• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

Grove AMZ-66 manlift--looking for help troubleshooting basket controls

Jennifer P.

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Messages
14
Location
Rutland, MA
Just bought one of these units. I have the work shop manual but the wiring and hydraulics is missing. Being new to the lift game, What is the best way to change out the hydraulic hoses for the boom. I have a major leaker.
 

sawmilleng

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
219
Location
Central Kootenays, Canada
Hi, Jennifer,
I have a Grove AMZ-66 and to change a hose I attached a rope to it before starting to pull it out. It's been 5 years so my memory is a little fuzzy about the details but I think I ran the boom out to put the bend in the cable/hose carrier at one end.
I do remember thanking my lucky stars that I had attached the rope before doing anything with the hose 'cause it's about the only way to pull the new hose back in! I used a skinny rope-- 1/4" nylon braided -- that was extra flexible.

Some of my hoses are double, built like oxyacetylene hoses, for pressure and return- so make sure you know what you have before yanking them out.

Other than that, it's just a typical hydraulics repair job--oily and friggin' dirty!

Let us know how it goes.

Jon.
 

Jennifer P.

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Messages
14
Location
Rutland, MA
Thanks Jon, did you buy a pre made line or have one made after you pulled the broken one? Does everything need to be blocked up before pulling any lines?
 

sawmilleng

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
219
Location
Central Kootenays, Canada
Jennifer,
I had a new line made after I pulled the old one.
As to blocking, yes, I did. Not only block the item that you are removing the hose from but whatever will hurt you if it moves while you are in there! There's plenty of tight spots on this machines boom just waiting to bite you!

Jon.
 

paoutdoorsman

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2022
Messages
10
Location
South Central PA
UpperControlInside.JPG @sawmilleng Do you by chance still have your AMZ66? I recently purchased one that had been sitting for the last 5 years. Supposedly ran well and everything functioned at that time. The Nissan engine was tight and it had several bad hydraulic hoses. I resolved all of those issues and can completely run and control the unit from the ground control panel. However, I have an issue with the upper control panel...

I can blow the horn, use the kill switch, and start the machine from the upper control panel. Oddly, for 1-2 seconds after that any upper control will function, then they all just go dead. There is a relay lying in the box, and I'm wondering if this relay is cutting the power to the upper control box functions for some reason. Any idea what it's function is?
 

sawmilleng

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
219
Location
Central Kootenays, Canada
Hi, PAoutdoorsman,

Yes, I still have my AMZ66.

My machine does not have any relays in the upper control box. It has the same device in your photo that is partially hidden behind the wires in the upper left side of the photo but I think that is some sort of alarm.

I'm wondering if this relay is related to some sort of deadman switch on the upper control panel that must be held closed to allow the control to work. A pushbutton or toggle switch that you have to hold while operating a function? A photo of your console might help as I can compare it to my console layout.

A lot of time has elapsed between the time these machines have been built and possibly safety laws have changed to require both hands to operate controls- one hand on the deadman switch and the other controlling the function.

Are there any wire numbers on the wires running to the relay? All of the wires in my control box have wire numbers printed on the cables every inch or two. Alternatively, trace the wires from the relay to where they connect on the console or to the circuit board.

I have a shztload of documentation on this machine including wiring diagrams but it seems to me that Grove made changes as they were building them so you need to match the serial number to the drawings. They also treated the circuit boards as black boxes so chasing a problem to a black box can be frustrating (and costly)

My machine still has problems as described in my earlier posts on this thread but it still works from the ground controls so I run it with a groundsman around. And if the controls don't work on the ground we are adept at taking a nail or welding rod and poking the correct hydraulic valve up the butt to MAKE it work! We just haven't had the time to get right into it and do some serious troubleshooting.

I still hope to get my machine back to 100% operational and I'm willing to bide my time to do so....I have a secret weapon to help me here, called a son who is trained in electronics so we will attack it through a slow winter and maybe simply trash the upper and lower control boards.

The only thing these control boxes do is combine the signals between the 4 "porportional" controls in the basket and the ground into a single pair of wires. (Porportional= pull a control lever a little, the action moves slowly. Pull a lever a lot, the action moves fast.) So all this complication just eliminates a few extra wires running through the boom.

Please feel free to ask if you need clarification or want me to see what I have for a wiring diagram of the upper basket. And let me know how you make out!!

Jon.
 

paoutdoorsman

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2022
Messages
10
Location
South Central PA
I so appreciate the response. Here are some pics of my upper and lower control panels and inside boards. My machine serial number is 243xx, so our machines are fairly close in serial number. I believe mine to be a 1990 model.

