The resurrection of Doc, bringing a 20 year old neismann Bischoff Flair back to life after 12 years off road.

[jumartoo]

Lights are a total pain. We have a brake light that works intermittently and also one of the indicators. It's been rewired but it still happens, sometimes after months of working well. We can only think it's a bad earth, because a bang on the bodywork nearby gets them working again. It's so annoying.

 

[Ian_H]

I hesitate to make suggestions to guys that have done way more of this stuff than me, but for any one light can you the remove the bulb and check whether you get 12V on the +ve when switched on and for continuity between -ve side to chassis? This should help you narrow it down (if you haven't done this already!)

 

[Dutch 68]

Well the leak appears to be sorted. Just some old sealant that had obviously given up over the years . Resealed it all yesterday and just given it the hose test and no more leak . I've given the other side the hose test too and no sign of that leaking but the sealant does look a bit iffy in places so I'll probably just reseal that side too


Still no joy with the lights .. I've traced all the wiring back from every side marker back to the tail lights with no sign of anything amiss , then followed the loom from the rear all the way to the front where it goes up in to the engine bay ... and all the cables amass behind the engine battery.. I think to investigate that any further I'll have to take the battery out. In my mind it has to be a connection or fuse between fuse box and where it branches off to feed the front sidelight as if it was after that I'd imagine the front one would work . It's an annoying fault . All the other lights work and they're in the same loom so I don't think it's been a mouse etc

While I've been rummaging in engine bay I've been looking at various other bits , this engine is nothing like the fiat ducato 2.8 jtd , everything on this van is massive , the turbo is completely different and not a simple job to test the waste gate on this ...the big spanner trick used on the ducato is no good. Even compared to moby it's a proper beast of a truck , the front brake calipers are nearly twice the size , it's a chunky bugger that's for sure.

Access to the engine is not the easiest but I think with intercooler removed it will be much easier. The more I poke around it though the more at ease I become with its condition. Its mostly flakey paint here and there and the mechanics and structure is very sound indeed. I think this lights issue will be something very simple it's just finding the bugger . Will try and remove battery this afternoon and have a look .

Are you sure uncle Lenny doesn’t fancy a few days in sunny Cornwall now the school holidays are over? Some free nouvelle cuisine and some of his favourite wines might tempt him to guide you at close range to solve all electrical gremlins and fit some new switches, lights , batteries, solar panels b to b and other desirable electric modifications , between the three of you it will be a week and it will be sorted, and don’t leave it to late to source callipers, brake pads and bearings, so you are ready to go, you know what it is like with Iveco parts, not always straight forward if you like to source the correct parts for the right price

 

[WESTY66]

I know nothing about electrics (ask uncle Lenny HB ) But I don’t suppose they’re like a Christmas tree circuit, one bulb out, the rest are out

 

[Northernraider]

I hesitate to make suggestions to guys that have done way more of this stuff than me, but for any one light can you the remove the bulb and check whether you get 12V on the +ve when switched on and for continuity between -ve side to chassis? This should help you narrow it down (if you haven't done this already!)

There's no power to any of the bulbs the complete circuit is dead , which leads me to believe the fault lies in the wiring between fusebox and the first branch off which is to the front NS sidelight ...for some reason it's wired so the front NS sidelight is on the same circuit as the rear OS taillight and all side markers on OS . Probably a safety thing. The other circuit is unaffected , all lights work on the other side as do fogs ,indicators ,reverse lamps etc. It's just the one full circuit for offside lighting that's out.

It'll be a fuse or a plug most likely.. or possibly an earth. I'll have a look behind the battery . But if that doesn't reveal anything it'll have to be an autospark I think .

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[Lenny HB]

I know nothing about electrics (ask uncle Lenny HB ) But I don’t suppose they’re like a Christmas tree circuit, one bulb out, the rest are out

No they will be wired in parallel but a short or leakage to earth on any one will take them all out.

 

[Dutch 68]

There's no power to any of the bulbs the complete circuit is dead , which leads me to believe the fault lies in the wiring between fusebox and the first branch off which is to the front NS sidelight ...for some reason it's wired so the front NS sidelight is on the same circuit as the rear OS taillight and all side markers on OS . Probably a safety thing. The other circuit is unaffected , all lights work on the other side as do fogs ,indicators ,reverse lamps etc. It's just the one full circuit for offside lighting that's out.

It'll be a fuse or a plug most likely.. or possibly an earth. I'll have a look behind the battery . But if that doesn't reveal anything it'll have to be an autospark I think .

No advise from the electrical gurus on here?

 

[Lenny HB]

No advise from the electrical gurus on here?

All you can do is follow the wiring no easy in a Motorhome.

 

[Ian_H]

There's no power to any of the bulbs the complete circuit is dead , which leads me to believe the fault lies in the wiring between fusebox and the first branch off which is to the front NS sidelight ...for some reason it's wired so the front NS sidelight is on the same circuit as the rear OS taillight and all side markers on OS . Probably a safety thing. The other circuit is unaffected , all lights work on the other side as do fogs ,indicators ,reverse lamps etc. It's just the one full circuit for offside lighting that's out.

It'll be a fuse or a plug most likely.. or possibly an earth. I'll have a look behind the battery . But if that doesn't reveal anything it'll have to be an autospark I think .

OK, so does that mean you dont know where the fuse for the circuit is? (manual?)
Or its behind the battery? Sorry if I 've missed anything on previous posts!

 

[Dutch 68]

No they will be wired in parallel but a short or leakage to earth on any one will take them all out.

How would you go about finding that Lenny?

