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Battery light in dash pod..

Posted: 10 Jun 2009, 04:29
by maxstu
.....is not working now! DG1900 1986 Transporter.

Would someone please put my pee brain to rest and confirm this should illuminate when ignition is turned to first stage? As a tester. Then goes out when engine fires up? Or if battery is not getting enough charge?

I had dash removed over weekend and am pretty certain I didn't damage anything. And all other dash illuminations or lights are working fine too.

Is it something to do with dash panel printed circuit or just a bulb? No bulb holder in sight though :shock:

Many thanks

Re: Battery light in dash pod..

Posted: 10 Jun 2009, 05:05
by Titus A Duxass
The charging light is on when you switch on the ignition.
It goes off when enough of a charge comes from the alternator.

You've probably dislodged a wire.

Re: Battery light in dash pod..

Posted: 10 Jun 2009, 06:38
by VWCamperfan
Flick the ignition on and have a play around with the connection at the back of the dashboard. May just come back on!

Re: Battery light in dash pod..

Posted: 11 Jun 2009, 04:29
by maxstu
Hi Titus & Mark,

Thanks for the responses.....

I did have a wee fiddle round the back :oops: Hold on! That's not sounding appropriate whatsoever!!

I did check behind pod for loose connections and like, but found nothing untowards. Not even a bulb holder to undo and check either :? Will have another look later today.

Is it illuminated by a wire or by the dreaded printed circuit (pray please nooooooooooo :( ) tape? And what does this tape do exactly?

Mark, I still owe you mucho favours and beers. Where you been hiding recently? I thought you were heading to this years Bashtie? Still keen to crew your Snapdragon for you :wink: :D

Re: Battery light in dash pod..

Posted: 11 Jun 2009, 05:42
by ermie571
Maxstu,

Mark is often located within Ermie's fuse box!!! I have been having wiring and earthing issues like nothing else just at the moment!

Em
x

Re: Battery light in dash pod..

Posted: 11 Jun 2009, 20:59
by AngeloEvs
The ignition alternator LED is fed by a common 12V that also feeds flasher LED, etc, etc via the membrane PCB and various resistors/diodes to it but the good news is that the latter rarely fail. The LED itself could fail but once again unlikely. That leaves the wire that goes from the other side of the LED via the PCB multiconnector to the Alternator D+ . If this wire becomes disconnected or there is a poor connection at either the PCB multiconnector or at the Alternator then the LED will fail to light..

Re: Battery light in dash pod..

Posted: 11 Jun 2009, 21:45
by maxstu
Hi AngeloEvs,
We met at Bashtie...good to meet you. :ok

The ignition alternator LED is fed by a common 12V that also feeds flasher LED, etc, etc via the membrane PCB and various resistors/diodes to it but the good news is that the latter rarely fail. The LED itself could fail but once again unlikely. That leaves the wire that goes from the other side of the LED via the PCB multiconnector to the Alternator D+ . If this wire becomes disconnected or there is a poor connection at either the PCB multiconnector or at the Alternator then the LED will fail to light..

I appreciate your advice, but is there any chance you could run it past me again in plain english :? I really hate auto electrics and getting my head round your explaination is blurring my eyesight, as I've read it ten times over :lol:

Am I looking behind dash pod or in engine bay? LED = light emitted diode? Flasher LED meaning indicator? Indicators work fine :| Please enlighten me. What's a PCB multiconnector and where do i find it?

Thanks again

Re: Battery light in dash pod..

Posted: 11 Jun 2009, 21:49
by maxstu
More electrical gremlins is it, Emma,

Mark deserves a medal don't he :lol:

Re: Battery light in dash pod..

Posted: 11 Jun 2009, 23:45
by AngeloEvs
The LED has two legs, one is supplied with 12V (this same 12V also supplies flasher led and this is ok so you have 12V). The other leg of the LED has to connect to the alternator for it to work. It does this using the nasty pcb ribbon cable to a multiconnector under the instrument housing. If, for some reason you have a duff connection at the multiconnector or a duff connection at the Alternator then....... no LED working. So, you need to check the multiconnector under the instrument cluster by giving it a wiggle or disconnecting it and then refitting it. But, it might be worth checking the wiring at the alternator since one of them (the blue one) is from the LED that ain't working and it wont if it aint connected to the alternator.......there are other possibilities but maybe best left for another time........ :lol:

Re: Battery light in dash pod..

Posted: 11 Jun 2009, 23:54
by maxstu
Hi again,

Yep! Getting a good mental picture of your explanation now. There's a white multiconnector below dash pod. I removed dash recently for new blower. Will start there for now

Many thanks mate :ok