Testing Kysor Low Coolant Alarm

[jacwjames]

So going through the coach and making sure all is working

Just for giggles I tried to test the coolant alarm.  I have a newer tank with a Ford low coolant sensor.  When I installed the sensor I used a male/female connector.  I can pull it apart to brake ground which should trigger the kysor alarm to turn on the low coolant light on the dash.

Well, disconnecting the low coolant sensor didn't trigger the light.

So I've pulled the dash out and removed the kysor alarm, the connector was tight so I tried it again, nope.

I checked the voltage coming t the kysor and it showed ~7.5 volts, from my wiring diagram I can not see any fuse of resistor but comes from a 6 vo lt relay (I think)

I checked ohms between the power and ground kysor and it is good and there are some ohms on the connector spades on kysor. 

 

Is there an easy way to check the kysor alarm module??

[Ivan K]

To test ours, I had to suck coolant out to expose the sensor. I think it needs to be connected to alarm correctly. 

[jacwjames]

My original tank had the probe that would touch the coolant and close a ground loop.  So when the coolant was low it would break ground and the alarm would go off. 

The new sensor is located toward the bottom of the tank and does the same thing, when coolant is high enough it provides a ground to the module.  To duplicate that I can just unplug the wire going to the sensor, which I've done but the alarm light does not go off.  From my drawing I don't think the actual audible alarm isn't part of the circuit but it does work for both low air and parking brake alert.

 

[tmw188]

Jim do you have this Coolant Alarm. This is what I have behind my dash. I get a light if I disconnect the tank sensor but no alarm. 

[jacwjames]

My light isn't coming on, but I'll check again.  Checking the wiring diagram the low coolant alarm isn't connected to the audio alarm

I did open up the alarm to look at the board, no real sign of problems. 

So I'll put the alarm back and see if it still isn't working. 

[tmw188]

So that answers my question too. Not wired to the audio alarm. 

[jacwjames]

Well, I checked the bulb, it works.

Looked at the harness wiring, cut a zip tie so I could follow wires better and when I pulled the harness up a little one of the 4 wires was not connected to anything, following that wire to the module, which is labeled and it was the ground wire.  Not sure if I puled it loose or if had never been connected.  So I found a labeled ground on back of the speedometer and crimped a end on and attached it there.   But that did not change anything. 

When I first turn the key most of the lights come on and then go out after the lamp check is done, the low coolant doesn't come on.  So I checked my diagram and I believe the low coolant is suppose to come on momentarily but it is wired through the module so if the module is bad it probably wouldn't come on. 

So right now I'm thinking it's the module. 

[jacwjames]

OK, I've been looking at the schematic for the chassis that shows the low coolant module.

The low coolant light should come on with the check gauge function, when the ignition key is first turned on, the rest of the lights work that way but the low coolant light does not come on. 

So maybe it is the wiring to the light socket.   I'll check that tomorrow and try and test to see if the module might be sending voltage to the light socket. 

The problem with the wiring to the gauges is that they are all grouped and zip tied as an assembly and then put set in the dash and final wiring done while there is still access to the dash.  On my Windsor there is not an access panel that can be removed, I have to take all the screws out of the front bezel and lay it (kind of) down to work on it and there is still not a lot of room. 

[jacwjames]

@Tom Cherry  @Frank McElroy

Do you have any experience with trouble shooting this circuit. 

On a different thread I found this document, my chassis wiring diagram shows the same thing. 

Kysor Coolant Level Alarm 1039-07058-01 Monaco (1).pdf

[jacwjames]

Finally got it,

Other then making sure it  had a good ground I was tracing wires found the diodes on  the three "check" circuits kept on checking as I was doing that and at one point it started working,    I've had dash pulled loose several times over the last couple years so maybe I pulled the ground loose.  I've moved it to the first ground on the passenger side at the speedometer so easy to see now. 

The Low Coolant does check but it's very quick compared to the other two, maybe stays on for 1 second while the other are 4-5 seconds.   But good enough, it does come on and stay on if I disconnect the coolant sensor. 

 

The alarm is obsolete, did find some used one and was considering buying one as a last resort.