12:03-50

Issue 1 en

ELC

Description of operation

109 887

© Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden

1 710 968
Contents

Contents

Safety Working under vehicles with air suspension .....5

Driving vehicles with air suspension.................5
Recovery............................................................5

System overview ...........................................................................6

System description ...........................................................................6

Drive level Normal drive level .............................................7

Drive level 2 ......................................................7

Kneeling ...........................................................................8

Roll-over protection ...........................................................................8

Controls and operation ...........................................................................9

Level control Raising...............................................................9

Lowering ...........................................................9
Return ................................................................9

Kneeling ...........................................................................10
Return ................................................................10

2 © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden

 Contents

Configuration ...........................................................................11

Control unit General ..............................................................13

Programming.....................................................13
Articulated bus ..................................................13
Changing the control unit ..................................13
Calibration.........................................................14

Warning lamps System faults .....................................................15

Levelling fault ...................................................15

Input and output signals Control unit connections ...................................16

Valves and monitors ...........................................................................19

Solenoid valve block ...........................................................................19

Level sensors ...........................................................................21

Pressure monitor ...........................................................................21

Pressurizing valves ...........................................................................21

© Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 3

4 © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden
 Safety

ELC

Safety

Working under vehicles with air Driving vehicles with

suspension air suspension
Working under vehicles with air suspension When driving the vehicle it should have the cali-
should be carried out in such a way that the risk brated Normal drive level.
of injury is avoided.
To set the normal drive level, the button for
Crushing or impact injuries may be caused if the kneeling should be pressed to its upper position.
chassis frame falls onto the axle. Alternatively, the button for changing the level
can be pressed up or down until the level fault
warning lamp goes out.

! WARNING! Only in exceptional cases should the vehicle be

driven with a different level setting than the nor-
Always use stands when working under mal drive level.
vehicles with air suspension.

Recovery
The frame can fall on to the axle if: To allow the vehicle to be recovered when the
ELC control unit is completely unserviceable
• An air bellows is punctured. and the suspension bellows are empty, the sys-
tem can be charged manually through three filler
• An air line is disconnected. nipples of tyre valve type.
• Voltage is applied to a valve for emptying See also the Work Description under ”Setting
the bellows. bellows height”.
• A levelling valve turns when the engine is
started.

1200f14b.mkr © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 5

System description

System overview System description

The air suspension system on a bus equipped
Introduction with ELC is regulated by a control unit. On an
articulated bus the system is regulated by two
ELC (Electronic Level Control) controls the control units, one for the front and centre axles
vehicle’s air suspension system. ELC offers a and one for the rear, driving axle.
number of advantages over mechanically con-
trolled air suspension: The control unit is continuously informed of
the vehicle’s height by three level sensors, one
• Less air consumption while driving. at the front and two at the rear. Articulated
buses have two additional sensors on the centre
• Simpler systems for air lines and valves. axle.
• The drive level is not affected by braking The level sensors, which are calibrated individ-
and cornering. ually to give precise level control, send voltage
signals to the control unit which compares
• Temporary drive level possible.
them with the calibrated voltage level.
• Improved level control operation.
When level adjustment is required (voltage too
• Improved kneeling operation. high or too low), the control unit regulates the
amount of air in the bellows by means of two
solenoid valve blocks on a regular bus and
three blocks on an articulated bus.
This ensures that the vehicle is maintained at a
constant level regardless of the load it carries.

6 © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 1200f14b.mkr

 System description

Drive level

Normal drive level Level changing is permitted when

Normal drive level is the level the vehicle • Air pressure is higher than 5 bar.
should normally have when it is being driven.
When the vehicle is not set for normal drive • The engine is running.
level the level fault warning lamp comes on. • Vehicle speed is below 30 km/h. At speeds
Normal drive level is set in connection with above 30 km/h the vehicle automatically
level calibration. Calibration must be carried returns to the normal drive level.
out each time the control unit or a level sensor
is changed. Drive level 2
If the vehicle’s level changes when the starter The vehicle can be programmed for drive level
current is turned off, e.g. on account of leak- 2. This means that the level is lowered about
age, the vehicle will return to the normal drive 20 mm when vehicle speed drops below
level when the current is turned on. In such 25 km/h.
case, the normal drive level must be set with
the ”interrupt kneeling” button or, after the Drive level 2 is then retained until road speed
engine has been started, by pressing the ”level exceeds 45 km/h. Normal drive level will then
raising” button until the level lamp goes out. be set automatically.
The drive level can be temporarily raised by When drive level 2 is activated, the control unit
about 110 mm or lowered by about 75 mm regards this level as the Normal drive level and
with a switch on the instrument panel. See also the level fault lamp will not light up.
under ”Controls and operation”.
When driving with a raised level the stability Note: On a stationary vehicle with the control
of the bus is impaired. Driving at a level other unit programmed for drive level 2, the drive
than normal drive level is to be considered a level is 20 mm lower than the calibrated nor-
temporary measure and should be avoided. mal drive level. This must be taken into
account when checking bellows height.

The control unit is programmed for drive

level 2 with Scania Programmer 2.

