Hello, here's a question to all you Caterpillar Communication Adapter 3 p/n 478-0235 users... I've just purchased CAT CA3 p/n 478-0235 and ET2020C of the internet. The guy who sold it to me help me install ET2020C on my Panasonic Toughbook CF-53 laptop. Now, when I connect the CA3 to USB port (without connecting to machine) no LED's turn on on the front panel. Also, I get #142 error - CA3 not responding. The guy who sold it says that this is normal and that the adapter will work when connected to machine. I'm new to CAT so I have to know what I'm working with. How does your CA3 behaves when connected to USB?
Is it a genuine cat adaptor and do you have the ca3 tool box as they call it installed
It says "made in Canada" on the back and was advertised as "not a chineese clone". I have only ET2020C installed.
You need the comadptor tool box i believe or it won't talk if it is working and your not plugged in it should say no ecm detected
I haven't even got to the point of connecting to a machine control module. At this point I'm trying to understand should my adapter be powering on when connected to USB. Should the LED's "USB" and "Power" light up? Should error #142 go away?
Thee should be a separate app called Toolbox as Tyler said. You use that to configure the CA to the laptop. The red power light should light up as soon as you plug the round Deutsch connector into a machine because that’s here the CA gets its power from.
What about the USB light; does it get it's power from the Deutsch or from USB port? Should it come on when connected to USB port?
You won't get a USB light until the CA has power, and it will only get that when it's connected to a machine. Until that point it's nothing more than an unrespeonsive black box.
Most if not all of those Cat adapters sold online are Fake and do not work. I am trying my third one and am getting ready to send it back. None of the three have powered on when connected to my truck. I have checked and have 12 volts at the plug and to the adapter. I even opened the adapter and found 12 volts at the board where the cable plugs into it. The stickers on these adapters mean nothing. The last one I received from an Amazon seller did not have any labels on it but were in a bag for me to apply. Just send it back. If you didn't pay over $1000 for it, it's fake. I have tried Ebay and now Amazon. Same results. All of them had the same #142 error and no lights on the front.