Need air leveling help

[slickest1]

I have a 01 HR Imperial that has air leveling. Last summer it was working fine although I did notice the compressor wasn't cycling. It still had power to the touch pad and the raise and dump features still worked. We traveled 1000 miles home and had an alternator failure so replaced that and the starting batteries. After that I noticed that the travel indicator light was out along with everything else on the pad. I first checked the plug on the back of the pad but it is ok. I then checked the fuses in the fuse panel under the drivers window and found the one for the air leveling was blown. I replaced it and it blew again. I pulled the cover off the brain box and all the fuses are ok in there. I unplugged the power harness from the box and put a new fuse in and it was ok. When I plugged the harness back in it popped the fuse. Anybody have any ideas where to look next. When I build the air the air bags inflate to normal ride height so I can still drive it. The fuse for the main power blows like it is a dead short. Thanks in advance.

[walt2137]

see if the repair manual will help if not call HWH they are good about helping.

[OnJa]

Since it apparently started when you replaced the alternator, I would back-track from there. You might have a wire crossed or touching a "NO-NO" and is causing the dead short.

[slickest1]

Thanks for the replies. I contacted HWH and they were right back to me. I was impressed at how fast they returned my email and diagnosed the problem. I will pull the box and send it in for repair. They think it is a surge protector gone bad inside the box. Box replacement cost$1200+, repair maximum $850 but probably much less. Ouch, bad lesson, hooked batteries up in series rather than parallel.I do know better after changing batteries for years in trucks and construction equipment. I have slapped my head a couple of times over it. It has also got the charge controller for my solar panel so sending that for repair as well. I would have thought the fuses would have protected it.

[Mike Canter]

Wow, so you had two 12 volt hooked in series?????? Wow that be 24 voltaroonies. Does the Allison transmission and the engine ECU still function correctly? What about all the dash gauges? Have you tested everything else that is on the chassis battery circuit?

[slickest1]

Everything else seems to be ok so I probably dodged a bullet there. Allison pad lights up and goes into gear. Haven't road tested it though. Engine starts and runs on high idle on cruise works. Must have been thinking about the 24 volt starting circuits in trucks when I did that. Costly boo boo!!