1200f14b.mkr © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 7

System description

Kneeling Roll-over protection

This feature lowers the height of the vehicle at The control unit can be programmed with a
the boarding steps by 70 - 110 mm, depending roll-over protection function. This means that
on the type of kneeling. When kneeling is acti- the ELC lowers the level maximally when the
vated by the switch, the suspension bellows are vehicle rolls more than the statutory limit. This
emptied until the correct kneeling level is feature is required by law in certain countries.
reached.
The function is activated when the difference
The vehicle can be equipped with three differ- between level signals from the right and left
ent types of kneeling: level sensors is unallowable.
• Boarding kneeling at front, right or left The control unit is programmed with roll-over
protection by means of Scania Programmer 2.
• The whole of the front
• The whole of the side, right or left
(from 99 02)
The control unit is programmed with the type
of kneeling by means of Scania Programmer 2.

Kneeling is permitted when

• Air pressure is higher than 5 bar.
• The engine is running.
• The parking brake or bus stop brake is
applied.
• Approved signal from door(s). This feature
varies according to how kneeling should be
performed in relation to door functionality.

8 © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 1200f14b.mkr

 Controls and operation

Controls and operation

Level control
The vehicle can be equipped with level control.
Drive level is then regulated by a three-way
spring-loaded switch (S522) on the instrument
panel.

104 118
Three-way switch (S522)

Raising
To raise the drive level, the switch should be
moved to its upper position. The level fault
warning lamp then comes on. The raising
movement stops when the switch is released
and resumes when the switch is pressed again.

Lowering
Press the switch to its lower position. In other
respects, lowering of the drive level takes place
in the same way as raising it.

Return
There are two alternative methods of returning
to normal drive level:
• Press the switch for changing drive level to
its upper or lower position and hold it
there. When normal drive level is reached,
the lowering movement stops and the level
fault warning lamp goes out. Release the
switch.
• If the vehicle is equipped with kneeling,
the change in level can be reset by moving
the switch for kneeling to its upper posi-
tion.

1200f14b.mkr © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 9

Controls and operation

Kneeling
Kneeling is activated by a three-way spring-
loaded switch on the instrument panel.

Boarding step height is lowered when the

switch is moved to its lower position and held
there.
Kneeling stops when the switch is released and
continues when the switch is operated again.

109 364
Return Three-way switch (S504)
To interrupt kneeling, the switch should be
moved to its upper position for at least 0.5 sec-
onds. The vehicle will then return to its normal
drive level. When the switch is released, the
kneeling movement continues until normal
drive level is reached.

10 © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 1200f14b.mkr

 Configuration

Configuration

Kneeling
All buses can be equipped with kneeling. The
alternatives offered are:
• Without kneeling
• Boarding step kneeling (right or left)
• Whole front kneeling
• Whole side kneeling (right or left)

Drive level 2
Only U class buses can be programmed for drive
level 2.

Roll-over protection
Roll-over protection is available only for RHD
buses as this is required by law in certain coun-
tries.

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12 © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 1200f14b.mkr
 Control unit

Control unit

General
For ELC, the same control unit is used for all Depending on the type of bus, the control unit
vehicle types. is also automatically programmed with a
number of parameters.These are not shown in
The articulated bus has two control units, one SP2, however. On account of this automatic
for the front and centre axle and one for the programming it is important for the type desig-
rear, driving axle. nation to be correctly entered when program-
ming is performed. SP2 uses the type
The front control unit must not be mistaken for
designation to check that the control unit is cor-
the rear control unit, and vice versa.
rectly programmed.

Programming The rear control unit cannot be programmed

for front kneeling.
Control unit functions are determined by a
number of parameters. Depending on how
these are set, the control unit will work in dif- Changing the control unit
ferent ways. For the vehicle to perform as
intended, it is important for programming to be Experience has shown that faults in the control
carried out correctly and accurately describe unit are rare. Fault codes and fuses must there-
the configuration of the vehicle in question. fore be checked before the control unit is
changed.
In connection with programming, the control
unit is allocated a logic address. When Scania When the control unit is changed, the new con-
Diagnos or Scania Programmer look for a con- trol unit must be programmed to match the
trol unit they use the logic address to distin- configuration of the vehicle. Fault codes may
guish the control units from each other. be generated in connection with the change
because the control unit has not yet been cali-
The logic addresses are: brated in regard to the level sensors.

• 10 for a bus. Programming is carried out by means of Scania

Programmer 2.
• 11 for an articulated bus, front.
• 12 for an articulated bus, rear.
Programming is carried out by means of Scania
Programmer 2 (SP2).

Articulated bus
When an articulated bus is programmed, the
front and rear control units apparently have
identical programming. However, this applies
only to those functions which can be selected
when programming with SP2.

1245f14b.mkr © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 13

Control unit

Calibration
After manufacture, the level sensors have indi-
vidual differences. The control unit takes these
differences into consideration when calibration
is performed.
Calibration means that the value given by the
sensor at a given height is recorded in the con-
trol unit’s memory. The control unit then takes
these values into account when controlling
vehicle level and compensates for tolerance
differences.
If the control unit is not calibrated it will not
work properly. Calibration should therefore
always be carried out when any of the level
sensors or the control unit is changed.
The easiest way of calibrating is with Scania
Programmer 2, but it can also be done manu-
ally. See also the work description.

