Enjoy 5% OFF at VEVOR Canada! and Support Canadian Poncho at the Same Time!
Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Canadian Poncho Homepage -> Canadian Poncho -> Beaumont Body Tech Forum -> why does my convertible top circuit breaker keep tripping
Post Info TOPIC: why does my convertible top circuit breaker keep tripping
beaumontguru


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Status: Offline
Posts: 4472
Date:
why does my convertible top circuit breaker keep tripping
Permalink  

I've got my power top all put back together.  but the 40 amp breaker on the firewall keeps tripping,   about 10 times in one top cycle.  takes about 2 full minutes to reset, they up another 1/8 ,  then wait 2 mis,  then another 1/8.  Takes forever to get it up and down

Top switch is good,  factory correct and rated at about 50 amps

Lines are new,  fluid is almost all blead out,  but hard to do, since the top does not cycle without blowing breaker every 5 seconds.

all wiring is good, new, etc.

I have had the car running and not running,  no difference.

Is it the seals in the pump? or a weak motor? or a weak breaker?  Motor does get warm for sure.

What have you convertible guys found.

Hinges are also greased and the top does go all the way up and down,  its just the breaker.  



__________________

Beaumontguru

MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH.  The other one has a longer roof.
Captain Beaumont


Poncho Master!

Status: Offline
Posts: 1832
Date:
RE: why does my convertible top circuit breaker keeps tripping
Permalink  

i would try a new breaker, if no change then test the motor for amp draw



__________________

68 custom
68 deluxe
67 custom
67 SD convertible (1 of 1)
16 Colorado 4x4 Duramax

Long live the Canadian arrowhead >

 Edmonton,AB
Nov 18 to Dec 2 Black Friday UP TO 50% OFF Plus Huge Coupons
Nov 18 to Dec 2 Black Friday UP TO 50% OFF Plus Huge Coupons
4SPEED427


A Poncho Legend!

Status: Offline
Posts: 50202
Date:
Permalink  

Agreed, it could be as simple as an old weak breaker but I'm betting in the top motor needing some attention.

You would always eliminate the top switch and wiring in the equation. You could take a breaker to the back by the motor and wire the motor direct from a battery using a different breaker. That would narrow it down at least.

__________________

1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
rabbit64cs


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Status: Offline
Posts: 7183
Date:
Permalink  

what fluid is in the top pump ?



__________________

later...rog

AADD supporting member !!
I'm a collector...not a builder!!Located in sunny central Saskatchewan at the lakehead!
beaumontguru


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Status: Offline
Posts: 4472
Date:
Permalink  

I just tried another breaker,  an original 1963 40 amp from an impala.

Marginally better,  took about 5 tries up and 5 tries down with the car NOT running.   Still not good enough tho.  I will buy a new breaker on monday.

I just installed new hoses,  and they recomend swapping the original brake fluid for ATF,  so it has brand new ATF in it.  Drawing from a jug that is set lower than the pump,  plus i primed the pump,  There is still a bit of air in the lines,  but when the motor works,  it moves the top good.,  its just the breaker keeps blowing.

I see they sell seal kits for the motors for about 20 dollars,  but could it be the motor itself?  rather than the pump.



__________________

Beaumontguru

MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH.  The other one has a longer roof.
beaumontguru


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Status: Offline
Posts: 4472
Date:
Permalink  

One other note:

when the motor starts to push the top up from the down position,  the breaker trips often,

The same is true when the top is almost all the way up,  and gravity is doing most of the work.

So what i am saying is that it trips the breaker under heavy loads and light loads.  This may say somthing about the motor being in decent conditon?



__________________

Beaumontguru

MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH.  The other one has a longer roof.
rabbit64cs


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Status: Offline
Posts: 7183
Date:
Permalink  

Is it easy to do to unhook your rams from the irons?   this would allow you to prime and bleed the system . Help isolate the problem?



__________________

later...rog

AADD supporting member !!
I'm a collector...not a builder!!Located in sunny central Saskatchewan at the lakehead!
Nov 18 to Dec 2 Black Friday UP TO 50% OFF Plus Huge Coupons
Nov 18 to Dec 2 Black Friday UP TO 50% OFF Plus Huge Coupons
beaumontguru


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Status: Offline
Posts: 4472
Date:
Permalink  

Hm,  i had not thought of that,  but i think the air in the system may only be a about 5% at this point,  fluid is flowing fairly clean now.



__________________

Beaumontguru

MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH.  The other one has a longer roof.
rabbit64cs


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Status: Offline
Posts: 7183
Date:
Permalink  

it would be an easy way to isolate the 2 systems

- the irons ( mechanical )

- the pump ( hydraulic )



__________________

later...rog

AADD supporting member !!
I'm a collector...not a builder!!Located in sunny central Saskatchewan at the lakehead!
beaumontguru


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Status: Offline
Posts: 4472
Date:
Permalink  

Oh,   about a month ago i removed my old lines and drained the cylinders.

