Hi everyone. I have a 1993 Case CX-130 excavator. I bought it this past summer and it has a little over 6,000 hours on it. It has run flawlessly since I have had it. I ran it the week after Christmas for a couple of hours with no issues. I parked it and shut everything down. We had about three days of single digit temps after the new year. I went to start it to let it run about the middle of January and I got nothing. Key switch does not power up the dash. Nothing. I took the batteries out and charged them up and took them to have them checked and both checked out good. One was 93% and the other 100%. These batteries are CAT 1150 CCA, two of them hooked in series to make 24 volts. I checked all of the fuses I could find and all of the fuses are good. I'm scratching my head trying to figure out what the problem is. Even if the batteries were weak, they dash should come on when the key is turned on. I've got nothing. I'm not able to see the switch to see if a wire has come loose or if a mouse has chewed the wire. What else could I check? Dealer told me that I would have to chase the wires from the battery to the key switch with a meter to find the problem. I don't have a wiring schematic to see what to follow. I'm not understanding why it ran fine and three weeks later, I have no power but the batteries check out good. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
Good day Take a look at these to begin with. Kind regards Uffex
Thanks. I've checked all of those fuses and they're good. Is there a way to test the battery disconnect relay to see if it has gone bad?
It'll be frustrating. Begin confirming how batteries are connected. Typically you have a ground cable from negative on one of the batteries to either a chassis ground, or a battery disconnect switch, which is in turn grounded to the chassis. The other battery likely has a heavy cable to the starter solenoid. The 1 remaining terminal of each battery gets connected together. Jind a document stating this is indeed a 24 volt system. Might be a 12 volt system intended for batteries hooked parallel. With a large resistance load, like a big incandescent light bulb 24 V. Connect one lead securely to the grounded post of the battery(s). confirming grounded terminals are secure & clean. Follow the positive (ungrounded) cable. It likely goes to the starter solenoid. press the other lead there, if it lights you are OK that far. A smaller #12 or #10 conductor goes to a fuse block. Check there. A wire goes from fuse block to key switch. From key switch another wire goes to a different terminal on the starter solenoid. If all checks out as good ungrounded power to key switch, connect one lead from your test light & other to the starter frame. If ground proves to be weak follow from battery grounded terminal to frame ground looking for problems. I bought an older bulldozer, see my avatar. My son & I put it in the garage & spent a couple months spare time going through it. We replaced all battery cables, the master switch & both batteries. It remained hard starting in cold weather. One day 2 years after I went in search of the problem. Following all the heavy gauge battery cables throughout the machine I came to the point of removing the seat & a dozen bolts holding the seat mounting plate. The welded stud the ground cable attached to the tractor frame had nut only started. I knew instantly what had happened, my son started the nut & the phone rang. I had put up with a great deal of frustration for want of tightening a nut.
Good day If you have a multi meter connect to the isolation output, switch it on and off it will either work or not. Kind regards Uffex
I'm not sure I understand what you mean when you refer to isolation output. I do have a multi meter.
When you turn your ignition switch on do you hear the battery relay click on? Generally if you hear them click they are working. Turn the ign switch on and use a volt meter to check voltage in and voltage out of the relay. If you have voltage there start working your way through the system. Do you have alot of rodents around? They love to chew on wires and cause all kinds of problems.
It is most definitely a 24 volt system.
Best I can remember (not at the machine at the moment) I don't think there is anything when I turn the key on. I know that nothing in the cab lights up. It's like there's not a battery in the machine. I have checked all of the fuses and all are good. Have not been able to get inside the console where they ignition switch is to see if a wire has been chewed in two. That's what I'm afraid of. Batteries checked out good.
Is it safe to use a wire to jump across the battery relay to see if it's bad?
Good day Derrell Please see the attached comeback if we need to move further down the system. Kind regards Uffex
Good day Isolating switch. Kind regards Uffex
Just want to confirm a series 24 volt system not a parallel 12 volt, both are common.
Yes, use a jumper cable.
Every modern full size excavator that I know of uses 24 volt system.
It's two 12 volt batteries connected in a series to make 24 volts.
Good day Question regarding voltage 24V Dc Kind regards Uffex
I’m back at the machine today. Batteries are charged and good. Still nothing when I turn on the key. If I connect a lead wire from the positive post to the disconnect relay, it makes the click sound. Everything lights up and the machine starts. As soon as I remove the lead wire, it dies and there’s no power. It will not stay running unless the lead wire stays connected from the battery positive to the small brown and green wire on the bottom of the disconnect relay. Does that mean the relay is bad? I have 24 volts going into the relay at the top where the battery cable connects.
There is a power wire from the ignition to the battery relay, likely about 16-18 gauge. It is one of two which connect to the top, it needs battery voltage when the ignition is turned on.
It has power on that terminal as long as the lead wire is connected. As soon as I disconnect the lead wire, the machine dies and there is no power to that terminal; only the top terminal coming from the battery. Will it hurt anything to run it with that jumper from the battery directly to the disconnect relay?
