Ponsse Ergo Not Measuring Length

[Montigo]

I have an '03 Ponsse Ergo w/ an H60 head and the OptiWin 4g computer system that isn't measuring length.

I pulled the connector in the head that the length sensor plugs in to and I'm getting 28v and ground at the necessary pins. Out of curiosity I checked the voltage at the data pins and it's reading 18v at both pins. This is the head side of the connector, not the sensor side. So I'm assuming the wiring is good from the computer to the head.

I'm thinking next step is to remove the measuring wheel and take a look at the sensor itself. Is there any way to test that the sensor is working without special tools?

Also, is there a chance there's something in the computer (thinking settings somewhere) that is preventing the machine from reading the sensor?

I noticed in the computer readings when you have a log and are feeding it back and forth the length sensor is always showing "000".

New to forestry equipment and figuring it out as I go. Although I do have a familairity with hydraulics, electronics, and construction equipment. Any help is appreciated as I try and figure out what the issue is.

[Firewoodjoe]

Sounds like it could be the sensor (encoder) in the wheel. Mine has lights that will show signal lines are blinking. Never actually worked on a ponsse. Have you called ponsse?  I know guys that have them and say they are very helpful on the phone. Generally a wiring problem especially a measureing wheel problem is very common. Those guys could prolly tell you the few common things to eliminate. In seconds.

[barbender]

Call Ponsse in Rhinelander and talk to one of their techs. They'll get you straightened out. For the bit of time I've ran Ponsse processors, thankfully I've never had measuring issues so I've never messed with the encoders.

[barbender]

Seeing you are in the UP, you may have a Ponsse shop not too far away if you needed a service call. Expensive, but it can be a life saver keeping these machines going.

[chevytaHOE5674]

Never been around an H60 head but assuming they are setup like an H73?

Length encoder wires go into a module under the cover on the head along with the diameter encoder, and the saw position sensor? Then a cable comes out of the module and goes up the boom?

On the H73 and H73E that I've ran you could check encoder pulses with a volt meter by pulling the encoder wires put of the head module and checking resistance between the wires and spinning the wheel.

If that checked out then we had a test cable that we could run from the head module to under the cab (jack-knife the machine and swing the boom by the cab steps) to rule out wiring issues from boom tip to cab.

Should ask is this a new to you machine that you've never seen work? Or worked and then quit?

Where in the UP are you?

[Montigo]

That sounds correct, length, diameter, saw, and it looks like tilt go to a module, then from that module up the boom.

I'll give that a try and see if it gets me anything. Does the machine need to be on while checking this, or at a minimum do you have to send power and ground to the encoder while checking the resistance on the data wires? Or can you just check resistance on the two data wires?

It's a new to me machine that I picked up at auction. Seems like it was well cared for, I figured out who the previous owner was and talked to them about the machines history. Everything else seems to be working good on the machine.

I'm located in the Iron Mountain area. I'll give Ponsse a call tomorrow as well and see what they have to say.

[Montigo]

Update: I talked to Ponsse and got the measuring wheel fixed. Following is what I found in case anyone else is trying to troubleshoot this.

At the Harting connector, head side of the connector, you want 24+ volts on your hot wire, ground on the ground, and 18 volts on each of the data wires.

One way to test if the sensor is reading is to key on, turn on the computer, go to the troubleshooting screen where it shows the raw number for the length pulses. Go to the head, mark a spot on the wheel and on the head, and spin the wheel one full rotation. You should see the pulse count (number) increase from 0. If you don't there's an issue with the sensor (assuming all your voltages to the sensor are good). Ponsse. Mentioned typically if you get 000 you have a voltage or ground problem, if you get 010 you have a problem with the data wires.

I pulled the measuring wheel off and low and behold the sensor was damaged. Put in a new sensor, reinstalled the wheel, and everything is working now.

Now I need to figure out how to really use the computer system and set different lengths as well as the pre-sets and parameters for quick selection.

[barbender]

 The good news is it looks like you have good understanding of electronics troubleshooting. Getting your computer set up for lengths and your preselects will not be too bad. The hardest part is the way things are named in the computer program, something gets lost in the Finnish to English translation. Ponsse has good techs that will talk you through getting that set up.

[chevytaHOE5674]

With a H60 head unless you are cutting small softwood I doubt the pre-selections will do you much good. The computer will only try to seek the correct length a few times before it gives up. So if a limb challenges it a couple times without success it will quit.

I put a ton of hours with the H73E head and was never able to get the pre-selections and automation to save me any time or increase my production. Now a good H7 or H8 head on a newer machine is another story.