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Syncro locker panel wiring question.
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janv
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 6:24 pm    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

Thanks. I’ll try to flip them. But zooming in on my picture the front locker light should have worked.
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syncrodoka
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:54 pm    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

Without verifying that you have power and ground on the circuit board there is no point in looking at the bulbs yet.
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ALIKA T3
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 1:37 pm    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

janv wrote:
I’m troubleshooting my locker panel lights and it seems like for me it came down to my circuit board. My panel illumination light works just fine. I took the light power wire and ground and touched the metal connectors and it lights up. But when I connect the power wire to where the ignition power is supposed to be and ground the individual locker and decoupler circuits none of the lights come on. All the light bulbs are brand new and work in the panel illumination spot. Is it possible that my circuit board is bad? Am I missing something? Thank you for any suggestions.


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Did you do this?

ALIKA T3 wrote:
Jump the connector with a paper clip at the locker switch. It should light. If not, use a voltmeter to see if you get continuity to ground from the switch connector. The switch puts the circuit to ground (if i recall correctly)


If you don't have a mutlimeter, just use a jumper from locker-ground to ground to rule the switched ground wire as being bad. If it doesn't light up, spin the LED bulb around for reversing polarity. If you look at them closely at the lens side, you can test one and mark all the others with a Sharpie for polarity, I put a black line on the Minus side before installing them.
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janv
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 9:03 am    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

The polarity was my problem- partially. Turns out 2 out of 4 new LEDs from “SuperBrightLEDs” were faulty.
I did try the paper clip method and both decoupler and front loader ground wires work fine. But the rear locker doesn’t. Seemd like the LED lightbulb barely wanted to light up if I kind of pressed it in, but didn’t quite work. Not sure what to look for in the wire going from the back all the way to the front. The parts I was able to see were intact.
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:15 am    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

janv wrote:
The polarity was my problem- partially. Turns out 2 out of 4 new LEDs from “SuperBrightLEDs” were faulty.


Look at 'the tabs' that contact the circuitboard.
Maybe they just need to be bent upwards a little.
Just a little!
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janv
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:22 am    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

I did pull the tabs out a bit to make sure I have good contact.
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ALIKA T3
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:25 am    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

The chassis ground end of the wire prolly needs some work, that's where the electrical parts age and corrode.
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syncrodoka
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:28 am    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

Without verifying power and ground you are just guessing that the bulbs are bad. You could even check if the bulb was getting contact. Too easy I guess
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:28 am    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

So you tested the non-working with guaranteed 12v source? (in both polarities?)
Strange that LEDs would be defective.

Is this what you have? superbrightLEDs PC74 / T1.5-xHP
These are black but yours are white.

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I was making a pic while you were replying, here it is for others to see.
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janv
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:30 am    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

ALIKA T3 wrote:
The chassis ground end of the wire prolly needs some work, that's where the electrical parts age and corrode.


Thanks Alika. That one I didn’t check. Can you point me to where does this wire ground to the chasis?
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syncrodoka
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 12:11 pm    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

You should have gotten the led locker board

Superbrightled definitely mentions led polarity


Last edited by syncrodoka on Mon Jan 30, 2023 12:45 pm; edited 1 time in total
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ALIKA T3
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 12:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

janv wrote:
ALIKA T3 wrote:
The chassis ground end of the wire prolly needs some work, that's where the electrical parts age and corrode.


Thanks Alika. That one I didn’t check. Can you point me to where does this wire ground to the chasis?


I forgot exactly where it is as I relocated mine during the conversion in a more accessible spot. (Turbo Diesel). So I bet it's combined on the left side with the tail light harness grounds below the coil on the sheet metal (M6 bolt).
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crazyvwvanman
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 12:27 pm    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

My Bentley page 97.178 is for the diff lock wiring.
Says it grounds in engine compartment under ignition coil.

Mark
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janv
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 9:23 pm    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

All right guys. Got it all figured out. Thank you all for your helpful comments. Those light bulbs were tricky for me. 2 of them really ended up being faulty. Also found and cleaned the rear locker ground but had to find the proper ground wire going to the circuit board since someone already messed with it.
The only thing that is still a puzzle, but doesn’t bother me so much, is that the front locker light just keeps blinking even if the locker has been engaged for a while and never actually turns to just constant illumination.
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 9:50 pm    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

janv wrote:

The only thing that is still a puzzle, but doesn’t bother me so much, is that the front locker light just keeps blinking even if the locker has been engaged for a while and never actually turns to just constant illumination.


That might be normal.
Kind of a "Danger Will Robinson" thing.

They think you may not notice the dog has locked the front diff (while you're driving straight) then discover it when you need to turn, and can't.
The front locker is for very low speed only.
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ALIKA T3
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 11:32 pm    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

The front locker safety is useless, have you tried pulling on it straight out ? Imagine accidentally?
Thrse safeties are to avoid being sued by some smart American user, that's prolly why it was never offered on the US market in the end Laughing Laughing
If you have the proper factory safety button, you can't pull straight out to begin with.
When you're driving, do you look down for no reason to see the locker lights? No way you'll see it blinking if it were to happen accidentally, it's not in your driving sight. But again, it can't happen accidentally , if it does, it's your fault for putting the dog leash on it, or your umbrella or whatever. I don't see it happening unless you're really stupid.
I have none of these features bc I added the front locker myself, I can pull it on the fly while not even looking at the knob panel in sketchy situations that require fast reaction time.

Less things to trouble shoot, less crap behind the dash.
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 01, 2023 12:20 am    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

All that........ yeah....
If VW wanna blink it, not really a big deal.
What percentage of front lockers are actually used?
Other than to just to exercise it, keep it freed up?
Blinky lights might be more exciting, right?
============

I think I'd omit the blink though.
I would just wanna positively know..... if it's really locked.
I suspect that when you need a front locker you don't wanna be wondering "if it didn't lock". Oh yes it did! hmmm.

You wanna know, and ferfrickin' sure.
That is..... if you actually needed the danged locker.

I "placed an order" for a front locker (+Peloquin) so I have to learn this stuff fairly soon.
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....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 01, 2023 1:55 pm    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

janv wrote:
...
The only thing that is still a puzzle, but doesn’t bother me so much, is that the front locker light just keeps blinking even if the locker has been engaged for a while and never actually turns to just constant illumination.


Is the van a European model that came from the factory with the front locker blinking/warning system? (like the pictures I posted at the top of page 2)

Is the blinking regular and constant, or erratic?

If your van doesn't have the factory warning system then it's maybe a poor contact or faulty light indicator switch?

If you do have the factory warning system then it could be a fault there - sorry, I had a European Syncro with front locker but the blinking setup worked and I never had to troubleshoot so can't really help. My current setup is three knob but without the factory warning system.

On a side note - (just checking) - are you positive the front locker is engaging? When engaged there's no doubt, steering is seriously impaired.
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ALIKA T3
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:05 am    Post subject: Re: Syncro locker panel wiring question. Reply with quote

You're right that's it's rarely needed, I actually don't enjoy using the front locker bc the steering gets so stiff, like if you need it and you need to turn in the meantime or right after releasing it, with speed, it gets sketchy.

I prolly used 3 times top for 6 months in Central America. My motto was :just don't go where you don't belong, especially with no winch and no assistance in the middle of nowhere Laughing Laughing
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