With the ignition switch in the run position you need 24 volts at the small wire. On the battery relay there will be a main power wire from the battery and one going out to the starter. There are also 2 smaller wires coming in, one of which is your power wire from the ignition switch.
I see the main power wire coming from the battery and the one going to the starter. They are on the top right post of the relay. I have a smaller red cable and an even smaller blue with brown stripe on the top left terminal. There is no power on either of those unless I hot wire the relay to the battery on the lower side relay connection.
Good day Darrell I believe you have located the issue I will put some information together for you. Kind regards Uffex
Good day Please see attached illustrations may differ slightly. Kind regards Uffex
Thanks. That doesn’t really help me. I’ll try to explain the situation again. With everything hooked up normal, I have 25+ volts at the battery and where the battery cable connects to the relay. With the key on, I have no power at the switch. Nothing comes on. If I connect a jumper wire to the negative side of the relay, it clicks and power comes on at the switch. The machine will start and run as long as that jumper wire stays attached. The machine will die as soon as I disconnect the jumper wire from the battery and the power at the switch is lost. I’ve checked the wiring from the relay to the switch and the harness doesn’t show any signs of crimping. If the relay is not bad, I’m at a loss.
You are not getting voltage from your ignition switch to your battery relay. One of the two tiny wires needs voltage with the key on and until you have that it will not work. Unfortunately I can't find a wire schematic to tell you which wire it is, I'm much more familiar with Deere/Hitachi. I just looked at what Uffex sent you and that is exactly what you need.
I know. I don’t know how I will ever track down why it is not getting voltage. All of the wiring harnesses are sealed. I’m thinking it may just be easier to run a jumper wire from the battery to the relay with a quick disconnect. That works but it’s not optimal. However, I don’t feel like tearing wiring harnesses apart.
Good day Darrell I would not suggest you part the wiring harness, if you find it works by adding a jumper to the positive side of the pulling coil that is where the problem is at. The key switch needs power go there and check if you have 24 volts, if not look to that fuse measure there to see if you have voltage.Please check for voltage at the key switch see attached it is the best information i have. Kind regards Uffex
Good day Darrell I would not suggest you part the wiring harness, if you find it works by adding a jumper to the positive side of the pulling coil that is where the problem is at. The key switch needs power go there and check if you have 24 volts, if not look to that fuse measure there to see if you have voltage.Please check for voltage at the key switch see attached it is the best information i have. Kind regards Uffex
Good day Darrell I would not suggest you part the wiring harness, if you find it works by adding a jumper to the positive side of the pulling coil that is where the problem is at. The key switch needs power go there and check if you have 24 volts, if not look to that fuse measure there to see if you have voltage.Please check for voltage at the key switch see attached it is the best information i have. Kind regards Uffex
Good day Darrell I would not suggest you part the wiring harness, if you find it works by adding a jumper to the positive side of the pulling coil that is where the problem is at. The key switch needs power go there and check if you have 24 volts, if not look to that fuse measure there to see if you have voltage.Please check for voltage at the key switch see attached it is the best information i have. Kind regards Uffex
Thanks. It will be a couple of weeks before I am back at the machine. What is the best way to get to the key switch? I took the side panel off the arm and I don't see any way to get to the switch. I'm not able to see the bottom side of the switch where the wires would connect. On the fuse box, F12 calls for a 10a fuse, but someone has put a 20a in that slot. I checked that fuse and it is good. If I pull the fuse, I have nothing at the switch. I'll check the voltage there when I get back to the machine. If I don't have 24v at either the fuse block on F12 or the key switch, what would be the next step? Thanks for the help.
On the main relay check pdf, I am hot wiring a jumper from the battery positive terminal to the ground (-) that is at the top right of the relay in the picture. That is the only way I can get the machine to start and run. That doesn't make sense to me since this is supposed to be a negative and I am hooking a positive to it. I tried jumping to the positive post at the top left in the picture. The relay clicks, but the dash does not light up and the machine will not start. I also tried hot wiring directly to the post at bottom right in the picture depicted by 2 (key on 24 volts) and nothing happens. If this is where the key is sending power, I would think a direct wire from the battery to this post would allow the relay to work, but it does not. That is why this is so confusing to me. I hope all this makes sense.
Hi Darrell Inside that relay (Four screws & top hat) you will have a quench diode this should only let current flow in one direction, if that has blown it could add up to your experience. The Diode is there to prevent spike voltage when the coil is de-activated. Please make a first check of this. Kind regards Uffex
Thanks. I'll give that a try when I am back at the machine. Will be a couple of weeks. Appreciate your help.
Hey Darrell have you checked the key fuse in the fuse box behind the seat in the cab?
You just read my mind. I was just getting ready to ask if ignition fuses had been checked
Yes. It checked out good.
Hi Darrell I have taken a close look at the wiring schematic, if I interpret what you have posted the fuse F22 is without power. There appears to be no isolating switch with your machine. Fuse F22 has no dependency it should be with 24 Volts the moment you connect the batterie's. The rest of the activation of the machines electrics are totally defendant on that fuse please see attached. Kind regards Uffex
I have seen the fuses not be burnt, but the terminals be burnt off the end of the fuse or wire.