New van, ex workshop/utility - need help sorting auxiliary electrics!

[dilalio]

Love me new van but need to sort out the electrics.
It had a load of electrical extras, some of which were removed pre sale by the fleet owner.

Inverter; beacons; rear work lights; water heater and cab heater were all cut off and removed.

The loom is all still there, but with 'open' ends. There are labelled switches on the dash, an isolator for the inverter, fuse holder from the batteries to isolator, double plug socket outlet with RCD protection mounted to the bulkhead, 'blue sky' auxhillary fuse board in the cargo bay, reversing camera and LCD, fluorescent lights in the cab and cargo bay - these remain.

Over time, I may reinstate some of the above but for now, my main aim is to get the interior fluorescent lights working in the cargo bay and cab, as there is a fault which I suspect is to do with unterminated 'ends' from the removed components!

I've carried out some testing with my self priming digital multimeter but vehicle electrics is not one of my best skills and I have limited knowledge!

When I attempt to operate the lights, using the dash master switch I get one tube in each of the 3 cargo fittings coming on very dimly AND the reversing alarm/beeper sounds. Rocking the switch again, stops the alarm but kills the lights completely, further operating the switch repeats this pattern!

I removed the tubes from the fittings, checked the fuses in the auxhillary fuse box and am trying testing with my meter... ONE probe of the meter on the positive pins of the fittings gives a fluctuating reading of 28-45v DC! but that's just one probe, I'm not measuring across the pins! The other side (earth ?) gives no reading.

Can anyone guide me where to go next as I am a tad confused

 

[Burnerman]

Your spurious readings and operation of the various fittings points to faulty earthing.....very common in vehicles where those horrible crimps are used in place of solder and heat shrink.
If it was mine I'd seriously consider removing all of the cables that aren't needed by tracing them back to source - and then starting again.
If you look carefully at the battery positive terminal, are there any cables that don't look like manufacturer fittings? I find them all the time.
For rewiring the equipment you need again, consider starting at the battery with a short length of cable which goes directly into a fuse and then continuing on to your interior lights or whatever - this way the fuse will pop before any damage can be done.
John

 

[HERTS P&D]

What van is it?

Andy

 

[dilalio]

What van is it?

Andy

2010 60 FORD TRANSIT T350 MWB HIGH ROOF 2.4 TDCI 115 BHP

It's been properly outfitted by a specialist company and as burnerman says I reckon it has to be an earth fault somewhere.
I can only think that the reversing alarm is linked into the lighting so that you are aware the rear working lights are on if you try to drive off!

 

[HERTS P&D]

I also have a Ford Transit T350, Mine was an ex-fire brigade van and had all the wiring cut.

I followed all the wiring back and re-wired my external lights and fitted a new reversing camera.

You can goto the forum below as they are very helpful:

http://fordtransit.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=5&sid=b8530bb788b7571f5e38438c55d97be8

Andy

 

[dilalio]

Thanks Andy & Burnerman, I suppose I was hoping for a magic fix, like we all do

Should I repost my question on that forum or do you think I'll just get the rip it out and start again response?

There must be some way to fault find the problem

 

[HERTS P&D]

I would do it myself by working back to the battery, as you know there are 2 batteries under the drivers seat. The one near the steering wheel is for all of the electrics and the one near the bulk head is the starter. There are 3 power connection points at the rear of the seat next to the bulk head, which is a nightmare to get to. If your electric start playing up the first thing to do is check the front battery as this is a giveaway that both batteries need replacing.

Andy

 

[dilalio]

Both batteries might need replacing?
Maybe I'll just forget the interior lights and ignore it all!



Cheers for the input, not a Father's Day afternoon fix then

 

[HERTS P&D]

Make sure you change the fuel filter and oil filter with genuine parts from Ford, it makes a big difference.

Andy

 

[HERTS P&D]

Also make sure you fit dead locks , these vans are very easy to steal. Protect the OBD, put a key safe around it.

Andy

 

[Burnerman]

Its a nice looking installation, professionally fitted (if not professionally removed!)
You can see where the red battery feed +ve comes in at the bottom, and the black earth return at the top, so check for battery voltage across there.
There you can remove each fuse at a time to identify each circuit in turn and probably keep those dash switches too. One relay is probably to do with the reversing sounder......it will get its input from the reversing lights, and then the relay will then switch its required current. This will have its dedicated fuse too.
John

 

[dilalio]

Also make sure you fit dead locks , these vans are very easy to steal. Protect the OBD, put a key safe around it.

Andy

Dead locks already on side and barn doors and I have an anti-pick lock that I already bought previously to stop the dreaded '£45 bump-key low-life's'. Will be fitting that tomorrow!
Won't be "moving in" to it until next weekend as I don't have time to sort tool transfer out!

OBD?

 

[dilalio]

Its a nice looking installation, professionally fitted (if not professionally removed!)
You can see where the red battery feed +ve comes in at the bottom, and the black earth return at the top, so check for battery voltage across there.
There you can remove each fuse at a time to identify each circuit in turn and probably keep those dash switches too. One relay is probably to do with the reversing sounder......it will get its input from the reversing lights, and then the relay will then switch its required current. This will have its dedicated fuse too.
John

Yep. Thought it was a proper job too and that fuse board is where I started! It's a marine type product from BlueSeas, so looked them up too.

Anyway... Must be because it's Fathers' Day as, following a couple things you guys posted, I tilted the drivers seat forward again and took another look at the batteries... And then I saw it! dirty great black lead disconnected from the neg terminal of the battery with a rubber 'boot' covering the 'eye' connector so I didn't see it on first visit!
Hooked that back up and all is working with remaining components as it should.
I then removed auto fuses from the aux fuse board so that all the robbed circuit don't have live wires swinging around in the back!

Happy days! I'm off to the pub now...
Thanks a lot Chaps, it was a magic fix after all!

 

[Burnerman]

Cracking van mate One of the best of all time.
They weren't well under sealed or painted on the sill and footwell areas, so keep an eye on that and be lucky!
John

 

[dilalio]

Cracking van mate One of the best of all time.
They weren't well under sealed or painted on the sill and footwell areas, so keep an eye on that and be lucky!
John

Will do. Cheers