Broken Wire on A/C Compressor

[mcgibb]

When replacing the Serpentine and A/C compressor belts on my '96 300 TDi the other weekend I noticed a frayed wire at the front of the compressor unit.

The wire is bolted to the left side of the compressor and then it disappears behind the belt wheel and in one of the attached photos you can just see the other end of the wire poking out from below the spindle.

It looks to have been disconnected for some time and the A/C has been working, although I haven't turned it on since noticing.

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me what the cable is for and what are the implications of not having it re-connected?

Then I suppose ultimately how I might go about fixing it?

Thanks heaps!!

[loanrangie]

That looks like an earth strap, if it was the clutch lead your AC wouldnt work.

[Davehoos]

originally they had a plastic cover over the wires. over time it gets brittle.

if the belt gets in behind it rips oit off.

when we got coils rewound they be returned with 2 wires hanging out to solder onto.and some sealer/silastic..

the wires shown look like original-but would have to be the earth side of the coil--or you have no fuse left.

[Spel1]

Not an earth strap, it looks like the two wires that control the clutch magnet. If they are still connected they need to be insulated - if they are broken replace the wires with soldered connections and insulate the joins with shrink. If one of those wires touches earth it will blow the fuse and the ac will not work. Went through this last year, ac works great now.