Maybe this relay has nothing to do with my lack of upper control panel function issue. I suspect it is not wire correctly however. The wire numbers going to it, and what I can trace/test them to are as follows:
1A - Ground
39 - High Speed Toggle Switch Selection (I also find 39 going to port 17 of the upper control box logic board which is then jumpered to port 18 & port 20)
39E - Goes to port 19 on the upper control box logic board
76C - Goes to the right most connector on the boom cable distribution block - which is paired with a black wire from the boom cable labeled "L"
UpperControlBoxLogicBoard.JPG UpperControlSwitches.JPG BasketControls1.JPG LowerControlInside.JPG
 
Last edited:

paoutdoorsman

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2022
Messages
10
Location
South Central PA
It would appear this machine has no two handed or foot pedal safety at the upper controls. On the lower control box however, I do have to push & hold the 'Lower Control Selector' button for those controls to function.LowerControl.JPG
 
Last edited:

paoutdoorsman

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2022
Messages
10
Location
South Central PA
@sawmilleng Hey Jon, could you possibly take a look at your machine and compare some functionality with mine?

Does your machine have the Auxiliary Power Unit for emergency functionality?

With the basket control stop switch in the up/on position, when you turn the key on, does your horn blow until you start the machine? Mine does.

With the basket control stop switch in the up/on position, when you turn the key on, does the 'Power Output' light on the OEM Controls receiver box inside the lower control panel light solid and remain lit? Mine lights for 2 seconds, then goes out. During these 2 seconds, my basket controls function.
 

sawmilleng

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
219
Location
Central Kootenays, Canada
Sorry...I didn't answer your first questions: Yes, my machine has an aux electric pump to operate the machine without the engine running.

Regarding the horn, I don't think my machine sounds the horn when I turn on the power and shuts off when it is started. It might disconnected--I can look at that, too.

I have a borrowed 40' Grove AMZ of about the same vintage, and yes, I KNOW that horn blows at startup because it aggravates the crap out of me. And I last started that guy about 6 months ago and still remember that freakin' horn!

Jon.
 

paoutdoorsman

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2022
Messages
10
Location
South Central PA
The horn sounding to alert of startup is probably normal then. I was just wondering if it was actually indicating some type of issue.

My 'Power Output' light only stays lit for a few seconds after startup. Also, while running, if you press the 'Auxiliary Power Unit' button then let off, it will also light for a couple seconds. During that short time, any basket control will function.

I did run an independent pair of wires today for the data stream just to make sure there wasn't an issue with that pair. Exact same behavior.
 

sawmilleng

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
219
Location
Central Kootenays, Canada
Can you tell if the relay is functioning when the basket controls are going on and off? Tapping into the relay coil with a small indicator bulb should give you an indication of what it is doing, if anything, when the controls stop working.
 

paoutdoorsman

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2022
Messages
10
Location
South Central PA
Can you tell if the relay is functioning when the basket controls are going on and off? Tapping into the relay coil with a small indicator bulb should give you an indication of what it is doing, if anything, when the controls stop working.

I'm not really sure there is a specific relay associated with this light. If the behavior of this light is the same on yours, then I'll know I'm chasing the wrong thing.
 

paoutdoorsman

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2022
Messages
10
Location
South Central PA
Morning Jon, did you happen to get a chance to check the behavior of the 'Power Output' light on the receiver box in the lower control box on your unit?

One other thing that might help me is to compare 3 of the wires on the 16 terminal connector block in the upper control box. Could you tell me which white wire numbers you have mated to the following boom cable wires: H (I have two labeled H, I'm curious about the one that has shrink tubing on it), E, & F?
 

Puffie40

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2010
Messages
208
Location
Southeastern B.C.
There are two noisemakers on Grove manlifts:
-a car horn that is connected to the engine oil pressure circuit.

-a beeper that sounds when one of the functions is being used.

Both will fill up with dirt and stop working after a while, but it is also possible for a annoyed worker to just disconnect the noisemakers if they get to annoying.

I believe we used a grove manlift years ago that had an additional buzzer inside the basket control box that sounded when the manlift was not level.
 

Puffie40

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2010
Messages
208
Location
Southeastern B.C.
What might be worthwhile for your control receiver, if you are having trouble with a circuit board, is to scrub the board clean of dirt with isopropyl alcohol, then inspect the solder joints for cracking. Sometimes a control problem can be solved by reflowing the solder joints, especially those that use tin solder.
 

paoutdoorsman

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2022
Messages
10
Location
South Central PA
@Puffie40 - Thanks for that information. The way you explain it is exactly how my horn and function beeper are working. It's nice to know what is triggering the horn.

I do also have the alarm/alert device in the upper control box, but I have not heard it sound yet. That would make sense since I haven't had the machine out of level. I'll test it tomorrow by manually leaning the tilt sensor.
 
Top