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D236 glow plug wiring question


Dax DeCelle

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The wiring on my 606 Diesel was all hacked up when I got it. I am unclear on how to wire up a momentary switch to activate the glow plugs. I thought I understood, but am not getting results. 

The glow plug meter gauge does not work, so for the time being, I want to just wire up a momentary switch to heat the plugs. 

Rather than explain what I have going on, I'd like to hear some advice on how it should be done, and I'll compare it with what I've got and ask questions. 

I think it should be simple, but I am scratching my head with what I've got. 

There is no trace of the original wiring, so you can start from scratch. 

Thanks

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Through the glow plug meter then the switch as I recall on the 606 I had. Wiring was a 8 or 10 gauge spliced to 2 short pieces of 12 gauge in the middle of the engine then each short piece  connected to 3 plugs. Make sure the momentary switch you use can handle the amperage. 50 amps or higher .

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That's what I thought. That's what I tried. Here's what I've got. 

 

I get ground continuity from the injector housing to the plug wires. I thought there should be no continuity from the housing to the wires. I thought the wires should be "independent" of the housings. In my case, when I run one wire from the plugs to one side of the switch, and another wire from the other side of the switch to 12 volts, I'm getting continuity across the switch terminals, and the switch won't activate the plugs. If I disconnect the wire from the switch, and touch it directly to the battery, it activates the plugs. The switch is brand new. If I disconnect the wire from the switch to the plugs, then I only get continuity across the switch terminals when I activate the switch, as it should be. I've done lots of wiring and this should be easy, but I'm baffled. 

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Yes, it is a regular momentary switch. The weather proof type sold at any auto parts store. 2 terminals. No continuity from lug to lug until you push the button. 

When the switch is not connected to anything and you put an ohmmeter to it, there is no continuity until you push the button. When one terminal is connected to a battery and the other to the glow plugs, there is continuity across the terminals without pushing the button. 

 

Am I "back feeding" somewhere? Is this a grounding problem?

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If you are using an ohm meter to test continuity you will have continuity from glow plug wires to engine block because you are reading through the glow plug itself. 

I would switch your meter to read voltage, hook meter ground to negative battery post and use meter positive to read voltage and just follow your path from battery to glow plug and make sure your getting good voltage readings at every step. 

Battery , one side of gauge, other side of gauge, one side of switch should all have 12v than other side of switch should read 0v until pressed than 12v from there to glow plugs 

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Yep! clear as mud to the electrically challenged follow 65806's advice step by step will be simple after you do it one time russ

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Dax

      You could test each glow plug individually by taking a 12 gauge jumper lead to the battery  + ( Positive ) terminal, and then jumping to each glow plug one at a time.  You should see a slight spark when making contact.  If one of the glow plugs does not spark then that glow plug is probably bad, or in other words an open circuit.   When correctly wired your glow plug switch does just what you are doing with the jumper wire, except to all 6 glow plug wires at the same time.

GT&T

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Our 660 fried switches regularly. I put a relay in the circuit and took the load off the switch, no more problems. The meter cooked too, I replaced it with an indicator light.

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I just cleaned up the glow plug wiring on the 282.  If memory serves, 12v comes from the 12v battery post on the solenoid to one side of the meter.  From the other meter post to the momentary switch, the from the other switch post to the glow plug junction block.  This is on a 706 so you might not have a junction block.  

From the junction block there are two wires, both with 12v, that each feed 3 glow plugs.

Pay attention to wire size, each of my glow plugs pull 7-8 amps when energized. You probably want 8 gauge wire feeding at most 3 glow plugs.  You'll want good size wire or "doubled up" wires on the other connections as well.  The relay idea mentioned earlier would be a great idea.  

Goof luck.

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I would install a high current relay, cole hersee 80A 282M continuous duty, and awg # 8 wire from battery to a terminal strip, then #14 awg wire from the strip to each glow plug in parallel.

Use quality MOLEX lugs and a hydraulic crimper on the awg #8.

Use a variable timer to drive the relay, add an indicator light and buzzer when the plugs are energized.

Now you have an automatic system with selectively timed glow plugs to cover all situations.

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  • 4 months later...

I finally got a new glow plug meter. I want to hook it up but am not quite clear on the circuit. It cost $40 so I don't want to cook it. 

Does the 12 volts go through the meter? As in:

1. 12 volts to one side of momentary switch

2. activate switch

3. 12 volts through switch to one side of meter

4. through meter and on to glow plugs

thanks

 

 

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This is from memory and it's for a 706 so YMMV.

i get constant 12v from the starter solenoid to one side of the meter. From the other meter post connect to one lug on the momentary switch.  From the other lug on the switch down to the glow plugs (thru a junction block).  If your meter is wired backwards, the needle will peg in the wrong direction.  Just switch the wires on the meter if that happens.

Remember, it's not until you complete the circuit (by pressing the momentary switch) that you'll get current flow through the meter.  When all 6 of my plugs are connected I'm pushing somewhere like 42 amps across the switch and meter.  If I ever need to rework it, I'll go with a high current relay like others have said and just use the momentary switch to energize the relay. 

Good luck!

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Got it. I guess. I was thinking that when this gauge was working properly, the needle would gradually go from left to right as the plugs heated up, and when the needle reached the 3rd dot, the plugs were hot. When I push the button, the needle immediately jumps all the way to the 3rd dot. Is that what is supposed to happen?

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45 minutes ago, Dax DeCelle said:

Got it. I guess. I was thinking that when this gauge was working properly, the needle would gradually go from left to right as the plugs heated up, and when the needle reached the 3rd dot, the plugs were hot. When I push the button, the needle immediately jumps all the way to the 3rd dot. Is that what is supposed to happen?

Yes, its  basically an ammeter. With all 6 working it shows full load. Disconnect a plug and you will see it drop back a bit, easy way to find a bad glow plug in these systems.

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