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Post Info TOPIC: why does my convertible top circuit breaker keep tripping
beaumontguru


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why does my convertible top circuit breaker keep tripping
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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.  



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


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RE: why does my convertible top circuit breaker keeps tripping
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i would try a new breaker, if no change then test the motor for amp draw



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4SPEED427


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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.

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rabbit64cs


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what fluid is in the top pump ?



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later...rog

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beaumontguru


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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.



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Beaumontguru

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


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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?



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Beaumontguru

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


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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?



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later...rog

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beaumontguru


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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.



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


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it would be an easy way to isolate the 2 systems

- the irons ( mechanical )

- the pump ( hydraulic )



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later...rog

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beaumontguru


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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????



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Beaumontguru

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


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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

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rabbit64cs


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one can assume the mechanical is free...

just a thought about isolating the systems



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later...rog

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beaumontguru


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That would be great,   message sent



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Beaumontguru

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


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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.



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norontcan


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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.

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65 SD L79


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bad ground?



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koolconvertible


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



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

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427carl


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it was the switch or the breaker or the motor  wink



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beaumontguru


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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.



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Beaumontguru

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


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



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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


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why does my convertible top circuit breaker keep tripping
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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.

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