HELP! Bobcat S185 trouble

[Boosted]

Hello guys, new here and I'm looking for some help.
I have a 2006 Bobcat S185 that today the bucket controls quit, panel reads, ACS (AHC) no communication to bobcat controller. Has anyone seen this before and is there anything I can do before taking it into the dealer?:confused2:

Thanks in advance.

 

[SSdoxie]

Welcome to TBN.
Ist thing to check for "no communication" ACS error is check the fuses in fuse panel. On one side of the fuse panel are 25 amp fuses. Make sure the ACS fuse and Accessory Fuse are good and making contact through the fuse panel. Don't start machine, but with key on push the Press to Operate button then try wiggling the wires going from back of the fuse panel over to Right side of machine where the ACS controller is. If the light goes out, code clears while moving the wires you have a loose connection or broken wire in the harness.

 

[Boosted]

Welcome to TBN.
Ist thing to check for "no communication" ACS error is check the fuses in fuse panel. On one side of the fuse panel are 25 amp fuses. Make sure the ACS fuse and Accessory Fuse are good and making contact through the fuse panel. Don't start machine, but with key on push the Press to Operate button then try wiggling the wires going from back of the fuse panel over to Right side of machine where the ACS controller is. If the light goes out, code clears while moving the wires you have a loose connection or broken wire in the harness.

I did find a 25amp fuse blown, I changed it.
Then after that blew the 25amp fuse again right away, code 32-04 still up.......
I suspect a short to ground, where does a guy start to look?

 

[SSdoxie]

Which fuse is blowing? the Accessorie or ACS?
Down in front of the control valve is the ACS controller, unplug the harness from it then put a new fuse in. If it still blows then you know there is a short to ground in the harness. If it does not blow, does not necessarily mean the controller is shorted. Plug harness back into controller, then unplug the harnesses going into the handles and actuators at the control valve, then put a new fuse in. 1 by 1 plug each connection back in until the fuse blows, that will tell you which circuit to consentrate on.

 

[Boosted]

Which fuse is blowing? the Accessorie or ACS?
Down in front of the control valve is the ACS controller, unplug the harness from it then put a new fuse in. If it still blows then you know there is a short to ground in the harness. If it does not blow, does not necessarily mean the controller is shorted. Plug harness back into controller, then unplug the harnesses going into the handles and actuators at the control valve, then put a new fuse in. 1 by 1 plug each connection back in until the fuse blows, that will tell you which circuit to consentrate on.

It is the ACS/AWS/SJC unswitched 25amps fuse, I will try what you suggested.
Thanks
So I unplugged both actuators, have unplugged the joysticks and removed them for access to ACS controller.
I have found that when I unplug the lower right ACS connector that its fine but plugging it back in blows fuse, could it be the ACS controller is shorted? Or there is a dead short in the harness??

 

[SSdoxie]

If the handles and actuators were all unplugged and fuse did blow until you plugged the harness back into the controller, then controller is probably fried.

It doesn't sounkd like short is in the harness but you can doulble check it. Black is gound wires, red with any color stripe is unswitched power, and orange are swithced power. Do a continuity check at contoller pug checking all red & orange wires to ground. Do this with handles & actuators disconnected.

 

[Boosted]

If the handles and actuators were all unplugged and fuse did blow until you plugged the harness back into the controller, then controller is probably fried.

It doesn't sounkd like short is in the harness but you can doulble check it. Black is gound wires, red with any color stripe is unswitched power, and orange are swithced power. Do a continuity check at contoller pug checking all red & orange wires to ground. Do this with handles & actuators disconnected.

Yes, I had the 2 actuators unplugged, as well as the joysticks, as soon as I plug in the ACS lower right plug in a have continuity in the fuse box to ground, the other side has 12.6volts, and the ACS box smells burnt. I checked for continuity in the fuse box (red/with white tracer) back around to the black flat connector (above the 2 actuators) which is also red with white trace and I have continuity and nothing to ground. I'm also thinking it's the ACS box I looked over the small wiring harness and haven't seen any chaffing in the shielding at all, but the big one that runs around the front is tough to see but looks fine to me, the bad thing is no return on electrical parts.

 

[Boosted]

I talked to 2 dealers this morning they both figure that there isn't enough amps going through the ACS controller to blow a 25amp fuse, they are leaning towards a short in the wiring harness. Where does a guy start to look??

 

[SSdoxie]

If it was not capable of drawing cloes to 25 amps, the controller would not have a 25 amp fuse in it. Coming that fuse is wire #1170, it splices in the harness to give 2 unswitched inputs at wire #1180 & #1190. When the key is turned on power goes in on #1740 in different plug connection, this is low amp power only to wake the controller up. Find those 2 post the wires #1180 & #1190 plug onto, then do a conitinuty check to any plug/pin tha thas a black wire to it. Make sure all plug connections are unplugged at the controller. Look for a short to ground with the Ohm meter.

 

[Boosted]

If it was not capable of drawing cloes to 25 amps, the controller would not have a 25 amp fuse in it. Coming that fuse is wire #1170, it splices in the harness to give 2 unswitched inputs at wire #1180 & #1190. When the key is turned on power goes in on #1740 in different plug connection, this is low amp power only to wake the controller up. Find those 2 post the wires #1180 & #1190 plug onto, then do a conitinuty check to any plug/pin tha thas a black wire to it. Make sure all plug connections are unplugged at the controller. Look for a short to ground with the Ohm meter.

Found wires 1180,1190 they have 12.5 volts, I checked for continuity on both and I have continuity to a black wire in the same plug, I had everything unplugged except the big flat connector which provides power to that small harness. So would this mean that the controller is shorted?
Thanks