ATV Electrical problem - need help

[Code54]

We have a "ATV WAGON" that seems to be having a problem with the electrical dump. It used to dump just fine but now it just clicks. The wagon is 6-7 years old but was stored indoors for several years and may have dumped 50 loads total in its life.
View attachment Elec for wagon.pdf

Right now I have power to the wagon coming from the tractor battery. The power appears to be traveling back to the switch from the best I can tell. I checked and I can hear the relays click. I also pulled the relays one at a time and replaced it with a new one I had on hand - no change. I checked the two wires that attach to the "ram" - BOTH are showing power all the time????
When I hit the up/down switch nothing happens at all - no clicks, nothing. If I touch my tester to the connections where the switch attaches to the trailer then i can get a little click sound (guessing a relay).
Im not too hot on reading electrical diagrams so I figured I am missing something - any ideas are welcome.
THANKS

 

[texasjohn]

I hope your tester is a VOLTMETER. If so, follow the wires and make sure 12 volts gets all the way back to the ram. Let us know where you stop getting 12 volts and maybe then we can help more.

 

[Mendonsy]

Based on your comments it appears you may be missing a ground connection. Here's some information on the relays that may help you.
Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT), Single Pole Single Throw (SPST) Automotive Relays

 

[Code54]

First off - thank you both.

I have 12V at both the ram and the relays. What I can't figure out is why BOTH wires going to the RAM have 12V in them. Seems one should for up and one should for down if I am reading the chart correctly. I am not sure about the ground but I will double check that. I believe the cart self grounds on the hitch but maybe I am wrong.
Thanks again and I will keep checking.

 

[Mendonsy]

Yes, there are relays for up and down.
When both relays are off they should make the normally closed (NC) connection from 30 to 87A. That would put a ground (white) on both sides of the lift/lower motor.
When one of the relays is energized it should make the normally open (NO) connection from 30 to 87. That would put 12 volts (black) on one side of the lift/lower motor.
To energize a relay you need 12 volts across the coil of the relay from 85 to 86.

 

[Code54]

Thanks for the info and help! I luckily took part of today off work so I now have a little time to work on it.
I notice that if I discount the 2 wires going to the lift motor, I can hook one to the positive battery post and one to the negative and either lift/lower it depending on which is positive/negative so I know the lift is ok. Does that mean a relay is bad? Seems all the wires are good, the only other guess is a bad switch maybe?

 

[Mendonsy]

It could be a bad relay or switch, but that should normally only effect one direction of travel.
I still suspect a ground problem because you said that you saw 12 volts on both sides of the motor at one point. At least one side should always be grounded through the relays.
Trailer grounds are notorious for being a problem and difficult to trace.
Check the black and white wires at your 4 wire plug to be sure you have 12 volts and ground going to the trailer.

 

[Code54]

Will do - THANKS!

 

[ETpilot]

Try working from the lift back. You know the lift works as you tested in post 6. Now disconnect at lift motor and check for up and down power. When you select up at the switch you should have battery voltage at the red wire. The blue wire should have continuity to ground. When you select down at the switch you should have battery voltage at the blue wire and red should have continuity to ground.

No continuity to ground means a ground problem. This system grounds to the battery thru the white wire at the 4 pin connector. Not sure how you are getting voltage at both lift wires at same time. This would be a start to ID the problem.

Edit. The only way I see that you can get voltage at each lift wire at same time is a fault in the switch. A fault where the switch red wire is feeding both the green and yellow wire at same time. This fault however would activate both relays at same time. Thus the Power at both wires.

 

[kenmac]

Make sure there is no corrosion anywhere within the 12 v system.. A small amount of Resistance is a killer in a low voltage system... Make sure all connections are clean