D&S problems

[aca carwash 2]

Have a D&S carwash with problems and cant get help fixing it.Gantry stuck down in rear and exit light flashing.Any suggestions?

 

[MEP001]

You'll need the manual, or help from someone knowledgeable with the machine, to find the problem. There are a lot of reasons why it would be stuck at one end, from hydraulic fluid low to one of several bad sensors. Can you lost what you've done so far to get it back in service?

 

[aca carwash 2]

having problems with my distributor.Hydrolic fluid is full and we switched the sensor with the front one and it is o.k.When the sensor matches up to the plate the light is on. That means it is working correct?I think the problem is in the power cord. They have rigged it many times. Why would it not reset to manual overide?

 

[MEP001]

It does sound like the cord. If the machine will still try to move down on the stops when you block the "top" eyes but won't come back up in manual run, it's the likely problem. Replacing the cord isn't very difficult. What do you mean "they've rigged it many times"?

 

[borumrm]

It could also be the directional coil. Relay 16 if pressed should move the gantry forward and relay 17 should move the gantry to the rear. Try pressing relay 16 and if the gantry moves up it is most likely the directional coil. If it does not move check to see iff perhaps a gearbox pin has sheared. The shaft will turn but the gantry won't move. If the shaft is not trying to turn most likely would be your cord.

 

[aca carwash 2]

D&s Problem

The wires in the top of the gantry are a mess where they had to bypass some wires last time we had a problem. The wires have also been re-connected where the cord was dragging in the bay.The gantry is stuck down in the rear position of the car. If you turn the main power on the power pack does not come on like it does when you reset the breaker.If you push the relay in by the computer the power pack will come on though. If you put it on manual override nothing happens.We could move it back up on manual overide when it first happened but now it wont move at all.

 

[aca carwash 2]

Thanks, I will try first thing tomorrow.

 

[MEP001]

If you put it on manual override nothing happens.

That doesn't sound like the cable. You need to get a manual and do some proper troubleshooting.

Bypass the lead from the hydraulic unit - there's a low level switch that could be bad. You could add a half-gallon or so to the unit to make sure it's not low, but be careful not to overfill it or it will spill over when it warms up.

 

[aca carwash 2]

bypass

Someone else had mentioned that it may be the low level switch in the hydrolic unit. Do you know how to bypass the switch.Run a jumper from where to where?

 

[MEP001]

The switch just breaks the power to the contactor coil. If I remember correctly it goes from the thermal overload to the hydraulic pack and back to the coil. Disconnect the two leads to the pack and run a short piece of wire to make the connection.

You don't want to run it like that indefinitely. One purpose for the low level switch is to keep it from pumping all the fluid out in case an oscillator hydraulic line breaks. I always fill the machine very slowly with the manual run switch on just until the hydraulic pack comes on, then if a hose leaks you don't lose more than a pint of fluid or spray several cars with oil.

 

[borumrm]

It might be helpful if you can telll us what you have tried....did you rule out the sheared pin? Did the gantry move forward when you pressed relay 16. It might help us narrow some things down....

 

[aca carwash 2]

D&S problem

Today we tried to bring the gantry back up by hitting relay 16 but it would not move. The power pack would not come on.We got it back to home by pushing relay 16 and pushing the relay to the power pack on the station at the same time.Does that mean its the directional coil or is there another reason the power pack will not come on? Do you still think it is the low level switch on the hydrolic pump.Why wont the power pack come on?
Could it have anything to do with the phases on the main breakers on the electric panel? We are trying to eliminate one thing or another of what is right or wrong.

 

[borumrm]

Hmmmmmm......to me that would seem to rule out the cord. I really think it is a good chance it might be the directional coil. Do you have another unit you could change it out with? One other thing....have you called D&S directly and asked them. I have done this in the past and they have been good about helping diagnose things as long as I could articulate what the symptoms were and what I had done to troubleshoot.

 

[borumrm]

You know on second thought when my directional cokl went out when I pressed 16 relay it would move forward....I did not have to press the relay for the hydraulic unit in addition to make it move.

 

[MEP001]

Today we tried to bring the gantry back up by hitting relay 16 but it would not move. The power pack would not come on.

The hydraulic unit does not come on when you press the relays #16 or 17. It must be in manual mode (with the hydraulic unit running) before triggering those relays will make it move.

We got it back to home by pushing relay 16 and pushing the relay to the power pack on the station at the same time.

Does the machine move the other way when you press relay 17? If it does, that completely rules out the directional coil. Are you pressing a relay to engage the hydraulic unit or are you pressing the blue bar in the contactor itself?

Do you still think it is the low level switch on the hydrolic pump.Why wont the power pack come on?

Did you try bypassing the low level switch as I suggested? Also be sure to press the reset button on the thermal overload to the hydraulic unit's contactor.

Could it have anything to do with the phases on the main breakers on the electric panel?

No. If it were a general electrical problem the hydraulic unit wouldn't ever run at all.

 

[borumrm]

Have you checked the fuses? MEP001 - good point now that he has it at home position he can rule out directional completely if he can make it go in reverse pressing relay 17. I was making an assumption that the unit was in manual mode when he was trying all these things.

I think MEP001 is right you need to try to bypass the lead on the hydraulic pack to rule out the low level float switch. I have never had to have on of those replaced but then again out of 6 units I have only had to replace a directional coil twice so maybe I have just been lucky.

 

[borumrm]

If you put it on manual override nothing happens.We could move it back up on manual overide when it first happened but now it wont move at all.

I've re read all the post entered so far. I think this statement tells a lot.

If the power pack won't come on at all when you put it in manual mode that is what you need to be troublshooting at this point. Nothing else will really matter until you solve that problem.

I will pull out my manual later today and see if I can see anything that jumps out at me but still think you need to rule out the low level float on the power pack

 

[Joe Gillis]

here's an idea... why doesn't ACA just pay his distributor the $ 1,700 dollars he owes him and have his technician go out there and fix it???

A wise man once told me "a car wash works best when it's paid for"

 

[aca carwash 2]

Guess what? The push-stop switch was bad.

 

[Deeretopher]

Yep been there done that, on the push stop button! It had come more or less apart inside the rubber button cover and intermittinly would stop a wash in the middle of cycles. Easy fix once I found it! Glad to hear ya got it goin.
DeereTopher