Electrical help needed

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suew

suew

Well-Known Member
Posts
9,190
Location
Leeds
OK I have decided to spend today fixing some bizarre electrical faults on my Landy.

The first and definitely most weird is the one on my CB radio or Windscreen Wipers or perhaps both.

The park switch on the wipers has definitely gone and I have bought another one. I might swap that first and see what happens but I don't think it will solve the bigger problem.

When the wipers are on intermittent they seem to have a link to my CB. If I transmit they speed up. Also sometimes when they are not on at all, transmitting on the CB sets them off. On a very rough lane a couple of weeks ago they both went mad and the CB started transmitting and the wipers going and I couldn't stop either of them until I switched the CB off. They have only done that once.

Nrgserv looked at them last week and found the problem stopped if you put your hands around the aerial without actually touching it :eek: He also ran a new earth to the CB and changed the wiper relay but it still does it.

A new fault appeared this week, when going down hill the handbrake light on the dash comes on without the brake being operated. It goes off on the flat and up hill.

I thought after changing the park switch I might find and clean up all of the earths I can find and get to easily.

Next I might try the CB with a different aerial, the current one is magnetic and has fallen off quite a few times laning, perhaps it is damaged in some way.

So ideas welcome, I have tools and a Haynes manual to find stuff :D but thats about it. I did buy myself one of those electrical meters a few months ago. I know how to check for current but that about it, apparently it will do other stuff :confused:
 
wire CB direct to battery This usually cuts out 99% of problems. Check SWR.

brakelight switch is attached to side of hand brakelever it needs a slight tweak, mine does it when setting off slight press on the handbrake lever to seat it properly always turns it off.

Most important thing on a CB is SWR higher it is the more interference it will create. use the continuity function (horseshoe shaped thingy) to make sure that the centre of the coax is completely separate from the outer sheath.
 
redhand said:
wire CB direct to battery This usually cuts out 99% of problems. Check SWR.

brakelight switch is attached to side of hand brakelever it needs a slight tweak, mine does it when setting off slight press on the handbrake lever to seat it properly always turns it off.

Most important thing on a CB is SWR higher it is the more interference it will create. use the continuity function (horseshoe shaped thingy) to make sure that the centre of the coax is completely separate from the outer sheath.
Click to expand...

Thanks, will try that with the handbrake.

Is the coax the aerial wire, if so the outer cover has a nick in one place, might that be causing the problem
 
suew said:
Thanks, will try that with the handbrake.

Is the coax the aerial wire, if so the outer cover has a nick in one place, might that be causing the problem
Click to expand...

not if it's only the PVC outer cover.
CoAx has a central copper core that is the actual bit that carries the signal to and from aerial to cb. In order to prevent the signal been transmitted all along the core. It has a outer cage to Trap the signal. (google Faraday cage) so it can only be released when it reaches the aerial. to prevent the inner core from touching the outer cage wires, the core wire is encased in white Plastic then the cage has an outer PVC cover (usually Black) If the inner core touches the cage wires. then it shorts out and may cause interference as the cage then becomes the aerial. the outer pvc been broken is unlikely to have an adverse effect.
 
redhand said:
not if it's only the PVC outer cover.
CoAx has a central copper core that is the actual bit that carries the signal to and from aerial to cb. In order to prevent the signal been transmitted all along the core. It has a outer cage to Trap the signal. (google Faraday cage) so it can only be released when it reaches the aerial. to prevent the inner core from touching the outer cage wires, the core wire is encased in white Plastic then the cage has an outer PVC cover (usually Black) If the inner core touches the cage wires. then it shorts out and may cause interference as the cage then becomes the aerial. the outer pvc been broken is unlikely to have an adverse effect.
Click to expand...

That might need looking at the, the reason the outer is nicked is cause it was trapped in the door, could have also damaged inside

Thank you :
 
Just check your brake fluid level also, as it may actually be low brake fluid making the light illuminate and not the handbrake at all.

As others have already mentioned it would be worth while checking the main earth from the battery to the transfer box.
It has a tab bent around the cable half way along that is fixed to the chassis near the gearbox mount.

These tend to become loose over time and give intermittent earth problems
 
Tonks4x4 said:
Just check your brake fluid level also, as it may actually be low brake fluid making the light illuminate and not the handbrake at all.

As others have already mentioned it would be worth while checking the main earth from the battery to the transfer box.
It has a tab bent around the cable half way along that is fixed to the chassis near the gearbox mount.

These tend to become loose over time and give intermittent earth problems
Click to expand...

OK thanks :D Will do those this afternoon
 
OK, so I am now sick of these problems. Its dammed annoying having the wipers come on every time you use the CB.

It doesn't seem to be the aerial, it has a new earth, unfortunately the park switch is still in the bag. I didn't realise it needed to go in the wiper motor :eek: so that will have to wait for nrgserv to have time. But its not likely to be that.

The handbrake light is just as annoying, its not the lever as moving that doesn't make it go out. Its not the fluid as it has loads.

Anyone got any more ideas (need to be simple) that I can try myself.
 
Id start off with the main earths, it wont harm, main earths can do all sorts of strange things if theyre mucky.

take em off, clean up with a wire brush/sandpaper on the rings and put back together with a dose of vasaline.
IIRC on the 200 the main one is transfer box, and one behind the instrument cluster, attached to the bulkhead not sure on the rear lights on yours.

I was having all sorts of wierd stuff going on, like side lights soming on with the brakes, and if I was towing, the side lights worked with the indicators, and the dash pretended it was in saturday night fever...
 
timtheenchanteruk said:
Id start off with the main earths, it wont harm, main earths can do all sorts of strange things if theyre mucky.

take em off, clean up with a wire brush/sandpaper on the rings and put back together with a dose of vasaline.
IIRC on the 200 the main one is transfer box, and one behind the instrument cluster, attached to the bulkhead not sure on the rear lights on yours.

I was having all sorts of wierd stuff going on, like side lights soming on with the brakes, and if I was towing, the side lights worked with the indicators, and the dash pretended it was in saturday night fever...
Click to expand...

OK :D There is one behind the dash at the passenger side too. Warrior found it when he was retrieving the electronic entry card to the stables (I posted it down the heater vent :eek:) Will try to fit this in at the weekend, around clearing my drive to make more room

What colour are the earths or are they obvious. I know where a few of them are and I think they are black
 
Last edited:
Landyfox said:
Yup Earths should be Black, however account for years of DIY jobies just using what they had lying around. Pretty obvious to spot though!!

I HATE ELECTRICS, I've actually just given up with mine lol :)!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Thanks :D

I hate everything about fixing Landies :rolleyes: but I need to learn

Well actually that not true, I enjoy it when something works, trouble is that not very often :(:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
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