Lights on - but nobody home - WTAF !

[dubselector]

Came downstairs yesterday morning at 6.30am to see an eerie light shining through front door glass, assuming a cat had triggered the security light I opened the door to scare it of before my dogs got wind of it. However no sign of furtive felines but headlights of my bus were on ! Doors were all locked so grabbed keys and checked light switch - firmly off ! Pulled light switch on and my warning buzzer emitted an odd noise as if battery was going flat - no change in brightness of lights with switch on or off. As it was now time to go to work and cold and raining I isolated the battery and gave up. Better weather this afternoon so reconnected battery - lights now working normally ! Just about started on struggling battery so now on charge. Is it just sulking coz it's not tucked away in the garage ? Normally is by now but an overrunning house improvement has rendered it. full of wood and plumbing parts. Anyone had a similar problem ?

 

[ozziedog]

As we all know, I and the majority on here have absolutely no electrical sympathies whatsoever apart from which battery lead goes on which end of the battery and most of us get it right more often than not,,,, not always but more often than not. If the switch was firmly off, I think my first look would be at the fuse box and the back of the switch but mostly the relay while you’re down there. I guess I’d be looking for any other wiring that had previously been attempted by myself which could be shorting across anything. My monies on the relay being a bit of a see you next Tuesday and creating havoc.

Ozziedog,,,,,,my electrical opinion is worth less than my empty Stellas

 

[67panel]

i would be looking at the headlamp flasher if it works without ign on, failing that a sticking relay?

 

[Clem]

Is it dry inside? Possibly water ingress causing a fault/short?

 

[sparkywig]

The main feed from the battery goes to the light switch before the ignition switch. I would check the light switch first.

 

[nickcj]

I would change the lighting relay.i had an intermittent flat battery problem on my early 30 years ago .I looked outside one night and my lights were full on.changed the relay and never had the problem again

 

[dubselector]

Thanks guys. Starting to suspect relay or stalk as today on fully charged battery headlights were flickering (LED bulbs so not much current needed to get light output ) , moved stalk a few times and healthy sounding click from relay bit headlamp bulbs still flickered. Fired up the Propex as it did feel a bit damp inside - after a few more pulls on the stalk lights seem OK. Sparky I'll pm you for a switch so I can eliminate that and will pull the relay and clean and test over the weekend if weather's ok

 

[Bluesnailman]

the power from the battery arrives in cab and goes to the light switch as its first port of call on the early years. unless you normally have a headlight flashing ability on the stalk id look first at the light switch. make a note of what colours go where, take lots of photos then take it out and bench test it with a multimeter against a wiring diagram. its not a fun job but i think you need to rule out the switch itself

ive rewired my van so that no real current goes through the switch, all light circuits are on relay now as were asking a lot from tired 50year old switches.

 

[dubselector]

 

[dubselector]

 

[dubselector]

I'm guessing water cooled relays aren't the best accessory !

 

[ozziedog]

I think that’s just the newness wearing off. Blob a bit of Vaseline on it it’ll be great for another fifty years.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,King of leck tricks !! Not.

 

[ozziedog]

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,BLIMEY,,,, I Didn’t guess one right did I

 

[sparkywig]

View attachment 7208

There's your problem, all you need to do now is find where the water is coming from.

 

[dubselector]

Well plus side is its due to rain here all day so should see we're leak is - downside is I'm at work all day and it's dark when I get home. Front panel from screen down replaced about ten years ago and screen aperture was solid then. Screen rubber was in a complete set and was supposed to do all years, however I notice Schofields now do an early specific one ( out of stock at moment ), anyone fitted one of theirs ?

 

[sparkywig]

The early specific windscreen rubber is wider and helps stop the water pooling in the windscreen aperture.

 

[static]

Whilst the windscreen rubber might look alright, if you cannot remember when or if you ever changed it out, then that is undoubtedly where the leakage is coming from.

Also: keeping a new, spare headlight switch (and relay) in your onboard bag of tricks is a very, very good idea. When the headlight switch fails it will undoubtedly be during a bank holiday, while it’s raining, in darkness and when you’re miles from anywhere. Don’t ask me how I learned this.

 

[Bluesnailman]

View attachment 7208

well found!

 

[naskeet]

Whilst the windscreen rubber might look alright, if you cannot remember when or if you ever changed it out, then that is undoubtedly where the leakage is coming from.

Also: keeping a new, spare headlight switch (and relay) in your onboard bag of tricks is a very, very good idea. When the headlight switch fails it will undoubtedly be during a bank holiday, while it’s raining, in darkness and when you’re miles from anywhere. Don’t ask me how I learned this.

I concur regarding the headlamp switch and headlamp dip & flasher relay. It's also advisable to carry a direction-indicator cum hazard warning light relay, together with at least one complete set of bulbs & fuses. If one incorporates multi-way connector blocks into the various electrical circuits, one can remove individual components, or even the whole instrument panel or complete dashboard, without needing to label individual wires.

If one drives a long-obsolete vehicle, it is always advisable to carry a box of essential spare parts, which will enable it to resume running in a legal state; especially when far from home. This was something we habitually did with the 1973 VW "1600" Type 2 Wesfalia Continental during the late-1970s & 1980s, when we toured various parts of Europe, including Hungary & Czechoslovakia behind the "Iron Curtain", prior to 1989. These days, I would also be inclined to carry a spare dynamo / alternator and associated voltage regulator.

Even the 1990 edition of the RAC European Overseas Touring Guide, recommended one to carry TWO spare tyres when driving in East Germany [the DDR (aka GDR) - Deutche Demokratische Republik (aka German Democratic Republic)]. This was something we also did in later years.

 

[ozziedog]

I concur regarding the headlamp switch and headlamp dip & flasher relay. It's also advisable to carry a direction-indicator cum hazard warning light relay, together with at least one complete set of bulbs & fuses. If one incorporates multi-way connector blocks into the various electrical circuits, one can remove individual components, or even the whole instrument panel or complete dashboard, without needing to label individual wires.

If one drives a long-obsolete vehicle, it is always advisable to carry a box of essential spare parts, which will enable it to resume running in a legal state; especially when far from home. This was something we habitually did with the 1973 VW "1600" Type 2 Wesfalia Continental during the late-1970s & 1980s, when we toured various parts of Europe, including Hungary & Czechoslovakia behind the "Iron Curtain", prior to 1989. These days, I would also be inclined to carry a spare dynamo / alternator and associated voltage regulator.

Even the 1990 edition of the RAC European Overseas Touring Guide, recommended one to carry TWO spare tyres when driving in East Germany [the DDR (aka GDR) - Deutche Demokratische Republik (aka German Democratic Republic)]. This was something we also did in later years.

Nigel, what sort of multi way connector block would you recommend as I’ve had a few issues and would like to incorporate exactly that in several places especially my instrument pod.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,, many in advance thanks.