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electrics gone mental!!

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MostlyMonki View Drop Down
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    Posted: 26 Sep 08 at 09:32
my electrical saga continues... sorted out my indicator problem (a brittle wire had snapped off and was hiding under the fusebox), then i went to fix my washer bottle pump electrics, wich i've found out was a dodgy earth connector. but now it seems all my other electrics have gone nuts!
 
1. when i turn the lights on my wipers turn on also.
2. main beem has "invered" on the stalk - i.e. when i turn it on its actually off and visa-versa.
3. dash illumination only works when the engine is off.
4. radio only works when the engine is off.
 
this all seems to stem from when i moved the fusebox out of the way to patch up a hole in the bodywork round the headlight/windscreen. it looks like a fair bit of water had gotten in there as a lot of the wires feel stiff and theres a fair bit of copper corrosion.
 
the problem is i just dont know where to start when it comes to diagnosis!? it's starting to feel worryingly like a full rewire is needed. anyone got any suggestions?
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MostlyMonki View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MostlyMonki Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Sep 08 at 09:38
oh forgot to say, most worrying of all is my water temp gauge started reading VERY high this morning, and i dont know if thats because the dash electrics are screwed or if theres a genuine problem (drove 25 miles on the motorway without breaking down though).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AndyT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Sep 08 at 09:49
Is your fuel gauge reading wrong as well by any chance.
If so there is a little resistor on the circuit board which needs swapping out.
LT28 1979 2.0 Pampas Nevada Camper LPG 93K, 1980 T3 A/C Camper 98K,1994 RRC 3.9 LPG 120k , 1998 Audi A6 Est 2.5 V6 diesel 127k

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thal View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote thal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Sep 08 at 09:54
I had a similar problem after repairing the windsreen corner. lots of water crazy electrics. before starting to rewire I decided to dry the area out,I put a fan heater in the footwell for an hour, went to start rewiring checked the first circuit and hey presto it was working as was all the others. I had no more probs until I sold the van. Give it a try you never know
terry
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MostlyMonki View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MostlyMonki Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Sep 08 at 10:59
cheers for that, I'll get the hairdryer on it all this evening.
 
Originally posted by AndyT AndyT wrote:

Is your fuel gauge reading wrong as well by any chance.
If so there is a little resistor on the circuit board which needs swapping out.
 
it is, but its been off since i had to do a ghetto-fix on my fuel tank/sender about 3 months ago, and the temp gauge only just went mental this morning.
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AndyT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Sep 08 at 14:16
Reckon the first thing to do is change the thermostat, only cost u a couple of quid, and at the same time flush the rad from top to bottom.
I assume you are not losing water cos u would have said, so if this doesn't fix it then its probably either the resistor or some other electrical problem.
LT28 1979 2.0 Pampas Nevada Camper LPG 93K, 1980 T3 A/C Camper 98K,1994 RRC 3.9 LPG 120k , 1998 Audi A6 Est 2.5 V6 diesel 127k

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AudioWizard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Oct 08 at 21:50
Originally posted by MostlyMonki MostlyMonki wrote:

2. main beem has "invered" on the stalk - i.e. when i turn it on its actually off and visa-versa.
 
 
I have this same issue - I've not looked into it as yet so if you find a cause/solution I'd love to know
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Butternut boy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Oct 08 at 22:58
You need to get your temp gauge working if your driving your van anywhere, otherwise you won't know if your destroying your engine.

1. Check your thermostats working,(take it out and chuck it in a pan of boiling boiling water), if it opens up and closes again(when it's cooled down)you can relax a little.
2. As Andy says, if your fuel gauge is out then it'll most likely be your voltage regulator.(£8 from GSF). They solder direct onto the circuit track behind your speedo. You can't miss it as it's the only chip on there(it's got three legs). Could also be dry joints here.
3. Least likely is the sender unit in the coolant elbow, these rarely fail so last on the list. .

Good luck with yer' airdryer'
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rockradio Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 08 at 15:41
Yeah, I agree, if the fuel and temp gauges are reading incorrectly its the voltage stabiliser. Nice little picture of it here from when I took my dash out. The three legged thing with TCA 700 on it.

I do strongly suspect its your fuse box water/corroision problems though. This is a very tricky one. All I can suggest for starters is make sure all the brown earth wires on the right of the fusebox are clean. Just removing the spade connectors and refitting them is often enough to cure (or partially cure) a fault. If the fusebox has got wet then its worth pulling it out again and spraying the whole thing with servisol spray this will clean up contacts and leave a thin layer of oil to keep them protected. WD40 won't help. I would take out the relays one at a time and spray the contacts on the relay and the fusebox and do the same withall the fuses too. If any of the relays have servere corroision on them, clean the contacts up with emery paper or even a file. Once you get it working, would be best to replace any relay's with bad corroision on contacts as most have to take a lot of amps.

