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Thu Dec 04, 2014 6:19 pm

Hey everyone
So, today I was installing my ambulance fans that my father had sitting in the garage for 9 years. (kind of a waste considering its winter) but its the thought that counts. :lol:

Anyway, Ratwell's website said to hook them up at terminal 7 in the fusebox. So I got it all wired in and BAM no power. So i disconnected it from the fusebox and cleaned ALL the points of connection for terminal 7 (I think there was 4) and tried every single one of the points of connection and still no power. So, I took out the trusty multimeter and used one wire to ground and tested the points with the meter and got 0s on all of them. I tested the other points (Like fuse 6 and 8) and they worked great. So, I replaced fuse 7 and still didnt work. I eventually gave up and connected the fans to an empty point in terminal 10 and they worked great.

So my question is, what is going on? Why isn't fuse 7 working at all?
Thanks!

Thu Dec 04, 2014 6:37 pm

what year bus? there is 1 fuse I know of in 70-71's that is NOT powered, but a fuse is there anyway for radio, fans, etc

Thu Dec 04, 2014 6:40 pm

On some buses the bonus fuse isn't even hooked up, it's just along for the ride until you add a jumper from another circuit of your choosing. As Skills says, what year?

Thu Dec 04, 2014 6:47 pm

It is 1978

Thu Dec 04, 2014 9:23 pm

there is either a wire coming to it bringing it power, or a copper bar. The most common issues under there causing loss of power are a bad ignition switch or the hazard switch falling apart.

two good sources for data are

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/type2.php

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiringt2.php

That said there is a * by it mentioning "if fitted." That probably means add a jumper or there may be other steps required to bring power to it. The wiring diagram shows it powered off the hot side of fuse 9.

Thu Dec 04, 2014 9:26 pm

If it's not a factory Westfalia odds are good that's a dead fuse from the factory, you may need to add a jumper. Remove the fuse box and look at the back to confirm that.

Thu Dec 04, 2014 10:15 pm

thank you guys so much for all the help

I will take a look at it tomorrow and see if it is hot