What Does This Button Do???

[8934]

I recently purchased a used JD 17zts, and dont have the the operators manual yet... (It is on order) There is a button on the instrument panel that I cant figure out what it does... It is driving me bonkers.

I am talking about the button on the left, after you press it, the little green light in the lower left lights, but that is all I can see that it does.

No clicks, hums, or diference in machine, that I can tell.

My WAG is it is supposed to affect the unloaded bucket movement speed, (a feature of some excavators I read about while doing research before buying) but I cant tell any difference.

Help?? What does it do!!!

 

[gatractorman]

My WAG would be that is has something to do with engine rpm according to the icon above the button, assuming I'm looking at the right one. Alot of modern trackhoes have an automatic idle so the engine goes to idle after a few seconds of non use but comes back up as soon as a function is moved.

 

[8934]

I agree thats what the picture looks like...

But it doesnt work, if that is what it is, and there is only a simple direct cable going from the throttle lever, to the fuel injector pump. There is a large soloinoid valve on the injector pump, but I assumed that was fuel shut off.

Since I purchased machine used, it only has about 5 weeks of factory warantee left. I want to make sure it is working properly.

The button to the right, does work the headlight.

I did see something in my research about load sensing hydraulic function, that I assumed it was, but that doesnt seem to do anything either.

 

[wrangler6831]

If it is for the load sensing Hyd function, the way it works is that you push it and the machine automatically revs the engines to the needed output of the load. It has more to do with fuel savings than anything. It only idles up if the Hyd senses it needs more power to lift a given load. So the only time you would sense it doing anything is if your digging at low idle and the hyd needs more power to lift the load. Give that a try and see if it works.


Rich

 

[DieselPower]

DON'T PUSH IT! IT'S THE SELF DESTRUCT BUTTON. Seriously, I think Rich hit the nail on the head. It automatically adjust the engine speed up to compensate for increased load.

 

[mjncad]

Don't you just hate those cryptic icons without text to explain their meaning?

 

[8934]

That would be sweet...

It would be great if it automaticly increases engine speed based on hydraulic load. It also makes sense since I have been running wide open when digging why I dont see a difference when I press it.

Called dealer today, the operators manual still isnt in yet...

I am out of town for a week, and will have to wait to try it untill I get back.

Thanks for the help.

 

[IH3444]

Looks like the arm thermo-detonation-device that the Predator wore and set off after losing to Arnold in the first movie....... I didn't understand those egyptian hydros either...

 

[8934]

The dealership called this afternoon.... The operators manual is in. So I will know exactly what it is supposed to do when I get back from my DC trip.

I will let you guys know what it does.

 

[8934]

I had my wife pick up the manual, she said the button is NOT shown in the manual, so she called the factory... They didnt know either, and are doing some research.

The mystery deepens....

 

[8934]

The mystery deepens.

My wife has spoken to the factory twice, she called them yesterday, and they called her back today to get the VIN number of the machine. They do not know what the button is suppsed to do either.

They are supposed to call Japan to ask them... Go figure!

 

[kthompson]

I purchased a used Volvo just over a year ago. There is a high speed button on my blade lever they did not have in the manual. It was in a totally different series of serial numbers than mine. It was sold by Volvo to me and they had the number when they ordered the manuals.

The best I can tell, it looks like a horn being shown, if so my guess the alarm for the machine when moving it. Not sure it sounds in all directions or only in reverse. If not other thoughts: Is it by chance a high low speed shift? But again the best I can tell the decal does not look like that. Or is there a horn you can switch off and there is a button on one of your joy sticks to operate it? Look for a thumb location. Lights, does your machine have a quick disconnect for the bucket?

 

[kthompson]

It will not be funny if for an option your machine does not have but they use the same board due to cost effectiveness, but they may.

Is asking the previous owner not an option?

 

[PILOON]

Just guessing here,

The area defined in white outline has 2 functions depicted.
The right one looks to be lighting (boom work light?) and I suspect the left since there is a boom arm symbol above suggests a remote boom arm locking pin (either swing or tuck in) probably to lock for transport.
Also adjacent to green light looks to be a little grill suggesting that a beeper warning may be housed behind.

I seem to recall my buddy telling me of that feature on his new Deere backhoe.
Would make sense that the operator would not need to dismount and pin every time he moved the machine around a work site.

If so, perhaps the complete option was not installed or the previous owner disabled it.

Also to the right of the outlined zone is a switch that the symbol suggests 'beeper bypass'. (would make sense that you would not wish to have beeping all the while that you move around a work site or working at night (light on) with an annoying beeping.

 

[8934]

Update

Thanks for the help, and guesses.

Beep silence is on a old fashoned toggle switch, so it isnt that.

I have taken apart the dash and traced all the wires I can. The light switch when pressed toggles a small relay in the dash. There was a duplicate relay right next to it....

I assumed it was for the mystery switch, but found out that it works the horn. (Anouther switch in lever)

Since switch is not large enough to power anything directly, I have about decided that it is supposed to be for automatic idle function, when hydraulics do not see a load. But machine does not have the function. A few people on anouther board says their machines are the same, have switch but no function.

Without wiring diagram this is about as far as I can go.

 

[mjncad]

My guess it was cheaper to install the switch on all machines whether it controlled anything or not; rather than make separate assemblies, etc for machines with the switch controlled mystery function and for machines that didn't have the function.

 

[8934]

Is asking the previous owner not an option?

Sorry I missed your question, I purchased it with 80 hours from the local JD dealership, it was placed in their rental fleet in 2008 right before the bottom fell out of the construciton market.

My dealership, part of a chain got it for me from their other store, and they dont know what button does either.