14 © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 1245f14b.mkr

 Control unit

Warning lamps

System faults
If a fault in the system arises which the control
unit can identify, the control unit will give
warning of this by causing the system fault
warning lamp to come on.

103 647
System fault warning lamp

At the same time, a fault code is generated and

recorded in the memory of the control unit. The
code can then be read either as a flashing code
or by using Scania Diagnos 2. A fuller descrip-
tion will be found under Fault diagnosis.
If the fault disappears, the warning lamp will
usually go out of its own accord. The fault code
remains, however, in the memory of the control
unit.

Level faults
When the vehicle has a level other than the cal-
ibrated normal drive level, the level fault warn-
ing lamp will come on.
109 365

Normal drive level is the calibrated level at Level fault warning lamp
which the vehicle is to be driven.
On vehicles which are programmed for Drive
level 2, the control unit will consider this level
to be the normal drive level when the function
is active. The warning lamp does not come on
for drive level 2.

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Input and output signals

Input and output signals

Control unit connections

The control unit connections for input and
output signals have the following functions:

Pin:
1 Power supply (15 circuit) from the central
electric unit.
2 Not used.
1
3 Output signal to the valve for the front axle 19
suspension bellows.
4 Output signal to the valve for drive level
raise/lower.
5 Not used.
6 Input signal for resume normal drive level.
7 Supply from the alternator (61).
8 Output signal to the valve for raising/
kneeling.
9 Earth for the level sensor, rear left.
10 Level sensor signal, rear left.
11 Level sensor signal, rear right.
12 Level sensor signal 1, front.
35
13 Level sensor signal 2, front.
14 Earth for the level sensor, front. 18
109 287

15 Diagnostics cable K.
16 Not used.
Location of pins in the control unit
17 Output signal to the system fault warning
lamp.
18 Earth.
19 Not used.
20 Output signal to the level fault warning
lamp.

16 © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 1245f14b.mkr

 Input and output signals

21 Output signal to the valve for the suspension

bellows, rear right.
22 Output signal to the valve for the suspension
bellows, rear left.
23 Input signal for the prevent kneeling func-
tion.
24 Output signal to the valve for lowering/
kneeling.
25 Input signal from the pressure monitor for
system pressure.
26 Earth for the level sensor, rear right.
27 Supply to the level sensor, rear left.
28 Supply to the level sensor, rear right.
29 Supply to the level sensor, front.
30 Not used.
31 Not used.
32 Speed signal.
33 Diagnostics cable L.
34 Output signal to the valve for kneeling.
35 Earth for the solenoid valves.

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18 © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 1245f14b.mkr
 Valves and monitors

Valves and monitors

Solenoid valve block

The ELC uses two types of solenoid valve block
to control the suspension.
The front axle is controlled by a block contain-
ing four valves. The front block’s fourth valve is
used for kneeling.
The centre axle and rear axle are controlled by
the same type of block, one for each axle. The
blocks contain three valves.
The schematic designations for the solenoid
valve blocks are:
• V524 for the front block.
• V543 for the centre axle block.
• V523 for the rear, driving axle block.

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Valves and monitors

Solenoid valve block for front axle, V524

109 354
2 3 4

Solenoid valve blocks for rear and centre axles,

V523 and V543

1
109 355

2 3 4

1 (3) Outlet
2 (1) Supply
3 (21) Control air for right-hand suspension bellows.
4 (22) Control air for left-hand suspension bellows.
On a RHD bus the control air at positions 3 (21) and 4 (22) is transposed.

20 © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 1215f13b.mkr

 Valves and monitors

Level sensors Pressure monitor

Chassis height is measured by three level sen- The ELC utilizes the compressed air system’s
sors, one at the front and two at the rear. An regular pressure monitor (T4) to prevent the
articulated bus has two sensors on the centre level from being lowered when the air pressure
axle in addition. The level sensors are mounted is too low.
on the frame and measure via a linkage system
the distance between axle and frame. If the air pressure in the system drops below 5
bar, the control unit prevents lowering and
The level sensors consists of a trailing contact kneeling. Raising can be performed, however.
and a resistor. If the vehicle is raised or low-
ered, the trailing contact slides over the resis-
tor. The resistance of the circuit increases or
decreases and the voltage signal to the control
Pressurizing valves
unit will be weaker or stronger.
The vehicle is equipped with three pressurizing
The level sensors are supplied with 5.0 V. The valves of tyre valve type. These can be used to
voltage signal from the level sensor to the con- fill the bellows with air.
trol unit varies from 1.7 V at its lowest to 3.4 V
The pressurizing valves are used in connection
at its highest. At the calibrated normal drive
with level calibration but can also be used to
level the voltage signal from the sensor is
allow recovery towing if the ELC system is out
2.5 V.
of order.

1215f13b.mkr © Scania CV AB 1998, Sweden 21