• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

New PCB -- blinking wait light?

Army Kid

Banned
47
0
0
Location
SW
I have an old Prestolite PCB box (6110-01-292-6532) on my '85 HMMWV with a Nartron temp sensor (2920-01-175-7214)... wait light comes on for a few seconds, and the truck starts perfectly, every time.
I bought a brand new KDS smart start PCB (figuring I'd use the new one for reliability & keep the old one for a spare). I disconnected the batteries, removed the old PCB, installed the new one, reconnected the batteries, and turned the ignition to on. The wait light blinks 5-ish times, then goes out...glow plugs never cycle... voltmeter never drops... truck will not crank.
Figuring perhaps the new PCB is more picky about having a good ground, I bought & installed the ground cable from Kascar. All grounding points are cleaned up, sanded, installed, and perfect now.
Same blinking wait light.
Any ideas ?? Could I have a bad brand new PCB from KDS ?

In the mean-time I reinstalled the old Prestolite... which still starts instantly every time...
Thanks.
 

steelsoldiers

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
5,251
3,961
113
Location
Charleston, WV
Hmm, definitely sounds like some sort of trouble code. I searched around a little on the net but couldn't find a troubleshooting guide for the smart start box. It sounds like you have done all of the usual stuff like the ground harness, etc already. Maybe a bad box? Did you get it from Kascar? Might be worth calling them and asking one of their service guys.
 

nattieleather

Well-known member
1,884
134
63
Location
Cleveland, OH
I would have to think that it's a bad box. It's not like the truck didn't run before and your replaced the box only to find that wasn't the problem. I would say contact them and either send it back for a new one or just send it back and keep the old one.
 

Army Kid

Banned
47
0
0
Location
SW
The KDS Smart Start system uses a temp sensor. The PCB and sensor are sold as a matched set.

CR2701 - KDS Smart Start System Kit - S3 | Kascar Real4WD.com your HMMWV® parts Superstore!

Thanks guys, yeah the smart start PCB comes with a temp sensor: Nartron 19207SOCN12480779.
A friend of mine bought the same smart start system from the same place for his HMMWV. He didn't use this temp sensor that came with it, just used the existing Nartron 2920-01-175-7214. Says it worked fine, so he kept the new one for a spare.
Again, when I use that combo, I get the blinking wait light. If I install the sensor that came with the PCB, wait light comes on for 1 second, then goes out...no voltage drop, no glow plug cycle, however, the starter will crank when I turn the ignition. (Starter won't crank with the other combo & blinking wait light...) ***correction...starter does crank w/this combo...but no glow plug power***. Perhaps the smart start box is too smart, and is telling me some other part of the circuit is faulty? Whereas the old Prestolite box is a 'dumb' box and will light the glow plus regardless of what else is going on ?
 
Last edited:

Army Kid

Banned
47
0
0
Location
SW
might be. have you tried unplugging the temp sensor and seeing what happens?
Tried your suggestion today.
1) old Nartron controller with new smart start PCB -- wait light blinks, then stops, no glow plug voltage, turn the start switch, engine just cranks and cranks.
2) unplug the controller = same exact result as above
 

jwaller

Active member
3,724
19
38
Location
Columbia, SC
well it was worth a shot, some of the new PCB's don't use the temp controller,

The one in mine doesn't so I thought you might be lucky too. I guess you need to find the right one for your PCB.
 

Economist

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
117
1
16
Location
Arizona
I am the friend that Army Kid was talking about. I put in a new box (just like his) and did not change anything else. My wait light blinked before I swapped out boxes and still does the same. I thought that was normal. My truck, with the new PCB box, fires up right away and every time. Did I just get lucky? Should I swap out the glow plug controller?

Thanks. -Economist.
 

86humv

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,692
489
83
Location
Texas
What is the part number and color of your PCB box ?
And who makes it ?
 

Army Kid

Banned
47
0
0
Location
SW
What is the part number and color of your PCB box ?
And who makes it ?
The new PCB is a white label:
Smart Start System
19207SOCN12480779
Mfg 32498 24volts
Nartron Corporation
Comes with a Nartron temp sensor, same part number as the PCB: 19207SOCN12480779
 

Army Kid

Banned
47
0
0
Location
SW
It sounds like a problem with the controller to me. Have you tried contacting the vender for any tech support from them?
Vendor doesn't know why it wouldn't work, but has offered me cash back. Just hate to give up on it, but I may have to at this point.
 

Army Kid

Banned
47
0
0
Location
SW
Followup, after trying a 2nd new 'matched' temp controller, with the same no-go result, got my $ back on the Nartron 'smart-start' PCB... installed a KDS smart start PCB with the yellow label temp controller. Works great.
 

CATONY

New member
15
0
0
Location
Hermosa Beach
I'm having the exact same issue with the new A3 EESS Natron Smart Start PCB. From my understanding the box just doesn't work sometimes....???
My wait light just blinks from 9 to 23 times and the starter just goes click click click and nothing. I've tried the things you have suggested. Could it be the starter?
 
Top