TheSamba.com :: View topic - Need help from electrical gurus

Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:33 am

panicalum wrote: I now have power at the fuse box and at all of the connections, but still get nothing when I turn the key. Without any wires connected, I get a click from the ignition module when I turn the key. That indicates that it is working correctly, right? No electrical is working even though there is power at all the switches.

So no dash lights or starter? yet you say power at all the switches, how are you determining this?

The grey wire is for the door buzzer, where does the brown/blue come from?

Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:42 am

I've tested it with a multimeter. both extra wires come from the ignition switch. They are not shown on the wiring diagram. Where does the gray one connect - at the switch, or the buzzer in the fuse box? They were both cut on the original ignition switch.

Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:06 am

panicalum wrote: It dies overnight. I know my alternator is charging properly b/c I can restart the bus after a drive. If the bus sits overnight, there is nothing left on the battery in the morning. It will drain so low, that my charger won't even charge it. I have to jump it to get enough juice (min. 3V) to get my charger to work.

I would take the battery out and put a good charge in it. Let it sit overnight and see what it shows the next day. If it discharges then it is bad. I had a battery that did what yours is doing, it would hold a charge for a short time but would discharge rapidly overnight. I did some testing and found the battery was being overcharged in the vehicle. Of course a hot wire may be grounding which would also drain the battery. :bay_red:

Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:33 am

panicalum wrote: I've tested it with a multimeter. both extra wires come from the ignition switch. They are not shown on the wiring diagram. Where does the gray one connect - at the switch, or the buzzer in the fuse box? They were both cut on the original ignition switch.

Some of the replacement ignition switches are made to fit several years. Just don't use those wires if your diagram doesn't show them. it's no big deal.

Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:32 am

Here's an important question: If you looked in the dictionary under stupid, what would you see?

Answer: Me.

After replacing the ignition switch, flasher switch, key tumbler, starter, Battery cable, and about 10 hours of scratching my head, It was all because of a bad ground on the - battery cable. I hate myself. Did someone suggest this very early in this thread? If so, please come cover me in tar and feathers. Now I get to go put everything back together.

Just goes to show you...Check the simple stuff first.

Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:44 am

panicalum wrote: Here's an important question: If you looked in the dictionary under stupid, what would you see?

Answer: Me.

After replacing the ignition switch, flasher switch, key tumbler, starter, Battery cable, and about 10 hours of scratching my head, It was all because of a bad ground on the - battery cable. I hate myself. Did someone suggest this very early in this thread? If so, please come cover me in tar and feathers. Now I get to go put everything back together.

Just goes to show you...Check the simple stuff first.

It takes a man to admit his mistakes and hopefully learn from them. I myself have been guilty more than once to jump to conclusions and go for the hardest and most expensive stuff first while bypassing the easy and simple things. Grounds get overlooked all the time.

Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:46 am

Man I hate it when that happens, glad you got it fixed. At least now you can say with confidence the whole system is good and shouldn't give you any grief for many years :wink:

Mon Apr 19, 2010 5:07 pm

Hi there!

I am experiencing this same issue on my 1971 Westy. Haven't gotten into the troubleshooting too much yet, but I wanted to just clarify something. When you say a bad ground on the battery cable, do you basically mean that the negative cable was not properly attached to the chassis? I just want to know where to start. Also, what was the Amperage drawing when you measured it?

Best,
Bjorn

Mon Apr 19, 2010 5:21 pm

busybear wrote: Hi there!

I am experiencing this same issue on my 1971 Westy. Haven't gotten into the troubleshooting too much yet, but I wanted to just clarify something. When you say a bad ground on the battery cable, do you basically mean that the negative cable was not properly attached to the chassis? I just want to know where to start. Also, what was the Amperage drawing when you measured it?

Best,
Bjorn

You need to make sure all your high amperage cables and straps are in good condition. The positive cable from the battery to the starter, the ground cable from the battery to the body, and the ground strap from the front of the transmission to the frame. A single Ohm of resistance becomes significant when you want to flow 100 amps through a cable.