Ingersoll Rand Wheel Loader electrical problem - PlowSite.com™

Jim15 · #1 09-12-2012, 10:14 PM

Thanks for the guys who offered opinions on the plow for our Ingersoll Rand WL 440. Now need some help solving an electrical issue.

So, while putting this machine to use to unload the moldboard and pallet with A-frame and cylinders inside it, all of a sudden the front and rear windshield wipers and windshield washer started going off. Thinking it was just isolated to that I went to remove the 2 fuses which control those 3 functions, and noticed that 2 of the 4 fuse panels are just beneath the emergency brake handle, whcih is where those 2 fuses were located, and that when I seemed to push it down the wipers would start going. I would shut the switches off, push the emergency brake handle down, and they would start going.

So I removed the fuse panel (small only about 12 fuses per panel) and saw that there wasn't much slack in the wiring harnesses, and that they were making contact with the emergency brake handle, however it did not look like the handle had worn through the wires. So I removed the fuses, and left the fuse panel sitting on the floor as to not have the wires near the emergency brake handle.

So I went to back up, and the machine started going in and out of reverse gear (hydrostatic transmission with two speed transmission, selector switch on joystick and an override selector switch on the dash to the left of steering wheel to keep machine in forward or reverse, essentially disconnecting the selector switch on the joystick (ie. for when driving on road). Beside that switch is a switch to shut off boom and bucket functions (also for use when driving down the road), and the slow/fast 2 speed selector switch. On the right side is the front, rear, and wash windshield wiper switches, also in the form of toggle switches however you click the top to raise the speed of wipers, and down to lower.

I noticed that these six switches were flashing on and off randomly, the wipers were the first thing to notice since they started while I was hooking the moldboard up to a strap and I was outside of the machine. The machine had been running fine for about 15 minutes before this started happening. This loader has not been used much this year, if at all, and did not go out once last winter with no big snow removal jobs, only small 3-4" plowings.

Last year when using it I noticed the battery light on, after the machine had set most of the summer since winter, and it went out after a full day of running and working. The battery light did not come on at all this time, the battery has never died to my knowledge, and it turned right over first time before this started happening. So do you think I should:

Try trickle charging battery?

Just go ahead and replace battery and hope it fixes it?

Think its more of an electrical issue with wires either near the fuse panel or under the steering wheel where these six switches are located?

A little more info: Machine is a 2006 Ingersoll Rand WL 440 wheel loader with only 400 hours. Terex made these loaders for IR, Terex model equivillant is TL 100. We have owned it for almost 2 years, it has only been used about 50 hours, and when not out working, goes right back inside of our garage. Since it doesn't sit outside, I don't think it could have been caused by a rat chewing through the wires. The battery tested 12.5 to 13 volts before started and 13-13.5 volts when running. Any help again much appreciated.

Jim

RLM · #2 09-13-2012, 05:47 AM

I don't know much about that particuliar mâchine I wil tell you I have 3 bobcat machines, I have had to replace 2 irony harnesses & 1 is acting up again (headlights turned on by themselves & stayed on when machine was turned off), I just unplugged the light bulbs, I do need to address that. We rented a Terex wheeloader (873), seemed to have lots of gremlins as well.