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Few basic electrical questions

Started by _Eddie_ , Apr 04 2007 08:31 PM

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14 replies to this topic

#1 _Eddie_

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Posted 04 April 2007 - 08:31 PM

I have a few questions here guys

1. On the fuse panel, should the wiper washer fuse have 12V when ignition is OFF?
2. Same as above but on heat/AC fuse
3. What is the purpose of the black wire which connects to the the indicator switch inside the steering column key barrel casing? It is connected to the metal pin which I think locks the steering wheel.

Thanks fellas

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#2 _DocDamage_

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Posted 04 April 2007 - 10:11 PM

1&2. should be ON/ACC feed

3. would be the horn contact (spring loaded copper pin)

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#3 _Eddie_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 11:42 AM

My Heater/AC fuse and Wiper Washer/Turn signal fuse is getting 12V when ignition is switched OFF. It's receiving power from the brown wire which comes from the ignition switch. Should it be receiving power when ignition is switched off?

Thanks

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#4 _DocDamage_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 12:00 PM

Power into the fusebox has possibly been removed & plugged back onto the wrong pins. Best bet is to get a wiring diagram for your model (you haven't specified which it is), & refit the correct wires to the correct pins/fuses. You might find something like your brake lights/horn are operating through on/acc when they should be permanent. If you know roughly how they should be, you can just use a test light to see what does what & then change them around to work correctly. Take care when doing this not to accidentally earth out raw power as you can seriously damage the wiring.

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#5 _Eddie_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 01:07 PM

I just checked with the multimeter and the only source the two fuses are receiving power from is the brown wire which travels from the ignition switch. I just did a resistance check on the ignition switch between the constant power (red) terminal and the terminal the brown wire connects to and found they contact (no resistance) even in OFF position.

So I guess that means my switch is rooted?

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#6 TerrA LX

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 01:48 PM

if the switch starts the car then i think if would be o.k. but i think its either out of adjustment or as stated the wires are wrong.

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#7 _devilsadvocate_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 08:28 PM

I just checked with the multimeter and the only source the two fuses are receiving power from is the brown wire which travels from the ignition switch. I just did a resistance check on the ignition switch between the constant power (red) terminal and the terminal the brown wire connects to and found they contact (no resistance) even in OFF position.

So I guess that means my switch is rooted?

Eddie, has it always been this way since you have owned the car, or just started to happen? If the later then could only be the switch, but if it has been that way "forever" possibly someone has made some incorrect connections.

How have you tested the switch? Did you remove all the wires from it before doing any resistance measurements. The permanent closed circuit that you have detected between the brown and the red wire could mean that a live feed is connecting elsewhere to the accessories terminals on the fuse panel(a possibility) if you have not disconnected all the wires.

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#8 _Eddie_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 11:07 PM

Hi DA, I'm not sure how long it's been going on, I just noticed it recently. The car has been off the road for nearly 2 years now and I'm just slowly painstakingly putting it back together. I noticed the wiper wash and heater/ac fuse were live on OFF position when I was looking for 'ACC only' power for my alarm/immobilizer. I thought these two would be the right candidates which is why I was amazed to find they weren't and now has led me here.

Anyway, I've pulled the ign switch out completely out of the car and up comes 0.00 resistance between those two terminals. So I'm guessing thats not supposed to be yeah? Whether it actually makes a big difference or not is unbeknownst to me, but I probably should fix up if it's not supposed to be doing that?

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#9 _devilsadvocate_

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Posted 13 April 2007 - 06:38 AM

Eddie, we still dont know what type of car it is?

Do you know for sure which terminal is meant to be which on the ignition switch, or are you just going on what you found connected there? Is there a multi pin plug going to the switch or just separate wires.

Quickest solution maybe to go to a parts shop or wreckers(but may end up looking at another dud switch), and ask if you can measure the contact resistances on the new switch and compare it to yours.......hopefully wouldnt be too much of a drama.

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#10 TerrA LX

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Posted 13 April 2007 - 08:03 AM

It's the Torry in his avatar.

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#11 _devilsadvocate_

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Posted 13 April 2007 - 08:39 AM

It's the Torry in his avatar.

Probably it is, wouldnt hurt that people actually verify what car they are talking about when they post about a problem.....I also block avatars for various reasons, suppose Ill have to unblock them to find out what torry we are talking about....but my time's precious too.

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#12 _Flamenco_

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Posted 13 April 2007 - 05:32 PM

It's been awhile since I was behind the fuse panel of an LH/LX but for memory there is a black 4 pin plug at the back of it - could this plug be the wrong way around during reassembly? (I can't remeber if it's able to be connected wrong but thought it was a possibility).

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#13 _Eddie_

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Posted 13 April 2007 - 07:50 PM

Its a LH guys, DA don't worry about checking the avatar, the car is hardly discernable it - I think ALX might be stirring ya

Flameco yes there is a 4 pin terminal which connects to the centre of the fuse panels, I think you could fit it the wrong way if you tried... but it's rectangular shape so you could only fit it two ways, the way it is and 180� rotated the other... which would mean the red constant power which powers the cig/horn would feed the wiper/signal fuses and vice/versa. Don't think that's the case here but a valid point nevertheless!

DA: The original multipoint plug which connects to ign switch is still being used, not seperate wires so no chance of incorrect wiring. Unless my switch is some slighty altered design out of a kingswood or something, but I heard they're all the same.

Yes I think I will have to go have a look at another switch to quell my curiosity! They're going for about 5 bucks on ebay or Zupps last time I called them about 8 months ago still had a brand newy there. I couldn't believe it!

Thanks guys.. I'm sure I'll get to the bottom of this

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#14 _Eddie_

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Posted 28 May 2007 - 11:45 PM

Thought I'd just wrap this one up here. Turns out the ignition switch was burnt out and the accessories terminal was always making contact with constant power terminal inside the switch. When I opened it up it looked like someone fried/scorched an egg in there. I bought a brand newy GM one from Zupps for 51 bucks. Not bad eh??

Problem solved. Thanks for everyones input all those weeks ago. :burnout: