shift boot, dry or bellows adhesive...

[achris]

Both solenoids are the same. They both have a red cable on one terminal and either a blue (UP) or green (DOWN) cable on the other. When a solenoid is 'picked' it feeds power to the winding in the pump motor...So, each solenoid has 2 large terminals (power on one and either UP or DOWN on the other) and 2 small terminals (ground on one and either signal for UP or DOWN on the other)...

Here's a 'cutaway' of a solenoid. When 12v is applied to the small terminal (and the circuit completed by the ground connection on the other small terminal), the coil around the centre becomes an electromagnet and pushes that disc up to the 2 large terminals. That shorts them together and sends 12volts to the trim motor winding (of which the other side is connected to ground to complete that circuit)...It's just a switch that uses a low current to supply power to high current devices. Same as a starter solenoid.



Chris.....

 

[rickasbury]

Thanks achris ..I can do pictures! How does the limit switch then cut that power to the up seloinoid? As soon as I get my coffee down I'm going to go see if I can test it...with the wires down in the beilge I don't know if my meter make a noise on continuity or not and I hate to probe a wire that goes under water....if the switch does test good and it is wired correctly, where else do I go with this? Seloinoid seems to work as it goes both up and down...also, when you do go to the trailer switch( which over rides the limit switch) how far up does that go, to the limit of the ram?

 

[achris]

The limit switch is in the 'signal' circuit. As the UP button is pushed, power runs through the switch and to the solenoid. When the switch reaches the limit, it opens and no more power goes to the solenoid. To go further up you push the Trailer button, which bypasses the limit switch....

 

[rickasbury]

So how far are the Rams go out in the trailer position? The full length? It looks like on the limit switch wires...red goes to a bus bar, grn/white to smaller terminal on the down side and blue/white to a small terminal on the up side?

 

[rickasbury]

Ok, to check the wiring I just pulled the hole pump out and everything looks good. Next, I looked at the wiring going to the limit switch and everything looks fine. Lastly, since it is new, my last check is the switch itself. So I was able to connect in a way l could listen for the switch to list conntinuty as I turedt it- it does not. I get the tone no matter the rotarota of it and I assume that is not good...

So, updating this....went back out to pull the switch and turn the wheel...and it does go off maybe at about 15 degrees from the align marks....so I put it back on the gimbal ring, marks dead on and align for the screw all the way to the left...turn the assembly and it goes off just outside the range on the right for the screw to go into the whole....so I would have to turn back the wheel a little bit before the mark so when I rotate it, it has "room" to break the switch....did I just get crappy made aftermarket switches??? Is this acceptable?

What do you think achris ?

 

[achris]

Silly questions. What letters are on your switch?

 

[rickasbury]

Not sure I understand but it says port side and limit switch?

 

[achris]

That's good. If you have the meter on the leads and turning the switch doesn't find an area of no continuity, then it sounds like you have a faulty switch. Is it a genuine Merc switch or a Sierra switch?

 

[rickasbury]

Well, it does.....it just outside the range of the adjustment of the switch. So, I aligned the marks and installed with the top adjustment screw all the way to the left...get the continuity tone and expected when I turned clockwise I would lose the continuity just as you described but did not- and just to further play with it, I pulled it off and spun the wheel by hand and it goes a bit....then loses the continuity and then comes back on and then does it again....don't recall how many time is did that in one revolution. So, I advanced the alignment of the marks and put it back on which then allowed the loss of continuity within the adjustment range. I bought these off ebay and pretty sure they were merc....maybe just an assembly error or something? I guess if I get it to work somehow, it works? Funny thing is when I went to test it all back together, my up button is not working and will only go up with the trailer switch....which has happened before so I may have a problem in the switch at the handle. At least with the position sender working I know exactly where on the gauge it is at the max so with just the one motor to keep up with I'm good to go...but would like it to work properly Thanks @achris...

 

[achris]

To test the UP button, just disconnect the limit switch wires from the harness and replace it with a short jumper wire. If the UP button now works, then it's just a limit switch adjustment issue.

Chris...

 

[rickasbury]

Easy I can handle that one Chris thanks

 

[achris]

Just to let you know.. I'm currently in an airport about to head off to work. I'll be 'off the radar' for about 5 weeks...

 

[rickasbury]

Dang, are you a spy or something?

 

[Bondo]

Dang, are you a spy or something?

Ayuh,..... At the bottom of the ocean,........

 

[harringtondav]

Just to let you know.. I'm currently in an airport about to head off to work. I'll be 'off the radar' for about 5 weeks...

Chris, you can run, but you can't hide.
https://www.flightradar24.com/-32.93,115.1/7

 

[rickasbury]

That's pretty cool!

 

[achris]

Ok. Just got back from my secret mission... How did you go with the limit switch?

 

[nola mike]

Well, it does.....it just outside the range of the adjustment of the switch.

Not sure if I'm understanding the problem correctly or not, it if the b3 switch is different from the alpha, but if your switch switches between continuity and not, that indicates it's working . On the alpha it would need to be positioned back on the drive so that this area where it switches on/off falls within the movement range of the drive . At that point you can fine tune it.

 

[achris]

Not sure if I'm understanding the problem correctly or not, it if the b3 switch is different from the alpha, ...

Same kit. Bravo trim senders are the same as Alpha.

 

[rickasbury]

Hey Chris, welcome back to the right side of the water! IMO, I could not do a sub....unless from a good sub shop. Also, was not aware that Australia had submarines??

So, anyway....I think I figured out I was adjusting or setting it wrong....If I push it up with the trailer button and then it gets to a certain height, then just the up will work...to be honest, I have not gone back to it and it does not make sense...but I burned up my power steering pump (was a whole other thread, someone suggested I take up golf) and I'm just hopefully getting that back together this weekend!

Thanks for following up and thank you for your service!