Wiring Issue

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fraze
Posts: 138
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 12:59 pm
State: VIC
Location: melbourne

Wiring Issue

Post by fraze »

Question for the electrical gurus out there. I have just fitted a new wiring loom to my FB ute. All good except the GEN warning light does not come on when the ignition is turned on. I checked my wiring and I have the dark brown wire running from terminal D on the generator to D at the regulator to the warning lamp. The globe is ok and is earthed. Does this mean that I have a faulty (Lucas) regulator? I have actually tried three regs to no avail - are all three faulty or am I missing something???? Hopung for a flash of light here, thanksd, Fraze
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Errol62
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Location: Adelaide

Re: Wiring Issue

Post by Errol62 »

You’ve tested the globe and earth Fraze?


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ardiesse
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Re: Wiring Issue

Post by ardiesse »

Fraze,

The GEN light is connected between the D+ of the regulator (brown) and, I think, one of the IGN terminals on the ignition switch. When the ignition is switched "on", IGN is connected to +12.

Make certain that you've got the bulbs in the right positions in the idiot lamp cluster. As far as I remember, the OIL wire is dark blue, the TEMP is dark green, and the GEN lamp is brown. The idiot lamp holders have two wires each, are insulated from ground and plug into Bakelite. The common on all goes to IGN. The lights with a single grey wire are the instrument lamps, plug into the case of the idiot lamp cluster, and have a ground return.

You've checked that the GEN lamp is OK. Either you're not getting +12 to the lamp sockets when the ignition's on, or there's an open circuit from the generator D+ terminal to ground (most unlikely: means your generator's cactus).

Disconnect the D+ wires from the regulator and ground them. Then turn the ignition on (but don't start the engine!). The OIL and GEN lights should light up. If the GEN lamp lights up now, but didn't with the D+ wires connected to the regulator, you need to check that the big brown D+ wire from the regulator to the generator is not open-circuit.

Rob
fraze
Posts: 138
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 12:59 pm
State: VIC
Location: melbourne

Re: Wiring Issue

Post by fraze »

Thanks for your advice Rob, but I find myself confused now. I am sitting here studying the wiring diagram and this is what I see. There is a dark brown wire coming from D on the Generator to D on the voltage reg. Then there is a second wire coming from D on the reg. to the gen. warning light. The only +12 power for this light has to come from the reg. Itself. If I lift and earth the two brown wires off the reg. then the light cannot come on because there is no power! As it is, I am not getting +12 at the gen light socket which leads me to think I have a faulty reg.. However I have tried three (Lucas) regulators and get the same result each time! The other warning lights are working ok. I am obviously out of my depth here, Fraze :cryingg: :cryingg:
fraze
Posts: 138
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 12:59 pm
State: VIC
Location: melbourne

Re: Wiring Issue

Post by fraze »

Rob, I should have also mentioned - I have +12 at B on the reg. and with the switch on I have +12 at the coil, Fraze
fraze
Posts: 138
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State: VIC
Location: melbourne

Re: Wiring Issue

Post by fraze »

Then there was more! I recently polarised the generator by “motoring” it and it was working fine and has not been run since, Fraze
ardiesse
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Re: Wiring Issue

Post by ardiesse »

Fraze,

I've just cracked open my EK manual. The wiring is not shown all that clearly - inside the diagram for the tell-tale cluster are three dashed lines going to the OIL, GEN and TEMP lights. A pink wire (IGN) goes to the junction. What this tells me is that the "common" is an insulated piece of metal that the OIL, GEN and TEMP lamp sockets plug into. The pink IGN wire connects to this "common". You won't see +12 V at the GEN lamp socket, because the socket has to be plugged into the tell-tale cluster in order to complete the circuit.

Now, your OIL and TEMP lamps light up when you switch the ignition on (and presumably ground the TEMP lead). That means that you are getting +12V from the IGN wire to the tell-tale cluster. It also suggests to me that you aren't making a connection to the GEN lamp socket when you plug the socket into the tell-tale cluster.

Test 1: Disconnect the brown D+ wire from the regulator and the generator and leave floating. Plug the GEN lamp and socket into the tell-tale cluster. Turn the ignition on and measure the voltage at the D+ wire. If you measure +12, the circuit's OK and the GEN light should light up. If you measure zero, then there's a bad connection at the tell-tale cluster.

Test 2: Measure the resistance between the generator D terminal and ground. If you measure a short-circuit, proceed. Reconnect the brown D+ wire to the generator. Plug the GEN lamp and socket into the OIL position on the tell-tale cluster (because you know the OIL lamp works), and plug the OIL lamp and socket into the GEN position. Turn the ignition on.
Both "OIL" and "GEN" lamps (as seen from the front of the instrument) light up: Swear loudly, because they should both light when in their correct position.
"GEN" lights but "OIL" stays out (ditto): The problem is in the GEN (brown wire) socket. Either the lamp is not making contact, or the socket isn't making contact with the tell-tale cluster.
"OIL" lights but "GEN" stays out (ditto): The problem is with the tell-tale cluster. Possibly corrosion where the socket makes contact.
Neither lights up: Unlikely. It means you have bad connections both in the tell-tale cluster at the GEN position, and in the GEN socket.

You should feel a certain amount of "springiness" when you plug the lamp into the GEN socket. If you don't, the brown wire has been "sprung" down and isn't making contact with the lamp. Push the brown wire into the socket from the rear and check that it's free to move.

Rob
fraze
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Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 12:59 pm
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Location: melbourne

Re: Wiring Issue

Post by fraze »

Thanks for your fabulous input Rob. I have now looked at the wiring diagram through "new eyes" and can see that I was reading it all wrong. I am fairly sure that my problem revolves around the "pink" wiring circuit. I will work thru your list of suggestions over the weekend and report back. Cheers, Fraze
fraze
Posts: 138
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 12:59 pm
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Location: melbourne

Re: Wiring Issue

Post by fraze »

Following Rob's advice, I concentrated on the "pink" wiring circuit. I disconnected all of the pink wires from the back of the instrument panel, cleaned every contact point, including globe holders, ensured that the pink wires were hot with the ignition on, reconnected everything and bingo, the dash lit up like a christmas tree! All good now. Thanks, Fraze :vecctor: :vecctor: :vecctor: :vecctor:
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Errol62
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Re: Wiring Issue

Post by Errol62 »

Great news. Corrosion leading to earthing issues is the most common problem on these old things electrically.


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