interior lights

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tone
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Joined: 15 Aug 2009, 15:37

interior lights

Post by tone »

Bit of a dumb question but what position are you supposed to keep the interior lights - I mean the one just inside the drivers door and the other one that goes on when you open the sliding door. There are 3 positions on both switches - the top one I think is the normal one that activates when you open the door and goes off when you close it - the middle one I think is the off position and the bottom switch is the continuously on position.

I ask because if I leave the van for a week the battery goes down and I'm trying to find what is slowly draining the battery - the divers door light doesn't work so I'm wondering if I'm leaving it in the position that is still draining the battery.

It;s definitely a slow drain because when I disconnected the battery when we went on holiday for two weeks it started immediately first time when I tried it on our return after I reconnected the terminals.


Thanks

Tufty_B
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Location: Petersfield

Re: interior lights

Post by Tufty_B »

tone wrote:...
I ask because if I leave the van for a week the battery goes down and I'm trying to find what is slowly draining the battery - the divers door light doesn't work so I'm wondering if I'm leaving it in the position that is still draining the battery.
...
If the light doesn't work, it ain't going to draw anything from the battery.
Mike

The robots are coming.

(1990 Westy Syncro 2.1 DJ - Converted from a Caravelle)

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Dazco
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Re: interior lights

Post by Dazco »

If you have a stereo fitted, disconnect the perm live .
Auto sleeper fitted with EJ 20 subaru lump

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Dazco
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Re: interior lights

Post by Dazco »

If you have a stereo fitted, disconnect the perm live .
Auto sleeper fitted with EJ 20 subaru lump

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nicq
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Re: interior lights

Post by nicq »

Dazco wrote:If you have a stereo fitted, disconnect the perm live .

Or connect it to the leisure battery.
2.1 Twin slider

billy739
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Re: interior lights

Post by billy739 »

poor battery
incorrect battery
poor charging
poor wiring
drain , - radio / amp / lights / clocks / alarm ect

do you have a leisure battery fitted? is this wired correctly and in good order?( if poorly wired / faulty it can suck the power from your main battery)

sometimes there can be old alarms / charging relays ect that are not used but fitted that can be faulty / still draining power

put an ammeter in line with the + terminal with every thing off and let us know the reading as your van is now.....

as said if the interior lamp is switched to the middle then it wont drain

tone
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Joined: 15 Aug 2009, 15:37

Re: interior lights

Post by tone »

thanks for info - the battery is about 6 months old - as it started after 2 weeks away after disconnecting I assume its not this - I do have a leisure battery connected up but in all the 7 years we've had the van never used it so it's like ly to be knackered but I will charge it up to see if it will hold the charge. If it takes the charge I'll also try swtching the stereo to the leisure battery . Thank you all for the suggestions.

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craigy345
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Re: interior lights

Post by craigy345 »

tone wrote:thanks for info - the battery is about 6 months old - as it started after 2 weeks away after disconnecting I assume its not this - I do have a leisure battery connected up but in all the 7 years we've had the van never used it so it's like ly to be knackered but I will charge it up to see if it will hold the charge. If it takes the charge I'll also try swtching the stereo to the leisure battery . Thank you all for the suggestions.

Hi,
have you got a bit more detail.....
What type of conversion is it?
Does it have a split charge system?
Does it have a 240 battery charger?
Any additional equipment installed?
a bit more info might be able to steer us in the direction for the fault and save you some time.
VW T25 1.6TD (JX) 1987 Westfalia Club Joker

tone
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Posts: 38
Joined: 15 Aug 2009, 15:37

Re: interior lights

Post by tone »

this is our van - it's a holdsworth conversion - I'm afraid I don't know if it's got these things - It's only had a couple of owners and the original receipt shows it was a professional conversion from new . the leisure battery sits behind the passenger seat - when we bought it we did have the original cassette player replaced with a single cd unit - I have noticed that if I disconnect the battery and then we reconnect the cd player does come on on its own - may be this is something to do with it - I've checked everything to ensure nothing is left on - the only live thing going continously is the clock. The drain must be really slow as it can last up to a week before becoming drained.




Image

RobH
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Re: interior lights

Post by RobH »

Had similar sounding issues on mine, additional earth strap from starter to chassis seems to have resolved it.
'89 Home brew camper, 1.9 petrol twin-slider tin-top

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