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14th November 2021, 20:53 | #1 |
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Factory towbar wiring packed up
Yet another one step backwards whilst taking two forwards.
I removed the factory-fitted (ugly) towbar crossmember in favour of a Witter swan-neck detachable one which I've had for some time. It went well and it looks so much better, plus I don't crack my shins any more at the tailgate. The car's wired with the black and grey sockets but as I won't ever be using the grey one, I cut that and individually insulated the seven ends before double-insulating them all & cable-tying them to the crossmember behind the bumper. I also severed the black cable from the old socket and wired it back into a new one on the Witter bar. I carefully checked that everything was functioning correctly using a trailer socket connector before starting the job, and it was. After wiring the new socket, I checked again and nothing was working. There is no power getting to any relevant socket pin but the earth pin works. The wiring comes out of the left-side chassis leg and appears to be properly wired elsewhere other than the usual rear corners (don't know where though). The car was sleeping when I cut both cables and worked on the socket, but might I have caused an issue? Dougie.
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15th November 2021, 07:03 | #2 |
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Blown a fuse?
Perhaps a silly question, have you tested with the engine running? macafee2 Last edited by macafee2; 15th November 2021 at 07:11.. |
15th November 2021, 08:57 | #3 | |
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Quote:
At least the running lights and both indicators ( hazards ) should work with ignition off ! I wonder how he tested to see that the earth was OK ?
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15th November 2021, 10:45 | #4 |
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If a new earth was created between the socket and the towbar is there a good earth between the towbar and the rest of the car?
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15th November 2021, 15:04 | #5 |
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At a guess, either a shared earth or a shared live to the wires you snipped.
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15th November 2021, 22:54 | #6 | ||
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I don't believe one fuse would stop all live feeds?
No. I tested the hazards & sidelights feeds with the plug-in tester and then the meter. I ran a live taillight feed from the rear of the cluster to the meter and earthed the meter through the wired (white) pin3 on the socket. Quote:
Quote:
Dougie.
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15th November 2021, 23:49 | #7 |
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" I ran a live taillight feed from the rear of the cluster to the meter and earthed the meter through the wired (white) pin3 on the socket.
It may show as a good earth circuit on a DVM ( eventually back to bat neg ) with no load, the load applied by a DVM is negligible, but when a load is applied, bulb, there may be a poor connection via corrosion etc that won't pass the current required.
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16th November 2021, 09:27 | #8 |
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Then you will be wrong! Trailer road lights, fridge leisure battery charge and the fancy BMW canbus electronic gubbins for trailer lamp failure, is all normally powered from a fuse in the engine compartment fuse box - if it has been wired the way Rover intended. From that fuse a thick cable goes through to just behind the glove box and is left there, until someone adds towing components and extends that to the rear. That supply and fuse is a permanent live, so if you cut anything at the sockets at the rear, chances are you have blown that fuse.
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16th November 2021, 09:29 | #9 |
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I have never had difficulty in being wrong when it's pointed out correctly! Thank you for that. I shall research and hopefully find.
Dougie.
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18th November 2021, 18:01 | #10 |
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Everybody loves a happy ending.
Rave showed that the factory-fitted towbar ECU should have been fitted behind the rear left-side trim in the "boot" along with a fuse. I pulled the back of the car apart this afternoon and found.... a DIY arrangement with 6-way relays and buzzers obviously fitted by Scotchloks R Us™ and not the factory. However, got that sorted out and tidied, saw a phat blue power wire heading for the front of car, tracked it to behind the passenger footwell kick panel, where lo and behold, there was a 15A dud fuse waiting to be changed. So if I'd not made the mistake of not checking first for a permanent live feed before chopping the 12S socket wires, I'd never have found out how to dismantle the interior rear panels (those luggage anchors ) nor would I have known how my towbar wiring had been put together in the car. If you're lucky, you live and learn. Thanks again for the input. Always appreciated. Dougie.
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R75 C2 RJBLH Connoisseur CDTi Auto Saloon Built 08/02/2005 @14:57 hrs: Registered 26/08/2005 122nd of 141 built that day British Racing Green Pearlescent (HFF) Sandstone leather with black piping (SPJ) 139,000 miles |
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