When 12 volt isn't

The dump body on my F450 was getting weaker and weaker. Finally did nothing but click. I went around and tried to wiggle all the electric connections but they all seem good. A friend looked at it with me. We tried jumping out the solenoid and nothing. He says it's toast.
So I order and recieve a new pump kit, get it installed. When I'm getting ready to wire it, the hot wire bangs it and the pump clicks YEAH! Get it wired up and nothing

So I start testing it with a ammeter/voltmeter. There is 12 volts where there is supposed to be but when I take the big, hot cable from the battery and bypass the solinoid, there is no click...no nothing. Finally took some jumper cables and went from the batt. to the pump. Then I used the cables to bypass the circut breaker (nothing) and then went from the cable/circuit breaker to the batt. again and it worked.

Well, the point is, that I really wasn't thinking " bad connection" particularly after getting the same voltage out of the "00" guage wire as the battery had. But there it is

After cleaning the end that goes on the battery, it works.

Now I need to think up something to make out of the old pump

Wiring up anything other than a house confuses the heck out of me. For whatever reason, I can manage household current just fine. But give me something that is 12 volts and all of a sudden things get muddy, there are relays, selonoids and all sorts of other things to screw me up. But the one thing I learned to do was start at the battery and work from that point out to the problem. Still, I can't fix 1/2 of what is screwed up on a 12 volt system, but I'm getting better than I used to be!

So now the only question is, what are you going to use the old, but perfectly good, pump for?

Put the old pump on a pedstal to remind yourself to be more thourgh the next time when trouble shooting. Anyone can make a mistake but its us good guys that can get ourselves out of it. I am glad thing turn out ok for you.

It's a common occurence on 12 v systems at the batt connections. It forms corrosion at the post and will show 12 v w/ no load on the wire. Put the load on the wire and voltage drops wayy down.You now know when the solenoid just clicks,the first thing to check is batt connections and then work down the line to whatever isn't working.
I don't have any suggestions for the old pump except as a spare.
Mike

If the connection at the end of the battery cable is showing signs of corrosion, then I would just replace the entire battery cable, especially if it is a few years old. The corrosion that you see at the end of the cable will usually work its way down the cable, under the insulation and cause high resistance to the electrical current that is trying to get through it. Replace with good quality battery cables and you will have trouble free performance for many more years. Cut the end off and use one of those cheater ends, and you will have nothing but problems forever. I know of lots of cheap skates that won't spring for a new battery cable on their $20,000 6 volt antique car, but they will complain and say that they need to convert it to 12 volts just to get it started. I keep telling them that if it worked properly on 6 volts when new, it should still work properly on 6 volts today if they get the system back to its original performance standard. Converting to a higher voltage to resolve problems is what I call the band aid approach. Eventually, the problem will have to be properly resolved. Do it now, not later and you will be a lot happier.

Corrosion on the cable end or battery terminal is the first thing I look for but none was apparent. This cable has an eye and goes on the bolt to the battery terminal. When I took it apart, the nut it sits against had very light surface rust. The cable eye was tarnished but not growing any dust.

I should know by now, to take each connection apart, particularly on a Ford

The good news is that a pump kit was only about $350 when I was expecting it to be $800. And I got to clean up the rust in that area. I was hoping that this truck would last the rest of my life but between crummy steel and ridiculous amounts of salt on the roads, it isn't looking promising.

pixie said:

Corrosion on the cable end or battery terminal is the first thing I look for but none was apparent. This cable has an eye and goes on the bolt to the battery terminal. When I took it apart, the nut it sits against had very light surface rust. The cable eye was tarnished but not growing any dust.

I should know by now, to take each connection apart, particularly on a Ford

The good news is that a pump kit was only about $350 when I was expecting it to be $800. And I got to clean up the rust in that area. I was hoping that this truck would last the rest of my life but between crummy steel and ridiculous amounts of salt on the roads, it isn't looking promising.

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All depends on how old you are, and how well that you take care of yourself. Some go to 100, and others never make it past 35. It all depends on they cards that you were dealt when you were born.