Learning Center

The blade won't move

Nothing happens in automatic, and Raise and Lower do nothing either. Start at the tractor remote, then the app's valve settings, then the wiring. Full Automation Kit.

  • Full Automation Kit

In the app Home › Pre-Flight Checks › Hydraulic Test - Hold to Move; Settings › CONTROLLER

On the Full Automation Kit the control module drives a proportional valve fed by one tractor remote. If the remote isn't flowing, the app isn't sending commands, or the valve gets too little power to open, the blade sits still. The Guidance Only Kit and Ditch Assist Lite have no valve: the blade never moves by itself on those, by design.

Before you start

  • Sit in the cab with the engine running and the tablet connected to the control module (the Wi-Fi icon at the top of the Ditch Assist screen is green).
  • Know which tractor remote feeds the Ditch Assist valve.
  • Have the implement on open ground with nobody near it.

Time: 5 minutes for the quick checks. Allow 20 minutes if you need to check wiring and hoses.

Quick checks first

  • The tractor remote feeding the Ditch Assist valve is in constant flow (detent), not float, with the flow turned up.
  • The app is connected (Wi-Fi icon green, not grey) and no red Auto Grading (Commands OFF) pill shows.
  • In Pre-Flight Checks, holding Raise or Lower under Hydraulic Test - Hold to Move moves the blade (how).
Hydraulic hook-up with the bypass A simplified hydraulic diagram with numbered markers. 1: tractor Remote 1, set to constant flow and not float, feeds the proportional valve: pressure into port P and return from port T. 2: a one-way check valve on the pressure side means oil flows one way only. 3: tractor Remote 2 connects to the valve’s two bypass ports, so the implement can still be worked by hand with the valve connected. That makes four hoses to the tractor. 4: the control module drives the raise and lower solenoids on the ends of the valve. 5: two hoses run from the valve to the lift cylinder on the implement. If Raise makes the implement go down, swap the two solenoid connectors and never reverse flow at the tractor, because the check valve then stops all movement; if it lowers but won’t raise, turn up the flow on Remote 1 and check it is on constant flow, not float. TractorRemote 1constant flowRemote 2bypassCheckvalvePTbypassValvefrom the moduleLift cylinder12345
One tractor remote, in constant flow, feeds the valve. The control module opens the valve to raise or lower the implement. The bypass lets you run the implement by hand.
  1. Remote 1, constant flow. Not float. Pressure goes into P and returns out of T. Lowers but won't raise? Turn up the flow.
  2. Check valve. Oil can only go one way. Never reverse the flow at the tractor: the implement then won't move at all.
  3. Remote 2, bypass. The lever still moves the implement with the valve connected.
  4. Solenoids. The control module drives raise and lower. Raise makes it go down? Swap the two solenoid connectors.
  5. Lift cylinder. Two hoses from the valve.

Test Raise and Lower from the tablet

Several checks below use this test. It works only with a control module connected.

  1. Open Pre-Flight Checks

    On the Home screen, tap Pre-Flight Checks, the orange button at the bottom of the right-hand column. The Pre-Flight Checks window opens.

    Home screen: nine workflow cards and, down the right side, the Home, Survey, Grade, Settings and Manual buttons with the orange Pre-Flight Checks button at the bottom.
    1. Pre-Flight Checks. The orange button at the bottom of the right-hand column.

  2. Find the Hydraulic Test buttons

    At the bottom of the window, under the heading Hydraulic Test - Hold to Move, there are two big buttons side by side: a green Raise on the left and a red Lower on the right. Under them: If Raise moves down or Lower moves up, reverse the valve connectors.

  3. Press and hold Raise

    Keep your finger on it. The implement should go up. Let go and it holds where it is.

  4. Press and hold Lower

    The implement should go down. Let go and it holds.

  5. Close the window

    Tap the X at the top right of the window.

No buttons there? See Raise and Lower are greyed out. Raise goes down? See Raise lowers the blade.

Find your symptom

Tap the line that matches what you see. It opens with the causes, most likely first. Check tells you how to spot the cause. Fix tells you what to do, one step at a time.

Nothing moves: not in automatic, not with Raise or Lower

The remote isn't in constant flow Most likely

Check: Look at the remote lever and the flow control in the cab. Float, neutral or flow turned down all give no movement.

