Temperature & Pressure Engine Kill Safety Switches

[GoodGuy]

I own a JD4210 with a Yanmar Diesel & I'm wondering if anyone has installed an add-on safety system to prevent engine damage if there was a problem. When running the tractor there are times that I'm not in the seat & therefore not able to keep a close eye on the guages/lights. To give me peace of mind, I thought I would add an oil pressure sensor swith as well as a temperature switch that would be wired such that if the oil pressure dropped off or the engine temperature went too high; the switch (s) would kill the power to the fuel solenoid thus killing the engine before catastrophic damage. Question is, how do I wire these in series with the existing electrical system not to affect the original design but giving me the extra protection ?? I pulled my technical manual to look at the circuits & thought, hey, why not ask on TBN because it's a good chance that someone has already done this or researched the topic. I would appreciate any input that you would be willing to share with me. Your thoughts....????
Thanks, Eric

 

[Deerlope]

That is a good thought but if it is that much of an issue maybe you should hire someone from NASA to operate it for you. Tractors are a little more involved today but not to the point you are taking.

 

[Egon]

Can't help with the wiring but would suggest a bypass switch so the tractor can be started. It can be manual or operate on a time basis after starting. Some can become very complicated but these would mainly be on very large industrial engines.

Pressure and temperature shutdowns and a whole bunch more are very common on engines which operate continuously with no one around.

Even my inexpensive generator has a low oil level shut off.

Egon

 

[GoodGuy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( maybe you should hire someone from NASA to operate it for you )</font>
Sorry that you think this is "extreme" /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Deerlope]

I don't think that it is extreme, but you are going to have to neglect any manit for a very long time if not forever and work the heck out of it to get it to do either of those things. engines that run continously have those features. What it the longest time that you are not in the seat? For your own peace of mind I think that you should do it.

 

[PineRidge]

Don't know why you couldn't tie them into your existing safety circuit like the fuel solenoid shut-off.

You would need to order the switches so that they will interrupt the fuel solenoid if the tractor loses oil pressure or if the temperature overheats. I would think that they could be tied into your existing circuit without a lot of difficulty.

And you would need a bypass swich to start the tractor.

So how bad do you want to do this? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[MMM]

An delay relay isn't that high tech. I wonder why autos aren't equipped with shutdowns. Idiot lights and guages are for people smart enough to fix problem before restarting. As a nechanis in the '80s, the majority of times an engine was ruined was because operator was "only" a mile away from a service station and decided to limp in.

 

[btolle]

Don't know if this will help or not, but on my old motorhome with a 454 Chev engine the oil pressure switch had 3 terminals on it.

One was for power, one was for the gauge, and the third fed 12v from the key while it was in the "Start" position as an override. The engine would not start without oil pressure so the third terminal provided a "false" oil pressure signal while I was cranking it.

I am going from memory on this but you should be able to find a 3 wire pressure switch that would drop the power to the fuel solenoid if the oil pressure drops to near zero. Might try Detroit or Cummins and see if they have sending units like that for their industrial engines.

I used to sell Modutec brand panel meters and we had some that had a set of contacts that would make or break a circuit if the pressure or temperature dropped below a preset level. You might try Allied Electronics, Newark Electronics, or someone like that (Radio Shack won't have anything that fancy).

Meters like that are comonly used on fire pumps driven by diesel engines. The meter would operate a strobe light so the operator would know the pressure dropped or temperature went into overheat. The operator could then decide whether to shut it down or not. Sometimes they would let the engine run until it burned up rather than shut the fire pump off. Tough decision in the middle of a fire.

Bill Tolle

 

[GoodGuy]

Deerlope....
I guess I should have explained my concern better. My concern isn't because my gear is wore out it's about some sort of an oil leak from debris or crack in a cooler line or something like that. Also a leak in the cooling system from a hole in a hose, broken clamp or something like that. I read a post from someone that thought they cooked their motor because of a leak when they were pto chipping & did not notice it. This as well as knowing that industrial gensets (Caterpillars) in our local scallop draggers have these types of safety systems. Although I presently don't own a PTO Generator, my thoughts were also that maybe this thread might help those who do & maybe save them an expensive repair because of a stupid 75 cent hose clamp. I'm not raggin on you because you disagree with me, just explaining my thinking in a bit more detail.

 

[Deerlope]

GG, Now that makes a lot of sense. I would have to guess that the reason the manufactures don't put such items on is cost, they have to stay competive in their pricing. I will be looking for the follow-up post on your project.