Diesel Glow Plug Upgrade Indicator Light
 

A couple of weeks ago I did a thread on my big red smoker having problems with hard starting. After checking the solenoid for the glow plug upgrade I found it to be bad. There was some discussion of a way to make an indicator to show that power was or was not getting to the glow plugs. A fellow member here at OCC offered to make me an LED indicator to see how well it would work.

I got the LED in the mail today already setup to install. All I had to do was decide where I was going to put it and how. I decided to just leave it under the hood and not mess with the dash. If you are wondering why not in the dash, I rarely start the BRS sitting on it. I will just reach over and fire it up in the shop and let it warm up before I move it outside. I have to let it back itself down the ramps as I think the weight of it and me on it would probably make the 2X10 boards decide to break, LOL. So as I engage the key I can just lift the lid a bit and see if the light is on. With that being said, I fabricated a bracket and mounted it on the left side of the battery using a bolt that is used to mount the fuel pump.

I ran a wire to the plug side of the solenoid and the other wire directly up to the negative side of the battery. Now when I turn the key to the left to engage the glow plugs I have a very nice bright blue LED telling me my glow plugs are getting voltage. Also before someone tells me about the wire breaking from vibes, I do plan on getting some electrical connectors and shrink wrap to improve the connections.

Yes it would be considered a PO mod if someone else buys it, but I hope it is one that is considered worth doing... :biggrin2:

Thanks to CHWNY (Clay) for fixing and sending the LED. :beerchug:

Here are some pics of the setup.

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/b...D/DSC02690.jpg

The bracket I made in about 5 minutes:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/b...D/DSC02691.jpg

The LED installed into the bracket:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/b...D/DSC02692.jpg

Wire hooked up to the Glow Plug side of the solenoid:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/b...D/DSC02694.jpg

Second wire hooked up to the Battery Ground:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/b...D/DSC02695.jpg

Light showing blue when the Key is engaged to heat glow plugs:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/b...D/DSC02693.jpg

Hey it does work!

:biggrin2: It sure does.

Nice job Dwayne!

Thanks. It's the simple things that give me great pleasure... LOL

Thats cool guys! Great idea!

Excellent work, buddy! :ThumbsUp:

Clay great job on hooking DWayne up! DWayne good job on the install!

These days If I can make someone SMILE even just for a moment, Life is Good!!

Great job! I am going to that to mine!

:biggrin2: Now I'm looking for more reasons for LED's. LOL

I wonder if you could put it where the factory glow plug indicator is. That's not being used anymore anyway.

MORE????
 

ya know a supplier?

Yep, up the NY area. LOL

Why not just use something that makes a beep sound?

:bigthink: Now that is an interesting thought. I'll have to do some searching for beeping indicators.

Credit Due
 

I am not sure we have given any credit to the Senior Member who originally posted on the thread "Big Red smoker hard to start" by DX3. about the LED Idea.

THANK YOU Oak!!!!

I am glad you caught that... Thanks Oak, a great idea! :beerchug: