SLROC Forum

I've never though myself much of a hand with vehicle electrics and this last week or two proves it. I could not work out what was happening, no side, tail , stop or indicators on the N/S at all..... Couple of hints on here ( Thanks again !) and I kept plugging away at it....

Finally narrowed it down to a short circuit fault somewhere in the loom running across the back of the vehicle. Found several areas where the outer layer of insulating tape on the loom was pretty crispy - so obviously been close to a hot exhaust - so I decided to just strip it all down. Disconnected all the lamp holders, pulled all the wire out into daylight and sliced off the insulting tape. I found no bare wires, no cracks, nothing at all.....but the problem has gone. I still have no idea what was causing the short circuit, but all the lights work, fuse stays unfused. The ways of Lucas, Prince of Darkness, remain a deep mystery to me.....

Answer is easy, bad earth. Mucking about with all your connections has cleaned it up a bit and your electrons are now happier bunnies. All the salt during last winter played havoc with my headlamps and indicators but one afternoon with some emery cloth did wonders.

Calum.

Hmmm. If it had just been " not working" I'd agree with the bad earth diagnosis - but this was blowing fuses as well, as soon as the side lights were turned on - so current was flowing somewhere ? 

Missed the bit about the fuses so probably not earth issue. Could just have been grot shorting the pos and neg on the bulbs which you disturbed by removing them?

Basil Fawlty had a solution.

I was pretty close to the Basil Fawlty response on a number of occaisions..... that and an Insurance claim for a fire.....

 

 A possible source of your type of problem is in the main loom where it passes through the offside chassis rail,the insulation gets worn away where the loom rubs on one of the internal chassis stiffeners for the shock absorber bracket.I found this on my previous 110 and 90,I pulled the loom out to replace rear crossmembers,but after repairing the damaged wires slipped on a flexible conduit and run it down the outside of the chassis.

I think I might have found the problem.... I put it all back together this morning, after yesterdays strip out and test session - and guess what, the fault was back, more blown fuses. Bit more work and I narrowed it down to the new ( Britpart ?) number plate lamp. Stripped that and could not see what the issue was - then I spotted it. The live feed wire ends with a bullet into a female connector. That connector is riveted to the metal back plate of the lamp-holder which is set in a rubber surround. So far so good - but when the holder is bolted to the vehicle the bolt is touching the metal of the lamp-holder.....and the bodywork, so straight to earth. I always thought ally was a poor conductor but its obviously enough to create a short. With the lamp holder just dangling every thing is tickety-boo again.  Tomorrow I'll look for some of those plastic nut/bolts that fix the number plate......

Aluminium is in fact a very good conductor Gene, it is used widely in electricity sub stations.

Or you could put the feed onto the feed terminal and the earth onto the earth terminal............................

Or you could put the feed onto the feed terminal and the earth onto the earth terminal............................

Yep, that would help - so would them putting a wee + or - on the damn things. Smarty pants !

Hi Gene,
            check out the LED number plate light on Bolt on Bits  Ebay shop(item no.220667262968). Fitted one when I rewired the back end of my old Rapier. Excellent lamp and a very good light, old lucas style no. plate lamps were always bad for filling up with dirt from road spray and the rivets holding the bulb holder rotted away and then they shorted out when the holder rattled loose.

 I use Polevolt, vehicle wiring products for some of my electrical parts and simtekuk for more specialised items for race vehicle harnesses and some very smart LED lamps but pricey as well.

cheers,
          Stevie. 

Thanks Stevie, yes, I've used the econoseal connectors from polevault as they match the original connectors. They looked fiddly to start with, compared to nasty scotchloc etc - but they are actually easy enough to assemble and make a decently professional looking job.

just looked at the simtekuk site. curious, led replacement bulbs are not legal for road use why is that??
surely the led is the way forward. i know thats what our buses are being fitted (and retrofitted) with. brighter and last longer so less chance of being caught with non working lights. i wouldnt buy another torch with old style bulb, led is so much brighter and clearer

Hi,
   can only assume there's no European type approval on LED replacement bulbs,E mark found on light lenses. Used to be that white LED's didn't have type approval because the light given off wasn't white enough so you could only fit red or amber legally. White LED lamps have been approved now and you can even have LED headlamps so no bulbs at all.
 LED's are all we fit at work as well and even interior lighting is moving towards LED's, still confuses the electronics at times(especially flashers) so modern technology isn't always best and at times over complicates things.

 cheers,
            Stevie

cheers stevie, glad to see the 'e's are looking out for us again......least bikes dont need mot's now more cyclists are using led at least now theres a chance of seeing them. maybe one day other motors can join in