Glow plugs and resistor

Hoka Hey · Nov 27, 2006

Thanks for the replies! I am getting 12 volts to my bus bar ( it supplies 3 glow plugs with power the same as your daisey chained setup). The hot wire goes to the middle plug that is connect to the other two by the bus bar. That is not the problem. The problem is that I am getting 12 volts to the bus bar instead of 9 volts. The glow plugs are 9 volts. I traced the wires to find a resistor and found nothing, but the light bulb indicator in the dash doesn't seem to be original equipment. It looks like original equipment, but on the bottom side I can see where there was something with a larger diameter washer or retainer that held the resistor or bulb in the gauge cluster. I believe that there should be a resistor in this location and not the bulb. Erik
I don't believe there is a fusible link in the glow plug wiring. Even if there was it wouldn't be suppling more voltage than the link would be rated for. The problem is that too much juice is getting to the glow plugs.

gemini5362 · Nov 27, 2006

It is not about the voltage it is about the current. a fusible link would melt before the circuit it is protecting melts. If you are getting voltage at the glowplug then the protective circuitry is not blown. I dont remember if you said or not but when you go to the glowplug heat position does the indicator light come on. If the light is in circuit and taking the place of the resistor then you can tell a couple of things. If the light lights then that means at least one of the glow plugs is getting current. You might ask your dealer if you can take the glowplugs out and lay them on the block and see if they heat up when you turn the switch. I dont know enough about diesel engines to say on that. you should also be able to take loose one of the wires to one of the glowplugs and see if the light gets dimmer. if it does take off another one of the wires and see if it gets still dimmer. If that happens basically put on just one wire and remove one so that you only have one glow plug wired in do that until you can turn the switch and the light doesnt come on. That should indicate that glow plug is open. Just in case you dont understand what I am talking about doing basically the light is in series with the glow plug the glow plug completes the circuit to ground through its heating element. If the heating element is open then the light wont have a complete circuit and it will not come on.

EFC · Nov 28, 2006

I am posting a photo of the two styles of dash one is the TL2700F and has thick wire wound resistor that glows red at the same time the glows plugs glow red. The next dash is the TL2701F and it has a light activated by a relay. There is still a resistor in the system and the bulb is just an indicator. Which dash do you have?

Buck

Hoka Hey · Nov 28, 2006

EFC it is the tl 2700f dash. I assume under the lens on the botton right is where the resistor mounts? Because mine has a light bulb in that location. I ordered a resistor from Rainbow Distributors, I hope this was the right thing to do? Does the resistor mount to the plastic of the gauge cluster under that lens? Gemini, you are right about the function of a fusable link. I worded it incorrectly, it is about amps and not volts. As far as I can tell there is no fusable link and I can't find a resistor of any sort. Thanks a lot guys!

gemini5362 · Nov 28, 2006

You ordered the resistor from Rainbow distributors is that a tractor parts place. I hope you ordered the one for the tractor so you get the right value and wattage rating

EFC · Dec 2, 2006

You ordered the right part

Hoka Hey · Dec 18, 2006

I have a new resistor in place as well as new glow plugs. When I turn the key to the left, to heat the glow plugs, the resistor is bright red within a few seconds. Should they heat up this quickly? Also, when I start to crank the engine the resistor heats up again (when the key is all the way to the right). Should the glow plugs be getting power when the starter is getting power? I bought a new resistor a couple of weeks ago and I burned it up very quickly because I had a bad glow plug, so I am very leary to heat the resistor for very long. I don't really want to burn up this resistor. I reversed the two resistor wires (on the resistor) thinking that they may have been incorrect but the same thing happens in both configurations.

mopacman · Dec 18, 2006

a resistor does not care which which way it is hooked up. If the glow plugs are the rite voltage and the resistor is for the rite number of cylenders it should be ok. Does it start after the resistor heats up?.....Larry

gemini5362 · Dec 18, 2006

The resistor heats up because the current running through it does that. Think of it like the wire in a toaster when you pop the bread it after a few seconds the wires heat up and turn red. The resistor is kind of like that. If you had a bad glow plug and it was shorted it would have burned up the resistor. A shorted glow plug would have pulled too much current and done that. I also would have thought that it would have burned up the wireing also but evidently it didnt. If your resistor is red when you have the starter running I am wondering if it is wired in right. Usually a key switch does not have anything going on in the start position. When it starts and you let the key go back to the normal position does the resistor still stay red ?

EFC · Dec 19, 2006

It is wired correctly and doing exactly what it is supposed to do. When the resistor is glowing so are the glow plugs. On the TL Iseki's the Glow plugs are activated when you turn the key to the left and also when you turn the key to the start position.

Buck