996P2 Flashes some times when I hit a snowbank or raise my plow

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ScanMaine

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I have a 996p2 in the truck and a bct15xt and the only radio that flashes off and resets is the 996p2? It doesn't do it all the time maybe 3 times or 5 at the most during a plowing trip. I just noticed it this storm. The bct15 stays on and does not flash out. I have checked the ground and hard wired it to the fuse panel??


My next step is replacing the wiring harness when it stops snowing!
 

hiegtx

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I have a 996p2 in the truck and a bct15xt and the only radio that flashes off and resets is the 996p2? It doesn't do it all the time maybe 3 times or 5 at the most during a plowing trip. I just noticed it this storm. The bct15 stays on and does not flash out. I have checked the ground and hard wired it to the fuse panel??


My next step is replacing the wiring harness when it stops snowing!
Is there an inline fuse in the power cable? If so, any chance that is flexing enough to break the connection?
 

dave3825

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If its flashing when you hit a snowbank, that's most likely a loose wire somewhere. If it's flashing when raising the plow, it's most likely not getting enough power due to the amount of amps the plow is drawing from the system.. Where is the scanner wired to? I see many trucks whose lights almost go completely off when a plow is being raised..
 

jim202

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Wired to radis and aux fuses! Could I go with bigger fuses?

Larger fuses are not going to solve this problem. You either have a loose connection feeding the scanner, or it's low voltage causing the scanner to do a reset.

This may take some serious hunting to find the problem. My first gut feeling is the alternator may not have enough guts to carry the plow hydraulic electric motor. This is a common problem with a low cost install. It may take going to a belt driven pump to resolve the issue or a much larger alternator.

I have seen this kind of electrical problem on many plow additions done to pickup trucks. The owners of the truck try to go the low cost route and find they start eating up their alternators.

Another issue is the ground between the batter and the frame of the vehicle. this is not heavy enough to carry the current of the hydraulic electric motor. Plus the ground between the engine metal and the body probably is not handling the current being pulled.

I would also do a load test on the alternator output by using a simple digital voltmeter. This test has been in many threads on here and I am not going to type it all again. Do a search for it and then do the test on your vehicle.

Right now there are more questions than answers for your problem. You will just have to start walking through all the possibilities and eliminate them one at a time.

But I will ask you to come back and let the group on here know what you did find that solved the problem.
 

ScanMaine

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But if I dont use the plow then all is fine! I guess, I will do some looking and report back. Thanks!
 

jim202

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I didn't ask the question in my first post.

How old is the battery in the truck?

If it's around 3 years or more, your wasting the time of this thread. As batteries age, they loose internal resistance. This in effect causes the battery to loose storage capacity. When you try to pull a heavy load, it can't maintain the voltage.

I would also look to see if the clock in your dash radio is loosing time. This is another indication of a bad vehicle battery when you start the engine. The battery voltage goes too low and the clock does a reset to 12:00.

The cold makes this problem even worse as the vehicle battery is also stressed by cold weather to supply the needed current and voltage to just start the engine. The colder it is the worse this problem shows it's ugly head.
 

jonwienke

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Different devices have different tolerance for undervoltage. The 996 is more sensitive than the 15.

If hitting a snowbank is causing a reset, you have loose wiring somewhere.

The plow is drawing more of an electrical load than your battery and alternator can handle. You either need to invest in a direct-drive hydraulic pump, or upgrade your alternator and battery capacity. As others have pointed out, cold temperatures reduce battery capacity and output current.
 

jonwienke

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Possibly yes. You're likely surging the power going to the scanners when the plow pump shuts off.
 

ScanMaine

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I was just out plowing and before i got in the truck i changed the red wire to a different fuse and i also tried to un bend and make the harness all good and i think it was bent. im gonna change the harness this week but it didn't reset or flash!
 

ScanMaine

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ok so I fixed the resetting when lifting the plow and hitting the snow bank.

Now what can i or should I do about starting and shutting off the truck and it resetting???
 

n4yek

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Not trying to be a smart a$$ but shut the scanner off before you shut down the engine and turn it on after it starts.
I never start my car with the scanner on, I would be afraid of sending an erroneous voltage to my scanner and it causing damage.
 

ScanMaine

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Not trying to be a smart a$$ but shut the scanner off before you shut down the engine and turn it on after it starts.
I never start my car with the scanner on, I would be afraid of sending an erroneous voltage to my scanner and it causing damage.

10-4 and no offense!
 
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