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[Northernraider]

I know nothing about electrics (ask uncle Lenny HB ) But I don’t suppose they’re like a Christmas tree circuit, one bulb out, the rest are out

Vehicle lights tend not to work like that or everytime you had a bulb out it would cause the Same issues I'm having.

 

[Dutch 68]

All you can do is follow the wiring no easy in a Motorhome.

It certainly isn’t, must be easier in double floor as hopefully access is better

 

[WESTY66]

Vehicle lights tend not to work like that or everytime you had a bulb out it would cause the Same issues I'm having.

I know, I’m clutching at straws for you

 

[Lenny HB]

I would disconnect all the lights that are out and then connect one at a time.
You could connect one at a time direct to a battery (preferably via a fuse) that would eliminate a faulty lamp unit.

 

[Northernraider]

OK, so does that mean you dont know where the fuse for the circuit is? (manual?)
Or its behind the battery? Sorry if I 've missed anything on previous posts!

I know where the fuse is but it's OK. I've had every fuse out the fuse box checked them and refitted.

But there's loads of plugs and wiring behind the engine battery and there's loads of crap and debri back there too so I want to take battery out and check behind there incase there's anything obvious, damaged wire ,loose connection/plug etc .

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[Northernraider]

I would disconnect all the lights that are out and then connect one at a time.
You could connect one at a time direct to a battery (preferably via a fuse) that would eliminate a faulty lamp unit.

I don't think it's a lamp unit uncle lenny , all the bulb holders and wiring at the actual lights looks good .

 

[Ian_H]

I know where the fuse is but it's OK. I've had every fuse out the fuse box checked them and refitted.

But there's loads of plugs and wiring behind the engine battery and there's loads of crap and debri back there too so I want to take battery out and check behind there incase there's anything obvious, damaged wire ,loose connection/plug etc .

So continuity check from fuse to 1st light?
And 12v at the fuse....

 

[Northernraider]

It certainly isn’t, must be easier in double floor as hopefully access is better

All the vehicle wiring is underneath cable tied along the chassis .

 

[Lenny HB]

I don't think it's a lamp unit uncle lenny , all the bulb holders and wiring at the actual lights looks good .

Still think it's worth doing, could be corrosion inside the lamp shorting it out, at least you have a starting point.

With these sort of faults it's to easy to jump in trying this and that (done it myself enough times).

Make a list and start with the basics and work through and you will find it.

1) Are all the lamps working?
2) Is there power on the output side of the fuse?
3) Is there power both neg & pos at the first lamp?
4) If not trace the wires back to fuse & neg connection.

 

[sonny]

Can you put a fused feed from (a) battery to one of the lights as a test?

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[MichaelT]

On our dethleffs I found 2of the side marker lights were on a different circuit and seperate fuse next to the EBL.

 

[intokenny]

Let me start by saying " I know nothing" !!!! Do you remember years n years ago when you were parking on a street, you used to have to have a parking light on at night? Would this van have had that & could that be in play here somewhere? Or should I just shut up n just read?

 

[funflair]

That's handy to know....I think funflair mentioned that a few days back too.

I've not got the new lights yet but I'll investigate that when I'm fitting them .

Yeah they never thought that one through lol. Lying barstewards

Re lights, yes same idea but I didn’t chop the button off so needed to lift the unit over it.

 

[sonny]

Let me start by saying " I know nothing" !!!! Do you remember years n years ago when you were parking on a street, you used to have to have a parking light on at night? Would this van have had that & could that be in play here somewhere? Or should I just shut up n just read?

Good shout

 

[Northernraider]

Still think it's worth doing, could be corrosion inside the lamp shorting it out, at least you have a starting point.

With these sort of faults it's to easy to jump in trying this and that (done it myself enough times).

Make a list and start with the basics and work through and you will find it.

1) Are all the lamps working?
2) Is there power on the output side of the fuse?
3) Is there power both neg & pos at the first lamp?
4) If not trace the wires back to fuse & neg connection.

Well I've done part of that .

1) Are all lamps working....no none are working.
2) not checked that access isn't easy in fuse box.. hard enough getting fuse out never mind a volt metre in
3) no ...its completely dead
4) I can't yet without trying to remove the battery ....if I can then reach .

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[Lenny HB]

Well I've done part of that .

1) Are all lamps working....no none are working.

But you haven't dissconnected them and checked them individualy which is what I meant.

 

[Cookieboy68]

Not sure if Doc has a tow bar or if he has Cambus electrics . A mechanic freind of mine says that after market tow bars if not fitted correctly can mess with the lights.
Just an idea

 

[Northernraider]

But you haven't dissconnected them and checked them individualy which is what I meant.

I can't check them individually as there is zero power at the first light and nothing after it. So putting a meter on it wouldn't register anything. I've physically checked the bulb holders and wiring and apart from the number plate lights none show any signs of corrosion. The number plate lights are both corroded but if I disconnect the one on the dead circuit and connect it to the live circuit it works . .

As I said I'm convinced the fault is between the fuse box and the front side light.

But I can't find anything obvious.

It may not even be getting a pos Feed from the fuse box

 

[Northernraider]

Not sure if Doc has a tow bar or if he has Cambus electrics . A mechanic freind of mine says that after market tow bars if not fitted correctly can mess with the lights.
Just an idea

Yes it does and when I plug trailer board in to the socket I get the same lights out as on the van . Tail light and number plate light on off side , everything else works

 

[iain26]

Can you take a wire directly from the battery to the positive on the first light and see if they light up. That should prove the lights work or not or if it is the supply.

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