faulty volvo ec35 control panel

[Const355]

Hi All

I have a 2006 volvo EC35 ,problem is sometimes the control panel wont fire up properly,the digits come up all funny or not at all,causing machine not to start,then the problem will go after you leave it for some time or sometimes if you give it a light tap,problem might go away and not happen for months or it could keep happening now and again for days ,it can also happen when your digging away then all power goes and comes backs couple seconds later but engine will be still running but nothing else works.

I have contacted volvo but they don't know either what is wrong apart from trying a new control panel at a cost of £1500 + vat! which i don't want to do unless its 100% that causing fault.

Has any one else had this problem or heard of it as i am completly stuck !?

[Muz]

That was the after 'b*stard' from the PUMA system. It was a horrible hang over from the Pel Job days. It works by using earth straps all over the machine. You basically need to get all of the earths cleaned up before you can be sure you can throw out the brain its self. I think I had one replaced in my time for sure, because I remember it had to be coded with tyhe machines serial number and its correct hours.

[Const355]

That was the after 'b*stard' from the PUMA system. It was a horrible hang over from the Pel Job days. It works by using earth straps all over the machine. You basically need to get all of the earths cleaned up before you can be sure you can throw out the brain its self. I think I had one replaced in my time for sure, because I remember it had to be coded with tyhe machines serial number and its correct hours.

Yeh volvo guy told me to check all earth points, checked them all bar 1 i think that i couldn't find, but what i find strange is if you give panel a tap sometimes it works and then other times its fine for months at a time, surely if it was earth it would be intermitint all the time? Is it poss to send panel away to get checked?

[Muz]

Yeh volvo guy told me to check all earth points, checked them all bar 1 i think that i couldn't find, but what i find strange is if you give panel a tap sometimes it works and then other times its fine for months at a time, surely if it was earth it would be intermitint all the time? Is it poss to send panel away to get checked?

No .. if a single earth has a poor connection it can throw up all sorts of wierd stuff,at any time with no consistency, sorry, but thats how shit the system was. Not sure if you can do anything with the panel, its probably a sealed unit.

[Const355]

No .. if a single earth has a poor connection it can throw up all sorts of wierd stuff,at any time with no consistency, sorry, but thats how shit the system was. Not sure if you can do anything with the panel, its probably a sealed unit.

Theres no easy fix then! I wish i could find the other earth points to completly rule that issue out, but drawings are dreadfull of postions, nothing straight forward...

[Muz]

I think I have a puma fault finding supplement that their fitters used somewhere, see if I can find it incase it suggests anything else

[Const355]

I think I have a puma fault finding supplement that their fitters used somewhere, see if I can find it incase it suggests anything else

That would be great if you could

Cheers

[Const355]

bump

[Muz]

Doh! I have too much to do these days .. will have a look tomorrow for you

[Const355]

Doh! I have too much to do these days .. will have a look tomorrow for you

No prob! Many thanks

[Muz]

No prob! Many thanks

There ya go fella ... its a sticky at the top of this section

[Const355]

There ya go fella ... its a sticky at the top of this section

Excellent thanks very much, hopefully this will help or shed some light on the fault

[Fredster]

I wanted to add some info as my EC35 was on the fritz after the second PUMA panel (PUMA2).

Just like the original PUMA1 that was replaced under warranty at 600 hours the PUMA 2 went bad in only 250 hours. I called the dealer and there was no way it was going to get warrantied again and the price for a new PUMA 3 (part #15649088) is almost $3000 in the US.

I really needed to identify if the issue was electrical or in the panel itself. I removed the unit from the machine and made a jumper harness.

Pins 5, 15, are positive or battery (30) power. Pin 35 is black negative (earth), and pin 37 (purple) is the wake up for the panel. This pin 37 is hooked to earth this awakes the panel.

Simply connect 5 and 15 to a battery 12 volts and pin 35 to ground. Touch pin 37 to ground and watch the panel come alive on the bench. This way you could tell if the PUMA is dead or a wiring problem within the machine.

I was able to source a new unit from a dealer in the Netherlands for $1700 US.

New unit PUMA 3 requires no programming as the serial number, tachometer, hours can not be programmed. It is a more simple unit with supposedly more rugged electronics internally.

My machine has under 1000 hours with new tracks and my maintenance has been impeccable. My dealer offered me 10000 US on a trade only with a new PUMA unit installed. What a laugh huh?

Hope this helps someone.

Regards, Fred

[ianoz]

Thanks Fred , This is what the forum is about . Helping people .

[Muz]

Yeah this all worries me about dealers and their shady practices of extorting money from honest buyers, when their machines electronics goes horribly wrong . The thing is .. they are unneccessarily complicated when it comes down to a diggers control systems. Who are the shit control engineers that make this stuff? and put it in this environment ?

Vibration, dust, oil, water ingress ... why o why dont these designers keep things simple .. shocking prices there Fredster .. utterly shocking

To me .. if the manufacturer had half a brain and wanted to maintain brand loyalty .. they'd be giving you a Puma brain for $5 because they know it goes wrong... not pissing you off by charging thousands ... quite unbelievable

Oh and welcome to the forum :D