Fix:

  1. Find the remote that feeds the valve's P and T hoses.
  2. Put it in constant flow (detent), not float.
  3. Turn its flow up.
  4. Test again: Raise and Lower from the tablet.

A coupler isn't fully seated, or a fitting leaks

Check: With the engine off and the pressure relieved, look at every coupler at the tractor and every fitting at the valve.

Fix: Push the couplers fully home and fix any leaks. If they're locked solid, see couplers that won't release.

Send Commands is off

Check: While grading, a red pill at the top of the grade guide reads Auto Grading (Commands OFF). In Pre-Flight Checks the Hydraulic Test reads Hydraulic commands are turned off in Settings.

A red pill with a warning sign: Auto Grading (Commands OFF).
The pill at the top of the grade guide when Send Commands is off.

Fix:

  1. Tap Settings, the fourth button down the right-hand column.
  2. Scroll down to the DEBUG box, just under CONTROLLER.
  3. Find Send Commands, the first row.
  4. Tap its switch so it turns green (on).
Settings screen showing the CONTROLLER box (Raise and Lower Sensitivity, Min and Max Valve DC, Refresh and Apply) and under it the DEBUG box with Send Commands and a green switch, GPS Delay Timeout and GPS Stale.
  1. Send Commands. First row of the DEBUG box.
  2. Its switch. Green is on. It must be on for the valve to move.

Send Commands is an office-testing switch: guidance runs, but no valve commands go out while it's off.

The valve wiring is unplugged or damaged

Check:

  1. Look at the two small connectors on the valve's solenoids, one at each end of the valve.
  2. Look at the two large connectors in ports A and C of the control module.
  3. Have someone hold Raise, then Lower, in Pre-Flight Checks. You should hear or feel the solenoid click. A screwdriver held to the solenoid is pulled toward it when it's powered.
Proportional valve block with a solenoid and its electrical connector at each end
The valve's two solenoid connectors, one at each end. Check both are pushed on and locked.

Fix: Reconnect or replace the damaged lead. See Route and connect the cables.

The valve is plumbed wrong

Check: Four hoses go to the tractor: P and T from the valve, plus the two bypass hoses. The implement's hoses go to the valve. Compare with the diagram in Connect the hydraulic hoses.

Fix: Re-plumb to match the diagram.

Open-centre tractor with a closed-centre valve (or the reverse)

Check: Compare your tractor's hydraulic system type with the valve supplied.

Fix: Call a product specialist about the right valve for your tractor.

Raise and Lower are greyed out in Pre-Flight Checks“Stop auto grading before testing hydraulics.”

Automatic grading is running

Fix:

  1. Close Pre-Flight Checks with the X at its top right.
  2. Tap Grade, the third button down the right-hand column.
  3. Tap the red Stop button near the top of the column.
  4. Open Pre-Flight Checks again and test.

Hydraulic commands are off

Check: The panel says Hydraulic commands are turned off in Settings.

Fix: Turn Send Commands on: steps under Send Commands is off.

No control module connected

Check: The Hydraulic Test buttons only appear with a control module connected. The simulator, DIG and Bluetooth GPS can't move hydraulics, so they show no buttons.

Fix: Connect the control module. See The app won't connect.

Raise and Lower work, but nothing happens in automatic

Grading is on hold Most likely

Check: Read the pill at the top of the grade guide (the tall column next to the sidebar): HOLD — No RTK Fix, HOLD — GPS Stale or HOLD — Manual Control.

Fix: See Grading holds by itself for what each one waits for.

Grading was never started, or it stopped

Check: The big button under Home in the sidebar reads Start, not Stop. Grading stops by itself when the app goes to the background or the screen turns off.

Fix:

  1. Tap Start.
  2. So it doesn't stop again: set a long screen timeout and keep the tablet on the charger.

Start is greyed out? See Start is greyed out.

You're already on grade

Check: The guide reads ON GRADE.

Fix: Nothing to fix. The valve switches off within about 10 mm (under ½ inch) of the target.

Min Valve DC is too low for this implement

Check: The blade does move in auto, but only after waiting several seconds, or a large implement on high flow barely moves. In auto the valve starts at Min Valve DC and the power climbs only a few percentage points per second, up to Max Valve DC. If Min is well below the power your valve needs, the blade sits still for a while. If Max is too low as well, it may never move.

