Does Yanmar glow timer work in a Branson tractor?

defranks · Oct 25, 2017

Hello all, and thanks in-advance for your advice. I've always had great luck asking questions of the guys on this site.

I have a Branson 4220 tractor, and it's been great. A year or more ago, though, the glow plug timer started to work intermittently, meaning that it might or might not come on when I started the tractor. The tractor starts fairly easily in warm weather, so I never dug in to it, but it's getting cooler now and the glow plug time stopped working entirely.

I looked for one on eBay without any success, but I see that the Yanmar timer looks physically identical. Four wires, same plug, same configuration with one mounting hole. I wonder if anyone KNOWS whether the Yanmar timer will work in the Branson tractors?

The time I took out is Chinese, "Tae Chang Ind." marked on it. P.N. NTG 131 0000A3
Name: Glow Timer
L/N 40727.

The Yanmar timer looks to be Japanese (bonus, if it works.) I have no idea what "L/N" stands for on the label.

Thanks!

bobmisi · Oct 25, 2017

I just went through the same thing, and they do look the same and I think it will work. Much cheaper than the Branson part, but I ended up going with the OEM part. Next time it goes I'm going to replace it with a push button, which when held in will send power to the plugs until you release it. The problem with the timer is it sends power to the plugs every time you start the tractor, even when you don't need the glow plugs, therefore wearing out the timer and the glow plugs prematurely.

defranks · Oct 27, 2017

I went ahead and ordered one for $24 from an eBay seller. My local Branson dealer wants $75 for the timer. I like to support him, but not quite that much. The Yanmar part looks to have the same wire colors and the same plug. I'm hopeful it will work. And if it doesn't, I may just wire up your fix, which would be simple enough. I just hate to cut into the wiring harness.
Thanks for your input.

defranks · Oct 27, 2017

And after a moment of thought, it might make sense to wire the timer to a switch. Instead of holding a button in to light the glow plugs, just switch-on the timer for the first start in the morning. A variation on your good idea.

bobmisi · Oct 27, 2017

We put the push button in our 6.2 GMC diesel when the controller went about three years ago and it has worked great. I'd get rid of the timer if using a switch. It's just another thing to go wrong.

PILOON · Oct 27, 2017

bobmisi said:
We put the push button in our 6.2 GMC diesel when the controller went about three years ago and it has worked great. I'd get rid of the timer if using a switch. It's just another thing to go wrong.

Did same thing with my GMC, just counted thousand and one. two etc . never a problem!
Even knew one guy that simply held together the 2 bared ends of of wire between his fingers.

If using a switch you do need a high amperage one however.
Perhaps a starter or horn relay would be best and that activated by a smaller push button switch.
Glow plugs draw lots of current and you risk welding the contacts of a standard switch.
Most standard switches rarely are rated above 10 amps.

TractorGuy · Oct 28, 2017

Are you sure it glows every time? My JD is temperature activated. Doesn't work above 60 degrees.

defranks · Oct 29, 2017

Well, the Yanmar glow timer does not work in my application. Apparently it won't sink enough current to activate the relay and the indicator lamp.
The Yanmar timer looks identical to the OEM Branson timer, and even has the same colors on the four wires, but it doesn't work just the same. The Branson timer has 12v in on two leads, one ground lead, and one "trigger" lead that provides a ground for the glow-plug relay and indicator lamp.
The Yanmar timer would not work at all with 12v applied to two leads, but with 12v applied only to the red lead, the yellow "trigger" lead goes to ground potential. Unfortunately, it won't pull enough current to light an incandescent lamp. (I tested using a high-impedance multimeter.) I tried a few different combinations, as the red-white lead has ground potential all the time, but nothing worked.
I suppose I could build an add-on circuit with a switching transistor to carry the extra current, but I think just going with a push-button switch will be easier and more reliable. Piloon, you don't really need much current carrying capacity, maybe an amp, as the switch will activate the glow relay, which carries the high current required for the glow plugs.