Painless main and RF EFI harness no power

[bronco italiano]

Just finished installing the painless main harness with the RF EFI harness.
Did the 10amp battery charger connect to Battery positive/cable and then charger to negative only.
I have Zero power
No lights/emerg flasher/nothing not even with key to accessory or on position.
Hope I didn't cut a wire that I needed when I was prepping the harness.
Not sure where to start

 

[DirtDonk]

First, is it an automatic charger? If so, make sure it's not flipping itself off internally with it's overload circuit-breaker. Happens all the time, and is the cause of many people giving up on the charger thing and just connecting the battery.
But other things to check would be:
1. The main fuse. Is it a Maxi, or is it a Midi type fuse? Either way, is the wire connected to the positive side of the starter relay/battery and the fuse is good?
2. Is the main ground connected to the engine block, and others to the frame and body?
3. Is the ammeter wire connected behind the gauge? I think it's a connector on the Painless, where it was a single complete wire that you used to have to cut, if using an ammeter, on the Centech harnesses.

That's where I'd start.

Paul

 

[bronco italiano]

Charger is Battery Tender 10 amp
Main fuse is the midi. Wire is on the Batt side
Main ground to engine block
Ammeter wire is connected to itself (using Volt meter)

One other item I didn't think of was the dash is completely powdercoated. Are the ignition/light/flasher/etc switches grounded via the dash?

 

[Mikes79Bronco]

Are the ignition/light/flasher/etc switches grounded via the dash?

No, they should all work without the dash.

When I did my harness I didn't use a battery charger to power it. I just put a 10amp fuse in line with the main power. Not all chargers will spit out power without a battery connected, "smart chargers" the battery tender may fall in this category.

Check to see if you have power at the ammeter plug first. That will give a better idea of where to head with diagnostics.

 

[bronco italiano]

Great call with the 10A fuse setup.

 

[DirtDonk]

Woohoo! Nice.
Just don’t turn everything on all at once, with just a 10a fuse. Won’t hurt anything but the fuse. But it’s annoying…
What size Midi are they supplying? Maybe a 60amp?

 

[bronco italiano]

Got lights/flasher/parking lights.
Only turned key to acc but couldn't get the blinkers to go.
Maybe I need to be in "on", but I have to figure out how to prime the fuel lines since the tank is completely empty and I have the LP and HP fuel pumps with WH accumulator.

 

[Soylent]

Glad I saw this thread as I will be installing a painless in a few weeks. I bought the attacked “10 amp charger” so if it doesn’t work I will try with an inline fuse.

Well just noticed this is a 2 amp

 

[73azbronco]

yeah, might try an old school charger you can set max amps on and then use a 10A fuse as well. I just use a smaller 12v like motorcycle or last time a lantern battery, with 10a or even 5a fuse.

Some newer tender chargers might not like the circuit, not seeing a battery, and shut down.

 

[bronco italiano]

Yes the inline 10A fuse worked perfect!!
Appreciate all the help, trying to get this back to my buddy ASAP since I am losing my hobby shop space in April

 

[DirtDonk]

Only turned key to acc but couldn't get the blinkers to go.
Maybe I need to be in "on"

Good question. Originally the turn signals would work with the key in the ACC position too. Not sure if Painless does it differently, but it’s easy enough to check!