Patent ID: 8371213

Claim:
A diagnostic system for a compactor/baler apparatus comprising: (a) a controller having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs; (b) a plurality of switches each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of inputs of the controller, (i) a first of the plurality of switches being in a first position when a ram of the compactor/baler apparatus is below a predetermined location and being in a second position when the ram reaches the predetermined location, (ii) a second of the plurality of switches being in a first position when a pressure driving the ram is below a predetermined pressure limit and being in a second position when the ram exceeds the predetermined pressure limit; (c) a communication port operatively coupled to a first output of the plurality of outputs of the controller; and (d) a display operatively coupled to a second output of the plurality of outputs of the controller, the controller being configured to: (i) upon actuation of the first switch to the first position, activate a ram timer to count to a predetermined timer setting, and (ii) if the second switch is actuated to the second position before the ram timer reaches the predetermined timer setting, output an alert indicating a full bale condition to at least one of the communication port and the display.