I could easily move the top up and down by hand,   no siezed parts,  the whole sisor mech and cyls work smoothly.

That would eliminate that i think????



__________________

Beaumontguru

MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH.  The other one has a longer roof.
Lefty


Uber Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 3025
Date:
Permalink  

i have a set of instructions on how to repair the pump etc if you want them send me an email .

Dan_Boyd@shaw.ca



-- Edited by Lefty on Sunday 4th of March 2012 10:04:03 AM

__________________

Surrey BC

1963 Acadian Beaumont Sport Deluxe
http://www.63acadian.com/
rabbit64cs


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Status: Offline
Posts: 7183
Date:
Permalink  

one can assume the mechanical is free...

just a thought about isolating the systems



__________________

later...rog

AADD supporting member !!
I'm a collector...not a builder!!Located in sunny central Saskatchewan at the lakehead!
Nov 18 to Dec 2 Black Friday UP TO 50% OFF Plus Huge Coupons
Nov 18 to Dec 2 Black Friday UP TO 50% OFF Plus Huge Coupons
beaumontguru


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Status: Offline
Posts: 4472
Date:
Permalink  

That would be great,   message sent



__________________

Beaumontguru

MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH.  The other one has a longer roof.
JC2+2


Poncho Master!

Status: Offline
Posts: 1767
Date:
Permalink  

I also had a similar problem after a new top installed. But instead of tripping the breaker on the firewall, it was tripping in the motor itself. I didn't have the money for a new pump/motor at the time so I took it apart and bypassed the internal breaker. Not really sure why it's there - must protect the motor from over heating? Anyhow that was going on 17yrs now and it still works fine. Also I installed a relay to take the current away from the switch.



__________________

'68 Parisienne 2+2 Convertible Matador Red (Resale Red but not for sale).
norontcan


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Status: Offline
Posts: 6990
Date:
Permalink  

Just wondering.
You say the top went up and down fine manually before attaching the hydraulics. As you sumise this should eliminate mechanical binding.
Since it trips out when the hydraulics try to work, might 1 side be working and the other not causing it to bind? Might 1 cylinder be defective? Might 1 line be pinched? Is there a check valve in the system thats defective?
Have you tried removing the pivot pin and activating the pump and thus the cylinders without them being attached?
Just wondering.

__________________
65 SD L79


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Status: Offline
Posts: 9521
Date:
Permalink  

bad ground?



__________________
koolconvertible


Poncho Master!

Status: Offline
Posts: 1720
Date:
Permalink  

old thread I know but am curious as to what you found to fix this?



__________________

cutting a roof off a four door is NOT a convertible.....

65 Parisienne convertible.one of 49 built for RHD export market,402BBC, T400, 2500 stally, posi rear, upgraded brakes with front discs, FUEL FAST efi custom built by me.
Nov 18 to Dec 2 Black Friday UP TO 50% OFF Plus Huge Coupons
Nov 18 to Dec 2 Black Friday UP TO 50% OFF Plus Huge Coupons
427carl


A Poncho Legend!

Status: Offline
Posts: 35601
Date:
Permalink  

it was the switch or the breaker or the motor  wink



__________________

 
beaumontguru


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Status: Offline
Posts: 4472
Date:
Permalink  

Ya that was awhile ago,  i hardly remember.  It was the pupm motor,  had a terrible draw on it and was straining too hard, ended up replacing the pump/motor assembly and all was good.



__________________

Beaumontguru

MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH.  The other one has a longer roof.
koolconvertible


Poncho Master!

Status: Offline
Posts: 1720
Date:
Permalink  

Well done remembering! Good to see  craft disease has not taken over!biggrin



__________________

cutting a roof off a four door is NOT a convertible.....

65 Parisienne convertible.one of 49 built for RHD export market,402BBC, T400, 2500 stally, posi rear, upgraded brakes with front discs, FUEL FAST efi custom built by me.
1966SD


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 90
Date:
why does my convertible top circuit breaker keep tripping
Permalink  

I had the same issue with my circuit breaker tripping every couple seconds. I wired in an amp
Gauge where the circuit breaker would be and watched it when I pushed the top switch. The
Gauge didn't go over 28 amps so replaced the breaker and all is good.

__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Canadian Poncho Homepage -> Canadian Poncho -> Beaumont Body Tech Forum -> why does my convertible top circuit breaker keep tripping
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us
.
Support Canadian Poncho!
Select Amount:
<
.
.
.