L3600 glow plugs- manual push button

[Nickk]

My glow plugs are not working. Every other tractor or piece of equipment I have used has always had a manual switch for the glow plugs. I really enjoy the simplicity of my L3600 vintage (minimal electronics).

I am thinking about installing a push button to control the glow plugs. I trust my ability to use a push button for the plugs; after all the logic in electronics is the same for all situations and came from a human initially.

What do you think?

Thanks!

 

[6869704x4]

Do it. I did it on my Mercedes 300TD using a Ford style starter relay. Works great and you can't accidentally leave it on.

 

[ve9aa]

*WHY * are my glow plugs not working ? (is what I'd be asking myself)

 

[Nickk]

The glow plugs are not getting power. It appears that there is an electronic control that automatically turns them on based on temperature. It seems like a complex system that is expensive to repair.

 

[85Hokie]

Nick,

Sometimes making something simple is the best way to go!

With computer controlled "items" you are always at the mercy of a small microchip going bad and causing an expensive repair.

Glowing is one thing that a human may need to do to override the logic of the computer!

Go for it - make sure the switch is a heavy duty one, or set it up on a relay that can handle that amount of constant current flow.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

No real reason to reinvent the wheel, just get the WSM (aka service manual) and fix what's wrong with it.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

curious was I...
IF it's the 'glow plug controller' 1641565660 that has failed...
It's $210 Cdn.
An Amazon.ca clone is $50,
60A PB starter switch is $12

 

[6869704x4]

No real reason to reinvent the wheel, just get the WSM (aka service manual) and fix what's wrong with it.

No way. Older tractors need to be modified for the next owner to figure out.

 

[lugbolt]

L3600 has a super simple glow plug system.

You turn the key on, glow plugs cycle as needed and then go off.

Keeps one from burning up a switch, wiring, and/or glow plugs. Or alternator. The glow plugs pull a good bit of amperage so you are gonna want to run them from a relay, which the tractor already has. Running the glow system directly to a "normal" (aka parts store chinesium) switch is a guaranteed fried switch at the very least, and possibly fried (fire?) wiring.

When the system is working it's foolproof (unless of course it's really really cold outside and/or the engine's compression pressure is down)

I guess if you're set on doing it just use the original glow relay. It's a simple relay that's triggered by the controller. Figure out how it works and use that knowledge to trigger the relay. Wonder if you could use a standard L series key switch to run the original glow relay? Hmm....a thought.

The controller is the #1 cause of glow system failure on these, in my experience. I've replaced a bunch of them. Once the new style controller is installed and all grounds (!) are verified/cleaned, they don't generally ever come back with glow problems.

 

[Nickk]

Thanks for everybody's inputs and encouragement!
I always like keeping thing original; but, make something simply is appealing also.

 

[Nickk]

curious was I...
IF it's the 'glow plug controller' 1641565660 that has failed...
It's $210 Cdn.
An Amazon.ca clone is $50,
60A PB starter switch is $12

Thanks for the tips on where to get the good deal.

 

[Nickk]

L3600 has a super simple glow plug system.

You turn the key on, glow plugs cycle as needed and then go off.

Keeps one from burning up a switch, wiring, and/or glow plugs. Or alternator. The glow plugs pull a good bit of amperage so you are gonna want to run them from a relay, which the tractor already has. Running the glow system directly to a "normal" (aka parts store chinesium) switch is a guaranteed fried switch at the very least, and possibly fried (fire?) wiring.

When the system is working it's foolproof (unless of course it's really really cold outside and/or the engine's compression pressure is down)

I guess if you're set on doing it just use the original glow relay. It's a simple relay that's triggered by the controller. Figure out how it works and use that knowledge to trigger the relay. Wonder if you could use a standard L series key switch to run the original glow relay? Hmm....a thought.

The controller is the #1 cause of glow system failure on these, in my experience. I've replaced a bunch of them. Once the new style controller is installed and all grounds (!) are verified/cleaned, they don't generally ever come back with glow problems.

Thanks for the tip. I will verify the ground path with my ohm meter. As I sandblasted and repainted the part I made sure to clean paint from areas that seemed to be the ground path. I added dielectric grease to prevent future corrosion.

 

[Nickk]

L3600 has a super simple glow plug system.

You turn the key on, glow plugs cycle as needed and then go off.

Keeps one from burning up a switch, wiring, and/or glow plugs. Or alternator. The glow plugs pull a good bit of amperage so you are gonna want to run them from a relay, which the tractor already has. Running the glow system directly to a "normal" (aka parts store chinesium) switch is a guaranteed fried switch at the very least, and possibly fried (fire?) wiring.

When the system is working it's foolproof (unless of course it's really really cold outside and/or the engine's compression pressure is down)

I guess if you're set on doing it just use the original glow relay. It's a simple relay that's triggered by the controller. Figure out how it works and use that knowledge to trigger the relay. Wonder if you could use a standard L series key switch to run the original glow relay? Hmm....a thought.

The controller is the #1 cause of glow system failure on these, in my experience. I've replaced a bunch of them. Once the new style controller is installed and all grounds (!) are verified/cleaned, they don't generally ever come back with glow problems.

This is great guidance thanks!

 

[Nickk]

No way. Older tractors need to be modified for the next owner to figure out.

Good point; it is always a headache to figure out something a cobbler has done.

 

[Nickk]

Nick,

Sometimes making something simple is the best way to go!

With computer controlled "items" you are always at the mercy of a small microchip going bad and causing an expensive repair.

Glowing is one thing that a human may need to do to override the logic of the computer!

Go for it - make sure the switch is a heavy duty one, or set it up on a relay that can handle that amount of constant current flow.

This is the first piece of diesel equipment that I have had or used that had automatic glow plugs.

 

[Nickk]

Do it. I did it on my Mercedes 300TD using a Ford style starter relay. Works great and you can't accidentally leave it on.

THanks!