I've never removed my fusebox, but if it has a multipin connector at the back to connect to the wiring loom, then clean that too. Pay attention to doing each individual pin or contact or spray any that are inaccessable sockets. Make sure they are all shinny clean. Duraglit is good for making the copper and brass contacts nice and clean.

I've never seen wires get corroded inside as they are very well sealed under the insulation. Its always the ends where it connects unless the insulation has been damaged by chaffing.

Doing the body repair next to the fuse box may have been flexing wires back and forth over and over again as you worked. Wires could have easily fractured at the point they connect, especially wires on their own that have to take all the strain. Wires in a bunch share the flexing and usually survive strain, but not always, just less likely they are damaged. Wires on an old vehicle or anything, like an old radio or something are always more likely to break at the point they join a solder joint or connector when they get old, so need to be treated very gently indeed.

Finally, did the fusebox get covered in filler dust? Although it should be ok on something new, a old bit of electrical gear won't like it that much and may have caused problems. Best make it spanking clean again. It you get the fusebox out its perfectly ok to wipe it over with a damp cloth, providing it gets overnight indoors to dry out properly. Bring it indoors, put it on the table and spend an afternoon cleaning it up and then spraying servisol on all the contacts.

If you still have problems after that, then proper fault finding can begine, but you need to get this sorted out before starting else you will be chassing your tail with odd and intermittent faults.

How this helps a tadWink




Edited by rockradio - 05 Oct 08 at 16:10
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AndyT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 08 at 15:50
If you do decide to replace it  then you need to be aware that most electrical components don't tolerate heat well.
Buy a 50w soldering iron and fit the new component within 5 secs.
Done Pace sky boxes etc in the past without problems using this rule.
In other words practise on an old circuit board first unless you are good at this sort of thing.
LT28 1979 2.0 Pampas Nevada Camper LPG 93K, 1980 T3 A/C Camper 98K,1994 RRC 3.9 LPG 120k , 1998 Audi A6 Est 2.5 V6 diesel 127k

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Butternut boy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 08 at 15:54
Just to add to that.....
Quality flux, quality lead free solder and a solder sucker all highly recommended.
Oh, and do it indoors, not in the van.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote drunkenmaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Oct 08 at 07:27
I also have the inverted high beam indicator problem. I also have wipers that won't switch off. I've tried changing the whole switch gear for both as there is a spare LT lying around at my yard, but same problem. I'm starting to suspect the wash wipe relay but not sure about the inverted light problem. I also have a fuse that keeps blowing for the rear nearside light. I may try swapping out the whole fuse box for one from the other LT today. I'll servisol all the contacts too and let you know how I get on.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote thal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Oct 08 at 14:22
did you say you have a spare lt in your yard
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote drunkenmaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Oct 08 at 17:49
The spare doesn't belong to me. It belongs to a company in the unit next to me.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote drunkenmaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Oct 08 at 17:52
Inverted highbeam indicator sorted along with the wipers that wouldn't turn off and also the oil pressure light staying on. After swapping the entire fuse box, all the relays, the switch gear and the wiper motor the problem turned out to be a bad chassis earth. Not the terminal next to the fuse box, but another one behind the windscreen washer bottle. Cleaned it up and tightened it with pliers, problem sorted
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thal View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote thal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Oct 08 at 18:55
where you at I cant find you on the map
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote drunkenmaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Oct 08 at 23:12
Near Bristol/Bath
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MostlyMonki Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 08 at 22:04
are they breaking that LT drunkenmaster? i'm in bristol and could do with some parts (depending what model it is..)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AudioWizard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 08 at 22:36
I decided to investigate my electrics problem a little further since on Friday (after I'd packed it ready for it's maiden voyage) the glow plug relay (A) wouldn't work (altho it had about 3 hours earlier)%20...%20Shift+R%20improves%20the%20quality%20of%20this%20image.%20CTRL+F5%20reloads%20the%20whole%20page. 
 
I checked the relay (A) and the switch - everything's good (my glowplug relay is currently controlled by a momentary action toggle switch bodged onto the dash). The power to switch comes through a relay (B) which is switched with the ignition. 
 
NB: I'd just like to add at this point that all this 'wiring' was done before I bought the van.
 
This relay (B) gets 12V (measured between it and the chasis) but across the coil there now only appears to be 1.5V (so not enough to switch it) - the negative side goes to the earth point on the dash and this checked out okay with a continuity test to the chasis (without the battery connected). At that point I went for a well earned pint but I'm not sure what to try next...
 
I still have the reversed dipped/main issue and the main beam indicator in the dash is on even when the lights are not.
 
Oh the joy of auto-electrics!
1997 T4 1.9TD - Self-Build Camper in progress
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