Connect the power harness to the battery

The Ditch Assist® Control Module powers itself and your GPS receiver from the power harness. Wire it straight to the tractor battery.

Power from anywhere else dips and runs short of current. That shows up later as Wi-Fi drops, jumpy hydraulics and lost RTK, which are hard to trace back to the wiring.

Before you start

• The implement lowered to the ground
• The tractor engine off and the key out
• You know where the Control Module will go, so you know where the harness has to reach (Mount the Control Module)

You need: the power harness, the main harness, a wrench that fits the nuts on the battery terminals, and cable ties.

Time: about 10 minutes.

Know the parts

Steps

1. Turn the power harness switch off

   Find the on/off switch on the power harness and make sure it is off. It stays off until every cable is connected.

2. Plan the route

   Lay the power harness loosely from the battery to the back of the tractor. That is where it meets the main harness, whose power leg is 12 ft long.

   Keep the route away from hot parts, such as the exhaust, and from anything that moves. Leave slack where the hitch turns.

3. Find the tractor battery's terminals

   The battery has two terminals, marked + (positive) and − (negative). Connect to these and nothing else.

4. Fit a ring terminal on the + terminal

   Not sure which harness lead is the positive one? Stop and call Ditch Assist support before you connect anything.

   Undo the nut on the battery's + terminal with your wrench. Slide the harness's positive ring terminal over the stud, put the nut back and tighten it.

5. Fit the other ring terminal on the − terminal

   Do the same on the − terminal with the other ring terminal. Tighten the nut.

   Check it: wiggle each ring terminal. Neither should move.

6. Plug the power harness into the main harness

   Push the Deutsch plug at the end of the power harness into the power leg of the main harness until its latch locks. It only fits one way round.

   Check it: pull gently on both sides of the joint. It must not come apart.

7. Push each fuse fully in

   Press every fuse on the power harness all the way into its holder. A fuse that is only part way in can cut the power to the module and the receiver, which shows up as lost RTK.

8. Tie the harness down

   Cable-tie the harness along the frame so nothing can pinch, stretch or snag it when the tractor turns. Leave a loose loop at the hitch.

Check it worked

Do this once the Control Module is mounted and all its cables are connected (Connect all cables).

1. Switch the power harness on

   The lights on the Control Module come on. The Operating Status light shows the module has power.

2. Remember where the switch is

   Switching it off is one of the three ways to stop hydraulic control in an emergency.

Common mistakes

• Plugging into the trailer socket or a cab power strip because it's handy.
• A fuse left half out of its holder.
• The harness pulled tight across the hitch, so it stretches on a sharp turn.

If it doesn't work

• No lights on the module: check the switch is on, the fuses are pushed in, the ring terminals are tight and the Deutsch plug is locked.
• Wi-Fi keeps dropping, or the tablet won't connect: check the power comes straight from the battery. Then see Wi-Fi keeps dropping and Can't connect to the module.
• RTK keeps dropping to Float (Float is a less accurate GPS fix than RTK Fixed): power is one cause, because the module powers the receiver. See RTK drops to Float.

Next: Fit and mount the valve (Full Automation Kit) or Mount the Control Module (Guidance Only Kit).