, no voltage at any time.
>
> I know the motor will run, because I can jump across the solenoid and
> get it to go.
>
> What am I doing wrong? Is "normally open" correct or do I
> need "normally closed"? Is a grounded unit correct, or do I need an
> insulated one? Any other ideas?
>
> FRUSTRATING!
> Scott Forman
> 86 PT38
> Memphis
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Ron Thompson
> Waller, Tx.
> 1995 WLWB 42'Blue Bird
> Body #F112297
> (cockyfox@...)
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>