Ever see inside the Protective Control Box?

[todds112]

I did check all the gauges and they were all operational as well. I guess I just wanted to make sure there would be no ill effects. I wasn't sure if it would mess with the charging system not having that wire in place.

I think you wouldn't be charging the batteries at all, just powering the truck from the alternator. Not sure what effect that would have on the alternator over time.

 

[rebelqwes87]

Gotya, that's what I wanted to know. Thanks!

 

[plode]

I just finished rebuilding my PCB, two brand new solenoids, and got rid of the circuit board. The truck fires right up now(no more beating on the box with a hammer).
I'll post pictures of it a little later on. I pretty much followed what a few others have done on here. I'm glad I didn't spend $150-200 buying a new one.

 

[Iron Horse]

This may be slightly off topic, but in the event that the PCB fails out on the road how is the best way to jump the starter? Using a screwdriver and jumping the starter solenoid the old fashioned way didn't work for me the other day..

 

[todds112]

This may be slightly off topic, but in the event that the PCB fails out on the road how is the best way to jump the starter? Using a screwdriver and jumping the starter solenoid the old fashioned way didn't work for me the other day..

Did it turn over, or not do anything? The fuel solenoid would have to be powered for it to run.

 

[todds112]

Played with the truck some today. It was pretty cold and barely started, tested the ether system and it worked. Definitely have the main power solenoid sticking closed. With the main power switch turned off, I still had current draw (gauges and heater blower still operated). Banged on the PCB a few times and the power stayed on. I disconnected the PCB and that killed the power draw. My NOS box arrived today and hopefully that will fix things. I plan on taking the old one apart and fixing it for a spare.

Here is the new one. My old one is the Presto-Crap one.

Interesting to see the test form from 2008. Hope it aged well, didn't have time today to swap them out.

 

[73m819]

I anybody has a DEAD box, I sure would like the end with the plug.

 

[Scar59]

Subscribed for later, good info, may try to repair a bad box.

 

[plode]

Here's my redone box:

White wires are just grounds going to the case. I saw another one on here that just had the grounds daisy chained, but I don't like doing that. It's the amateur radio operator in me. Diodes are 1N5408. On the side with the 2 blue crimp on ring terminals, there is a piece of wire in there, it's just very short and the insulation from the ring terminal hides it...#6 copper. Solenoids I used are Cole Hersee 24063, 85 amp continuous duty. [h=1][/h]

 

[todds112]

Here's my redone box:
View attachment 537847View attachment 537845View attachment 537844View attachment 537846
White wires are just grounds going to the case. I saw another one on here that just had the grounds daisy chained, but I don't like doing that. It's the amateur radio operator in me. Diodes are 1N5408. On the side with the 2 blue crimp on ring terminals, there is a piece of wire in there, it's just very short and the insulation from the ring terminal hides it...#6 copper. Solenoids I used are Cole Hersee 24063, 85 amp continuous duty.

Was that a Presto-Lite one? The base looks like my bad one. How did you get it apart? Looks great.

 

[plode]

Was that a Presto-Lite one? The base looks like my bad one. How did you get it apart? Looks great.

Yes, it was a Presto-Lite. The seam around the base/lid appeared to be epoxied on(with paint over it all). I used a hammer and a chisel to break the epoxy up, and then used a screwdriver to pry the seam apart.
The OE solenoids were spot welded to the base of the box, I used my drill press to drill each weld(just deep enough to get the solenoid and circuit board mount off) and then just used an angle grinder to remove any excess material the drill didn't get.

 

[hklvette]

Looking at Plode's pictures, it doesn't look to me like that would do a very good job at protecting from reversed batteries. The diodes there look like the go across the coil and act as suppression diodes to bleed off the energy in the coil when deactivated. If no other diodes are added the suppression diodes will short the reversed batteries when power was applied, resulting in a spectacular failure of the diode. Adding a diode into each non-grounded control line with the cathode (stripe) connected to the coil would stop them from being activated if the batteries were installed backwards.

It would be fairly easy to build new boxes if we knew the PN of the mil connector...

 

[plode]

Looking at Plode's pictures, it doesn't look to me like that would do a very good job at protecting from reversed batteries. The diodes there look like the go across the coil and act as suppression diodes to bleed off the energy in the coil when deactivated. If no other diodes are added the suppression diodes will short the reversed batteries when power was applied, resulting in a spectacular failure of the diode. Adding a diode into each non-grounded control line with the cathode (stripe) connected to the coil would stop them from being activated if the batteries were installed backwards.

It would be fairly easy to build new boxes if we knew the PN of the mil connector...

Well, to be honest, I'm not an idiot. I would never connect the batteries backwards like some 18 year old inexperienced mechanic in the Army might. I can still tweak the design, the box isn't that difficult to open up.
I can install a diode into the control line on both solenoids...would probably take me all of about 10 minutes to add.

 

[Scar59]

plode,
Nice work, have you put it back in the truck to test it? I found another "bad" box in the shop. I have two boxes that could use refurbishment.
JC

 

[Artisan]

I have not read this whole thread but if any of you guys
are rebuilding cores I might be interested if it has a guarantee...

I would probably replace my working unit w/ a rebuilt unit and keep my known
working unit onboard as a spare.

I run and M915A1

 

[plode]

plode,
Nice work, have you put it back in the truck to test it? I found another "bad" box in the shop. I have two boxes that could use refurbishment.
JC

Yes, It's been back in the truck and hooked up for a few days now. Truck has started every time I've tried it now...seems to be working perfectly.

Previously I was also having an issue with one of the ABS systems not doing it's start up "clicks"/self test...but now it works every time...not sure if that was a bad ground that was fixed, or if it was a part of the bad solenoid not supplying full power or something...I do not know...I just know that in the 5 times I've fired the truck up since I repaired the box, the ABS system has booted up properly with no light anymore. I have a complete ABS retrofit kit for parts on hand...so if anything goes amiss again, I have the parts to repair it.

 

[hklvette]

Well, to be honest, I'm not an idiot. I would never connect the batteries backwards like some 18 year old inexperienced mechanic in the Army might. I can still tweak the design, the box isn't that difficult to open up.
I can install a diode into the control line on both solenoids...would probably take me all of about 10 minutes to add.

Understood and I figured as much, I just put that out there for "completeness". I'm curious what the PCB (circuit board, that is) does on the ones that have them. Maybe it has some kind of starting timer to prevent cooking the starter from cranking too long?

 

[Scar59]

Yes, It's been back in the truck and hooked up for a few days now. Truck has started every time I've tried it now...seems to be working perfectly.

Previously I was also having an issue with one of the ABS systems not doing it's start up "clicks"/self test...but now it works every time...not sure if that was a bad ground that was fixed, or if it was a part of the bad solenoid not supplying full power or something...I do not know...I just know that in the 5 times I've fired the truck up since I repaired the box, the ABS system has booted up properly with no light anymore. I have a complete ABS retrofit kit for parts on hand...so if anything goes amiss again, I have the parts to repair it.

Thanks for the follow up. I need to order up the relays now.

 

[plode]

Understood and I figured as much, I just put that out there for "completeness". I'm curious what the PCB (circuit board, that is) does on the ones that have them. Maybe it has some kind of starting timer to prevent cooking the starter from cranking too long?

I'll have to go look at the circuit board to see what is on it and see if we can reverse engineer it. I'll post up pictures tomorrow of it, don't feel like going to grab it out of the garage now...work was exhausting today.

 

[todds112]

Here's the circuit board out of my Presto-Lite one. No idea what all that stuff does.

Replacement worked perfect, hope it lasts.