identifying this loose wire under the dash

[fxshov]

1973 Bay Window. This Brown wire comes from the turn signal switch. It has 12v always. When you pull the switch for brights the switch closes and opens. I know its for the brights. My question is, where does it hook up? I cant figure it out. Ive looked at the wiring diagram and I'm scratching my head..
Ive found other loose wires I will ask about later if I cant figure it out.
Yes the bus is new to me.

_________________
GOOD AINT CHEAP AND CHEAP ANIT GOOD

73 Bay Window
05 Tundra
12 Scion
93 HD Softtail
18 NX 2500
I need a bigger garage.

[lil-jinx]

VW uses brown wire s for the ground circuit,so that should go to ground,unless someone has messed with it.
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620186
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=668799
1974 Bay Westfalia. she likes to be called Ethel.
1968 Dune Buggy
1974 parts bus
A smart man learns from his mistakes,a very smart man learns from other's mistakes.

[fxshov]

That's why Im scratching my head. I come out of the TS switch with 12v. Im supposed to ground it?
_________________
GOOD AINT CHEAP AND CHEAP ANIT GOOD

73 Bay Window
05 Tundra
12 Scion
93 HD Softtail
18 NX 2500
I need a bigger garage.

[lil-jinx]

It may be that whatever it goes to is turned on and is looking for the ground to complete the circuit,you could put it to ground through a fused jumper and see if something come on.or touch it to ground little spark,it's ground,fireworks it's a live wire.
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620186
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=668799
1974 Bay Westfalia. she likes to be called Ethel.
1968 Dune Buggy
1974 parts bus
A smart man learns from his mistakes,a very smart man learns from other's mistakes.

[fxshov]

I could add a inline fuse on the terminal side, before I touch it to ground I guess.
_________________
GOOD AINT CHEAP AND CHEAP ANIT GOOD

73 Bay Window
05 Tundra
12 Scion
93 HD Softtail
18 NX 2500
I need a bigger garage.

[Abscate]

Trace it up to the other end and use the wiring diagram to identify it and then put it in the correct place.

Don't guess with electrics, use the resources and get it right.

Dont assume it's a ground from color, lots of wiring Hackert is done to Busses.
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.ssS!

[timvw7476]

due to the length, I'd check any knobs on the passenger side, like the
rear defrost switch. that is one long run.

[fxshov]

according to this diagram for a 1973 bus. E2 is the suppose to be the turn signal switch..My turn signal switch has 5 terminals coming off of it. the black and green striped wires, and I have brown/white and solid brown wires shown in my picture. I don't quite understand where the solid brown is supposed to go to.

.

_________________
GOOD AINT CHEAP AND CHEAP ANIT GOOD

73 Bay Window
05 Tundra
12 Scion
93 HD Softtail
18 NX 2500
I need a bigger garage.

[Tram]

Solid brown is always direct ground. Brown with a stripe is switched ground, e.g. through a relay or switch like a dome light switch.
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Немає виправдання для війни! Я з Україною.

[Abscate]

[alman72]

I would really check that diagram before plugging it anywhere. those other two wires coming out of the signal are for some crazy reason mated together with a crimp. That's not how it supposed to be. even stock, why bring out two wires to just connect them? why not just do it in the switch? unless it is a fuse between them, but I don't think so. I have yanked a few of these, but did not pay close attention, except to remember that some of them did go to the plastic block, and I see you have a couple doing just that. good luck. When the weather turns here in Michigan and my 73 comes out, I could check what I have, but that is still acouple weeks out (I hope just a couple)
edit- does your turn signal work now? does it flash outside? (it wont inside on the dash) where is the flasher relay?

[fxshov]

The TS and flashers work out side. And the indicator lights work inside. Flasher relay is the black one attached to the fuse block. The wire with the terminal is Brown/white. Only thing I can think of is they tapped into the wire at one time and didn't use a butt connector to put them back together. That solid brown wire being a ground with a push on terminal seems odd to me. I would think a ground wire would have a ring terminal that you would attach with a screw. Like they have done on the back of the headlight housing.. That solid brown wire comes out of the TS switch. Its for the high beams. I don't understand this schematic well enough to tell exactly what its supposed to attach to.
_________________
GOOD AINT CHEAP AND CHEAP ANIT GOOD

73 Bay Window
05 Tundra
12 Scion
93 HD Softtail
18 NX 2500
I need a bigger garage.

[lil-jinx]

at the back of the gage housing there is a ring of blade connectors for ground connections and there is another ring on the front wall,plus a couple more in the engine compartment.
_________________
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620186
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=668799
1974 Bay Westfalia. she likes to be called Ethel.
1968 Dune Buggy
1974 parts bus
A smart man learns from his mistakes,a very smart man learns from other's mistakes.

[Wildthings]

VW uses females spades on the ends of their ground wires and typically have some form of male spade welded or otherwise attached to the body or engine.

A brown/white wire is probably going to be a switched ground, where the switch is on the ground leg of a circuit instead of being on the hot leg. The switch for your dimmers shown in current tracks #21-22 shows the dimmer switch on the ground side of the dimmer relay and connected to the relay by a brown/white wire.


double click to enlarge:

[fxshov]

I'll try and look into that tonight. Thx...
_________________
GOOD AINT CHEAP AND CHEAP ANIT GOOD

73 Bay Window
05 Tundra
12 Scion
93 HD Softtail
18 NX 2500
I need a bigger garage.

[telford dorr]

This is where a small test light is invaluable. You can connect the wire to ground through the light, then operate the turn switch (or whatever it is connected to) and see how it affects the light operation. The test light draws so little current that (unless it is wired to some solid state electronic device) you likely won't hurt anything...
_________________
'71 panel, now with FI
'Experience' is the ability to recognize a mistake when you're making it again - Franklin P. Jones
In theory, theory works in practice; in practice, it doesn't - William T. Harbaugh
When you're dead, you don't know you're dead. The pain is only felt by others.
Same thing happens when you're stupid. - Philippe Geluck
More VW electrical at http://telforddorr.com/ (available 9am to 9pm PST)

[itsawesty]

is it not E2, current track 22, goes to the dimmer relay. When you pull up on the turn signal lever it activates the dimmer relay, switch between normal/dipped headlights.

[Wildthings]

[Tram]

[fxshov]

It is indeed a ground wire.

That problem solved. On to other loose wires.

Why would someone cut this wire off the emergency flasher switch?

_________________
GOOD AINT CHEAP AND CHEAP ANIT GOOD

73 Bay Window
05 Tundra
12 Scion
93 HD Softtail
18 NX 2500
I need a bigger garage.