Thread: Strange Electrical Gremlin

Now someone tell me I'm wrong please.

You won't hear it from me ab.

Back in the days of yore it may have been the case, but with the introduction of good old Heatshrink I don't believe it is a problem for the reason you mention.


Just sayin'.

Originally Posted by aussiebushman

Well done! Persistence can save a heap of money but it can also be bloody frustrating. Having learned the hard way - on boats as well as cars, I now always solder then heat-shrink every connection I make - even crimps. The purists say not to solder because it can crack with the movement but I have never had that problem because the shrink holds everything firmly and stops the movement. Now someone tell me I'm wrong please.

I rewired my POS's engine bay and installed heaps of relays, and EL thermo fan set up, etc using wire from a spare 2 door loom to keep the colour codes the same.

Everything was soldered and shrink wrapped. I mostly used brass spade fittings with clear covers as well and they were all soldered and crimped. Battery cable clamps soldered too.

That'd be around 15 years ago and have had absolutely no issues.

cheers, DL

Originally Posted by gaznazdiak

Well, good news and bad news.

Good news, problem solved.

Bad news it appears I'm a numpty.

After weeks of pestering LR mechanics and autosparkies, you guys and anyone who would stand still long enough, it was my own laziness that caused it.

For some reason, when I connected the new switch, instead of soldering all the connections as usual, I twisted one together. The connection had come loose but not pulled out of the insulation tape.

@Mercguy:
What is RAVE? I thought that was a venue for millennials to dance themselves into an sweaty coma.

Thanks to all for your help.👍😁

Mate we all do this sort of stuff.... I think it's caused by trying to do 50 things at the same time .... and getting side tracked. I did a good one last week. I was running the kids to school through the bush in the partially assembled shiny ****box. Half way to school the alternator light comes on ...................... Hmmmm........

So in the school carpark I check the fuses..... a 10amper is blown. The spare fuse in the housing is white. "7.5amp" I think to myself and plug it in........ Wow .... bloody smoke everywhere while I frantically try and pull that bastard fuse back out. Out comes the melted plastic bit leaving the intact fuse behind. The smoke cloud is growing by the second and I'm waiting for the bastard to burst into flames.... Luckily I ***ALWAYS*** carry a multi-tool on my belt. So I frantically grab the tool out ( SOG power assist with built in geared reduction pointy nose pliers) and rip that bastard fuse out..... and wait a couple of minutes for the smoke to clear.

Yeah, I checked when I got home. Before you all tell me I'm a moron.... Yes, white blade fuse == 25amps (not 7.5 like I thought). Next time I will bloody check. I now need to unwrap the harnesses across the dash and replace that wire.

Oh the cause.... No not me driving the car with no console or lower dash fitted. I"d dragged the reverse light switch wiring into the car and thrown it on the floor. My assumption being the switch was in the earth circuit. Who had thought they put 12volts through the damn reverse light switch. AAARRRRRhhhhhhhhh. You are supposed to switch the earth through switches like that one....

seeya,
Shane L.

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

Mate we all do this sort of stuff.... I think it's caused by trying to do 50 things at the same time .... and getting side tracked. I did a good one last week. I was running the kids to school through the bush in the partially assembled shiny ****box. Half way to school the alternator light comes on ...................... Hmmmm........

So in the school carpark I check the fuses..... a 10amper is blown. The spare fuse in the housing is white. "7.5amp" I think to myself and plug it in........ Wow .... bloody smoke everywhere while I frantically try and pull that bastard fuse back out. Out comes the melted plastic bit leaving the intact fuse behind. The smoke cloud is growing by the second and I'm waiting for the bastard to burst into flames.... Luckily I ***ALWAYS*** carry a multi-tool on my belt. So I frantically grab the tool out ( SOG power assist with built in geared reduction pointy nose pliers) and rip that bastard fuse out..... and wait a couple of minutes for the smoke to clear.

Yeah, I checked when I got home. Before you all tell me I'm a moron.... Yes, white blade fuse == 25amps (not 7.5 like I thought). Next time I will bloody check. I now need to unwrap the harnesses across the dash and replace that wire.

Oh the cause.... No not me driving the car with no console or lower dash fitted. I"d dragged the reverse light switch wiring into the car and thrown it on the floor. My assumption being the switch was in the earth circuit. Who had thought they put 12volts through the damn reverse light switch. AAARRRRRhhhhhhhhh. You are supposed to switch the earth through switches like that one....

seeya,
Shane L.

Ah Shane, it's so refreshing to know I'm not the only one who slaps their forehead.

One of my trademark blunders is reassembling something frustratingly complex and sitting back with smug satisfaction only to find I've forgotten to connect the left hand widget to the central doohickey, and have to pull everything apart and start again.

I must admit though, confirming my status as a dumbarse is somewhat better than discovering there was an actual problem with my big green baby.
Cheers
Mick

Shane - I admire your persistence!

As for the switch on the 12V side instead of on the negative, I have to admit I am guilty of doing that on occasions, mainly when the bloody wires are so short or hard to get at it is far easier. Your tale acts as a warning not to do that. However as stated earlier, I always cover the connectors with shrink to eliminate any chance of shorting out which is probably why I have got away with it.

I have a silly one at present. I replaced the loose and very short wiring to the washer pumps near the firewall with a connecting strip so much longer wires could be run to the washer pump motors. All worked well for few days - then no washers again. Also the temperature needle on the dash no longer registers so here we go again chasing the wiring for a fault. Of course, the fuses are intact which does not help.

Owning a Range Rover (in my case two currently out of a total of eight since 1978) means becoming an electrician, mechanic. plumber,coach-builder oh and a masochist!

Alan