Boom error on Water Wizard 1.0

[washnvac]

I just inherited a WW 1.0 with the purchase of an existing wash. I have an intermittent problem in that I get a "top boom did not come down" error. There is no logical reason for the error. The unit works fine. I have replaced all three sets of eyes, as well as the four prox switches for sensing location of boom. When the error occurs, video indicates that boom does not come down completely. But this only occurs on one of the passes. Jim Coleman told me I need to walk with the machine to see what indicators are doing. Now I have an issue that happens maybe twice a week (always on Saturday or Sunday) , and they want me to walk with the machine to look at indicator lights you can harldy see on a cloudy day, let alone a sunny day. I just want to disconnect whatever is giving me this error. It goes to "out of service" everytime this error comes on. And, ofcourse, it is always when the attendant has left, and I am 25 miles away. I am very disappointed with Jim Coleman with regards to troublshooting this machine--there are too many possible causes for many situations. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[ratfink102]

Look at each wire from the prox sensors be sure they haven't been hit by the boom going up or down or if they have a small cut on them. You can flip the manual switch up bring the boom half way down get a piece of metal run it next to each prox switch and see if the light turns on on the 1d16 card to find out which prox is intermittent. Also you might check the banner eyes (safety eyes) these can keep the boom from going down.

 

[washnvac]

We have done all of that. All three sets of eyes are new. All four prox switches are new. The four prox register fine when testing. We have run the "dry" wash cycle, put objects in front of the eyes, and yes the boom immediately goes back up, but it does not give the error code. I really do not understand that. It has been impossible to duplicate the error under the dry wash. Any other thoughts? Thanks.

 

[Greg Pack]

I would also suggest replacement of the cables too, and the use of dielectric silicone grease on the connectors.

 

[robtl]

washnvac,,Does the boom move down any or does it fault out at the time of boom down?
Does the boom come down a little and then turn and then fault out and then go back up?

we also had one that would sometimes stick at the top because of the lovejoy coupling was worn badly and would bind and fault out. make sure the boom is level and not binding on the vertical rods.

 

[washnvac]

The boom comes down about a foot, then returns up with the error. The problem is we can not duplicate this error under dry wash conditions. When we block the eyes the boom does go back up, but there is no error. Do you think the error occurs when there is excess load on the motor? By the way, the lovejoy coupling and spider are new. It was very worn when I bought the place. We can not visibly see any binding on boom up/down. It seems very smooth. Jim Coleman Co. can't tell you didly. I just want to disable the error code from the PLC, but they won't do that either. The Boom not coming down does not seem like an error that should shut the machine down, but it does. Any other thoughts? Thanks.

 

[robtl]

with the fault saying "boom did not go down" there must be trouble with the three prox on the boom , you say you replaced them new, try running new cables to the control box on the gantry.
do you know if the fault occurs on low pressure or on the high pressure pass, we had the high pressure push the boom away from the proxes once and caused a fault
also when the boom turns it caused the edge of the boom to break the eyes in the cans on the back and not let the boom to come down but it would keep washing but no boom down
one other thing to check is the boom motor wireing,if you have eleminated the binding of the lovejoy and shafts. is the transmission good and not locking up?
do you have the rubber stops on top of the boom,they were added later.

 

[washnvac]

You have given me a couple other things to check, thanks. I do not think it is the prox because when we run a controled wash, and block the safety eyes, the boom immediately turns around and goes up, but the error does not come up. Go figure? It is usually a low pressure pass, i.e. pre-soak or spot-free rinse cycle.

 

[robtl]

one other thing we had happen when the boom came down it slightly rubbed the wire on the safety eye and caused a short. this almost drove us crazy finding it.

 

[washnvac]

OK, thanks a bunch!

 

[Greg Pack]

Since we are grasping at straws, I just remembered something that may be of use. I'm real rusty on the first generation wizards but long ago they had a problem with the boom shaft wobbling a bit causing trouble. If the wobbling was forcing the boom away from the prox. switch it would not see it, and maybe this would cause the error you are having. Coleman sent out the collars to install on the shaft to help stabilize it. The wash I had a wizard installed in 2002 had to be upgraded in the field, but I think by 2003 they had rectified the problem. So maybe if you have an older wizard this is a potential problem. I would manually move the boom to the proxes and shake/push the boom while someone is looking at the input lights on the PLC. If they blink that might be the culprit.

 

[Greg Pack]

Well, now I see that Rob has already addresses the shaky boom problem. I should read posts more carefully.

 

[washnvac]

There are no collars on the shaft, and it does shake pretty good. The machine was installed end of 02. I still think something is a little silly with this thing, in that we can not duplicate the error running the dry wash cycle. We can interrupt the boom from coming down at any point with the different sets of eyes, yet the error does not come up on the screen. Anyhow, thanks a lot for the info. I will call Coleman tomorrow to see about getting the collars.

 

[robtl]

try starting a wash and tape a piece of metal of some sorts to one of the three boom proxes that will keep it lit and see if you get a error message when it faults out, this will also tell you if one of the proxes is flickering or giving you problems

 

[ratfink102]

You need to check the auto height eyes and measurement eyes and the amplifiers the boom will not go down if they are blocked.

 

[washnvac]

All eyes and amps are new. Thanks for the input, though.

 

[dpessler]

The early 1.0 had a brake on the top motor. Could it be sticking? I had the same error this week, ended up being the bottom (4th) prox cable.

 

[washnvac]

dpessler....

I am not sure if it has a brake or not. I know it is an early 1.0, so I will check first thing Monday. What controls the brake? I had wondered if there was tension on the motor or shafts that was causing the error. An earlier post suggested that I place a piece of metal over each prox during cycling. I did this, but the errors I received were that the particular prox needed to be replaced. What was the unit doing when the bootom cable went bad on yours? Did boom only come a short ways down, then error out with "top boom did not come down"? The most aggravating part is that this takes the unit to out of service, when it is only an occassional problem. Thanks for your input.

 

[ratfink102]

washnvac Have you replaced the cables or just the eyes? It has to be a problem with one of them and I also had changed out my auto height eyes one time they sent the wrong eyes they were good for 4 to 6 feet and not 8 to 10 feet. when I installed them I got good reading but when I ran it the water blocked them and boom would go back up. I am just trying to remember everything that has happened to mine.

 

[washnvac]

No, we did not do the cables, but based on some of the posts I will go ahead and order four cables Monday so that I can rule that out. We inspected all cables for any wear, but all appeared to be good. I just do not see how a cable can fail with no visible wear. But they are cheap, and I have to rule it out. Thanks.