Camper Fuse/Wiring Help!

[MMKGreenMachine]

Hi,

I recently purchased a 1983 Westy (1.9L Watercooled) and am trying to get the water pump for the sink and fridge working off the 12V system again.

One of the POs did a few strange things with the relay and wiring for the fridge/sink.

The best I can tell, the PO was piggybacking their stereo amp off the power wire that runs to the battery from terminal 87 on the relay, they installed a new water pump for the sink with new wiring, and bypassed the original 16A and 8A fuses (likely with some sort of in-line fuse) which is why the wires are spliced.

I have to replace the relay because it was fried. My question is, how do I go about restoring the original wiring configuration?

I know the blue wire will go on terminal 86, the red/black wire on 85, and the red wire bundled with those two wires will go on one of the 87 terminals, but which of my wires goes to terminal 30 and which goes to the other 87?

My guess is the red (spliced with black) goes to 30 and the white goes to 87 - is that right?

How do I go about re-wiring those through the original fuses?

Thanks!!!!

[69aircooled]

I have recently gone through a similar exercise. Here are some pictures I took from a donor camper. Hope this is helpful.

[MarkWard]

Last picture heavier gauge is for the 16 amp fuse. Lighter gauge is for 8 amp fuse. From memory the 8 amp fuse powers the LED display under the sink, the water pump and possibly the fridge cooling fan. The 16 amp fuse powers the fridge on 12 volt. I’d have to sit down with the manual to explain the relay connections and I see non factory wire in your pictures. Wouldn’t want to tell you wrong. If you have a coach battery in addition to the starter battery there are much better solutions to the factory relay. I just opened a small box the other day with the factory relay, wire, and 2 fuse box I removed from our 82. Was surprised I still had it.

edit: On my PC now.

The relay has two 87 terminals. One has a heavy gauge wire running to the starter battery positive terminal. It should have power all the time. The other 87 pin goes to the smaller 8amp fuse. It should not matter which wire ends up on either 87 terminal.

Terminal 30 on the relay goes to the 16amp fuse for powering the Dometic fridge. 85 and 86 are the holding coil for the relay. They are wired to isolate the power to the 16 amp fuse during cranking and to connect when the engine is running. At rest, 85 is likely seeing a ground from the starter solenoid and 86 is seeing a ground through the alternator. For the relay to energize, One of the terminals see's power and the other sees ground. When you go to start the engine, terminal 85 should get power. When the engine starts and runs, you should get power on terminal 86 and terminal 85 now acts like a ground for the holding coil. It's difficult for me to translate this into text. Early relays had an external ground wire. This diagram does not show an external ground.

Alos because of the different years, I have found the Factory Manual as it relates to the camping electrical to not always be exactly what I am looking at. Also, in general, most relays would have constant power on terminal 30, this relay is the exception to that rule. Hope that helps some. There are other members that will likely chime in and point out my errors.

[Ziegel]

Alternative wiring diagrams which might be of help? For euro spec but it looks very similar from your photos

https://www.type17.net/type17_infos/doc/t3/VW_Transporter_80_92_Joker_et_Club_Joker_09.86.pdf

[MMKGreenMachine]

Thanks, everybody! I think I've got it more or less figured out now. Grabbed some fuse and a new relay (plus a spare) and will give reconnecting a go. Will let you know how it turns out! Thanks again!

[PDXWesty]

this is what the stock relay wiring looks like on my van:

Wire - Terminal (stock)

1. Red/Blk - #85 (ground through starter solenoid)
2. Blue - #86 (ignition trigger)
3. Red from dash - #87 (outside) (Constant power)
4. Small red - #87 (middle) (from aux. fuse box)
5. Large red - #30 (from aux. fuse box)
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto

[Chilepines]

Would the relay still work if terminals 30 and 87 were reversed? I just found that n my relay terminal 30 has constant power and terminal 87 is going to the fridge fuse behind the driver seat.

Related question - what does the other circuit behind the driver seat run? The wiring diagram in my Bentley shows 80-85, but that does not match what I see in my 89.

I'm trying to get my sink running from a new house battery. I have green wires to the water pump and yellow for the pump switch.
Where that green wire comes from is a mystery. In the sink cabinet you can see a green wire coming from the LED panel. Can I tap into that green wire to run the pump? (The fridge is disconnected and being replaced with a compressor fridge which I will wire directly.)

_________________
White 89 Westy with 2004 Subaru EJ25 and Subarugears 5MT - Betty

[Timwhy]

[kamzcab86]

[fxr]

[Chilepines]

Thanks for the replies. I was stuck on looking for continuity from the 87 wire to the pump - without realizing there is no continuity when the faucet switch is open!
I have a fuse panel in the hidden space and another under the driver seat. Since the 87 wire is in the drivers box I'm using that for the load and the one in the rear near the pump for the negative.
And it works!

_________________
White 89 Westy with 2004 Subaru EJ25 and Subarugears 5MT - Betty

[DavenpoWE]

To be honest this is a lot to fallow but I have a 1985 vanagon With aux battery that the fresh water pump has not been working, this is some great info thanks!