Cab light

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mariner
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Cab light

Post by mariner »

Hi all. I have one cab light in my ‘85 panel conversion that is above the driver’s door. Does anyone know if this is meant to come on when I open the cab door? It doesn’t but works if I move the small plastic lever off centre so bulb is good.

Be good if it came on automatically when I open the cab door, although suspect I might be being optimistic!
1985 Super Viking with Subaru EJ22 (formerly 1.9 petrol DG)
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diabolov
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Re: Cab light

Post by diabolov »

So, by moving the little switch mine is off central, down for on all time, and up for on when door opens with a soft off after about 10 seconds when door closed.

hope this helps.
Last edited by diabolov on 21 Jan 2021, 21:55, edited 1 time in total.
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Mocki
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Re: Cab light

Post by Mocki »

Yes it should 
the switch on the actual light should have three positions, the one that switches the light on now , 
middle , which is off and the third position which should be only when the door is open , which is switched by a contact switch in the "A" pillar , just near the top hinge , a press button that pops out when the door opens , making a neg connection to the body to complete the circuit . 

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mariner
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Re: Cab light

Post by mariner »

Thanks both, that’s something else to fix then 😂 Thanks for the technical detail Mocki, should help me sort it out.
1985 Super Viking with Subaru EJ22 (formerly 1.9 petrol DG)
1981 air-cooled 2.0 high top

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Mocki
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Re: Cab light

Post by Mocki »

Further to my somewhat hurried reply last night , you are looking for brown wires onto the light unit , one onto the bottom connection from the constant neg for when the switch is on the manual position, and one from the door switch onto the light unit , which you can check is onto the door switch by removing the screw on the door switch and gently pulling the switch out of the door pillar in a dog leg movement to allow the terminal connection out of the hole . Contacting this brown wire to chassis should light the light . It’s common for the switches to tarnish and not make a good contact against the spring pressure 
Steve
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TONYT25T25
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Re: Cab light

Post by TONYT25T25 »

Also necessary to have it working if you have an alarm system that detects a draw in current, so that when the light comes on it activates the alarm when armed.
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Re: Cab light

Post by TONYT25T25 »

Resurrecting this for my own query, passenger side door has a non working cab light switch but does have a wire not connected to the switch, this wire is brown and is live showing 12.5v via a test using a multi meter. But when I open the drivers door which does activate the light the passenger side wire shows approx .5v.  I need a new spring switch on the passenger side but am confused as to the voltage and why this is. Reading Mockis explanation above ref the negative feed but still a bit confused as to where this live wire should be connected to.
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davidoft1
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Re: Cab light

Post by davidoft1 »

TONYT25T25 wrote: 06 Feb 2021, 17:28 Resurrecting this for my own query, passenger side door has a non working cab light switch but does have a wire not connected to the switch, this wire is brown and is live showing 12.5v via a test using a multi meter. But when I open the drivers door which does activate the light the passenger side wire shows approx .5v.  I need a new spring switch on the passenger side but am confused as to the voltage and why this is. Reading Mockis explanation above ref the negative feed but still a bit confused as to where this live wire should be connected to.


It’s the voltage back feeding , connecting it to earth will light the interior light , you can’t chase earth faults with a fault meter like live faults.

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Re: Cab light

Post by TONYT25T25 »

Thanks, ill start with fitting a new switch and go from there.
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Mocki
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Re: Cab light

Post by Mocki »

If you took the bulb out of the working light there wouldn’t be a voltage reading on that wire . 
elastic-trickery ! 
Steve
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TONYT25T25
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Re: Cab light

Post by TONYT25T25 »

Thanks, the only courtesy light I have is above the drivers side, should there also be one above the passengers side.  Do not understand reply ref removing working light.
1984 Campervan 1.9DG Petrol WBX

davidoft1
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Re: Cab light

Post by davidoft1 »

TONYT25T25 wrote: 06 Feb 2021, 21:28 Thanks, the only courtesy light I have is above the drivers side, should there also be one above the passengers side.  Do not understand reply ref removing working light.


Not the light the bulb , it will stop the false voltage reading, they are all connected so the light position doesn’t effect anything.

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Re: Cab light

Post by TONYT25T25 »

Thanks again, am i correct in thinking that this is a case of connection in parallel or series, vaguely remember this from school days, must admit electrics even the basics are a bit of a minefield sometimes.
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Mocki
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Re: Cab light

Post by Mocki »

Forget the meter ! 
earth the brown wire to chassis and the interior light should come on if the switch is in the correct position . 
all Vw brown wires are neg . 
the interior lights should all be connected to all the door pin switches , depending on van spec , you may have only one light, but at least two switches ( front doors ) high spec vans have switches on all doors and three or four interior lights ( the loom runs along the top in all vans ) 
my Caravelle has one above each front door , one behind the slider and one the opposite side in the rear and a pin switch on each door including the tailgate , any door opens all lights can come on if the switches are in the correct position.
Steve
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1989 2.1LpgWBX HiTop Leisuredrive Camper
1988 2.1 Caravelle TS TinTop Camper 
 

TONYT25T25
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Re: Cab light

Post by TONYT25T25 »

Thanks will give it a go with new or repaired switch.
1984 Campervan 1.9DG Petrol WBX

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