Headlights / indicators / earth crown

[Flyingchunk]

So my indicators were staying on and not repeating .

Not a problem, cleaned the fuse crown before, problem solved.

This time thought I'd give it the full treatment.

Removed it a wire brushed every contact and the crown to polished metal. Then put in a nice bag with some dry rice to ke dry in the future as condensation seemed to be causing the issue, not water ingress.

Anyway.... Now nothing works properly.

Do the earths have to be on the crown in a certain order? I can't believe they do.

I've also got some double earth spade connectors.

Again do these need to have the right spades connected to them?

Really pissed off everything is not working after doing a good clean up job

[1664]

Do the earths have to be on the crown in a certain order? I can't believe they do.

No, effectively it's one multiple terminaled connection. Try a temporary link from the earth crown directly to the battery negative or seat belt anchor etc.

I'm not following the "rice" bit

[Flyingchunk]

That's what I thought.

Well my thought is to stop this happening again, I put the earth crown in a small bag, sealed with some rice.

As my issues only happen on damp mornings, the rice would take care of any condensation in the bag.

See my sanity?

[1664]

See my sanity?

It's not dazzling me if I'm honest

So the earth crown is attached to all the cables connected to it surrounded by a bag with rice in it? Is it attached to the bodywork where it was originally as that's where it gets it's earth?

[Flyingchunk]

I thought it was a great home grown fix!

Yes all you say is correct. Crown is screwed to the metal and it's touching with the whole bottom.

Your going to say remove the bag and try it aren't you??

[1664]

Yes all you say is correct. Crown is screwed to the metal and it's touching with the whole bottom.

I've never had cause to physically remove my crown - isn't the metalwork behind it painted? I assumed the fixing screw connected the crown to the negative bodywork electrically as well.

Perhaps you should replace the rice with dry roasted peanuts, at least they come in a foil bag

[Flyingchunk]

Yeah, screw goes thought the middle of the crown.

I think it is painted behind it actually.

If I replace them on by one on the crown and test, will that help any. At least I could mark them up and see what's what.

[1664]

I'd try a temporary lead to a seat belt anchor or other good earth first

[morzov]

Just been fiddling with the earth crown on mine - which is a 1980 Devon . Actually there are 2 earth crowns and I moved one earth wire from one crown to the other (was trying to get the courtesy light working)

I did get the light working but don't think it was the earth at fault. Anyway I left the earth that had been moved from one crown to another and when I restarted the van it had the following faults

- both indicators came on when light switch operated
- wiper spray stopped working

Changed it back now and everything ok

It seems very unlikely to me that it matters what earth lead goes to which crown or where on the crown but obviously the whole thing is very sensitive.

As I think was said above maybe try lighting a bulb with a length of wire to + terminal on battery and another wire to the earth crown to see if the crown is earthing properly

[1664]

It seems very unlikely to me that it matters what earth lead goes to which crown or where on the crown but obviously the whole thing is very sensitive.

Electrically speaking it wouldn't make any difference what earth lead went to which terminal or which crown.
Nothing would be sensitive if the crowns and terminals were in good condition. Any problems that arise are due to things not being as they should.

[morzov]

"Nothing would be sensitive if the crowns and terminals were in good condition"

Yes - that's the problem. But they very often aren't - hence moving the earth leads around can have a big difference. Basically what my post says.

[1664]

I wasn't having a pop at you morzov, my point was that the proper solution is to fix 'em

[Flyingchunk]

That's exactly what happened to mine! Both indicators come on when you put on the lights.

I'm going to have a play this weekend.

[nevill3]

The earths that are moved could be "earthing through another circuit that is also connected to the same crown.

(e.g. If the radio is connected to the earth crown and also the body of the radio is screwed to the dash it would be "doubly earthed" and the new earth on the crown is finding an earth through the radio instead of through the earth crown). I hope that makes sense

If this is happening it is because the earth crown isn't earthed properly itself. Try a multimeter set to measure resistance(ohms) with it connected between the earth crown and another part of the non painted chassis/earth point with all the other spade connectors removed.

Did you disconnect the battery before you pulled the leads off & did you reconnect it afterwards?

I got a few strange things happening when an inline fuse had blown (I didn't even know it was there) The fuse was to protect the lead from the split charge relay to the Zig unit/leisure battery side of my setup.

Good luck

[Flyingchunk]

UPDATE!!!!

Just done a couple of hours on the van.

To cut a long story short, after some testing and reconnecting, the fault seems to be stemming from the plastic box that houses the clicker for the indicators behind the fuses. It's over to the far left.

Moving this and putting pressure on it seemed to cause / resolve the issue.

So..... Got a "tie it" and secured it firmly to the board and connectors so vibration from driving didn't work it loose, and the indicator issue is resolved.

However stemming from the same box I no seem to have an issue concerning main beam lights. As in.... One was intermittent, then jiggling the box made it go on/off, now I have no main beams.

I'm wondering now if it's worth buying a new one of these box things. Anyone come across this before?

At least I can drive it in the day and in low light