  1. In Ditch Assist, tap Settings, the fourth button down the right-hand column.
  2. Scroll down to the CONTROLLER box, a little past halfway down Settings (how to scroll).
  3. Read Min Valve DC and Max Valve DC. The number is at the right end of each row, in tenths of a percent (500 = half power). The app's recommended starting values are 301 and 701. A brand-new or reset control module holds 400 and 600 until someone taps Apply.
Settings scrolled to the CONTROLLER box: Connection, Raise Sensitivity, Lower Sensitivity, Min Valve DC 301 and Max Valve DC 701, each with a slider, and Refresh and Apply buttons at the bottom of the box.
  1. Min Valve DC. The power the valve starts at whenever auto grading moves the blade. The number is at the right end of the row.
  2. Max Valve DC. The most power the valve gets in auto. It must stay higher than Min Valve DC.
  3. Apply. Bottom right of the box. It turns dark once you change a value. Nothing reaches the module until you tap it.

Fix:

  1. Slowly drag the Min Valve DC slider to the right. Watch the number at the right end of the row and stop when it's about 25 higher.
  2. Check that Max Valve DC is still higher than Min Valve DC. If it isn't, the app doesn't send either number and the module keeps its old values.
  3. Tap Apply. Wait for the green message Settings sent to controller along the bottom of the screen.
  4. Tap Grade, then Start, and make a small cut. The module reads the new value only when auto grading starts.
  5. Still waits before moving? Tap Stop and repeat steps 1 to 4.

Full walkthrough with pictures: Tune the valve. If you're far above the starting value and it still doesn't move, something else is wrong: stop raising it and work down this list.

New values never reached the module, or auto wasn't restarted

Check: The sliders only change the numbers on the tablet until you tap Apply. Did the green message Settings sent to controller appear? A line under the buttons reading Controller rejected DC values means the module didn't take them. And the module only reads Min and Max Valve DC when auto grading starts.

Fix:

  1. Make sure Max Valve DC is higher than Min Valve DC. Otherwise the app sends neither.
  2. Tap Apply. It's grey unless you changed a value and the control module is connected.
  3. Tap Refresh, left of Apply. If the numbers jump back to the old ones, they were not sent: set them again and tap Apply.
  4. Go to the grade screen, tap Stop if grading is running, then tap Start.
You lift the implement by hand and it goes back down

Automatic grading is still on

Check: The sidebar shows Stop and Hold at the top: the app is driving the blade back to its target.

Fix:

  1. Before you raise by hand, tap Hold, the grey button just under the red Stop button in the sidebar. A pill reading HOLD — Manual Control appears and the button turns orange and reads Resume.
  2. Raise the implement with the tractor controls.
  3. When you want the app to drive the blade again, tap Resume.
Grade screen while grading: the sidebar has a red Stop button and a grey Hold button at the top, then the Auto-Nudge pass buttons, and Raise and Lower at the bottom.
  1. Hold. The grey button under the red Stop button while grading. Pauses valve commands.
Grade screen on hold: the pill at the top of the grade guide reads HOLD — Manual Control; the second sidebar button now reads Resume.
  1. HOLD — Manual Control. You're running the blade.
  2. Resume. Hands the blade back to the app.

Or tap Stop instead of Hold: it ends automatic grading until you tap Start again.

The hoses won't come off the quick couplers

Pressure trapped in the valve

Check: The couplers are locked solid, often after the tractor flow was reversed, or on a hot day.

Fix:

  1. Turn the tractor flow to the valve off.
  2. Leave the control module on and the tablet connected.
  3. Open Pre-Flight Checks (orange button on the Home screen).
  4. Press and hold Raise for about 5 seconds.
  5. Press and hold Lower for about 5 seconds.
  6. Try the couplers. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the hoses come off.
Guidance Only Kit or Ditch Assist Lite: the blade never moves by itself

That's how these kits work

Check: There's no valve on the machine, or an orange LITE MODE banner shows on the Home screen.

Fix: Run the blade with the machine controls and follow the chevrons on the screen. A Guidance Only Kit can add a valve later. Levee & Contour is steering guidance only on every kit.

Still not fixed?

Related

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Still stuck? Talk to a product specialist. 1-833-DITCH-AS · support@ditchassist.com · Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Central.

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