Hot Little Black Box - Westie

Post by **syncroand101** » 13 Jun 2006, 11:11

Hi All,

On my westy is a little black fuse box which sits just behind the drivers seat (LHD as ever). I noticed the other day whilst driving it gets scorchingly hot? And the little black lid which screw over it has deformed in one corner from the heat...

Surely this ain't right...

Any idea on first pointers for looking at? Both fuses are intact...

(Yes I'm lazy I haven't looked at wiring so I couldn't even thell thee what it does?)

Cheers

Post by **Ade** » 13 Jun 2006, 11:28

providing the fuses are correct then the fault lies with the box ,not anything it is supplying ,heat normally means poor connection

Post by **syncroand101** » 13 Jun 2006, 11:31

Okay, so take apart clean up all connections.

I shall try that first - although it none of it looked too bad.

Cheers

Post by **matt** » 13 Jun 2006, 11:39

hiya Jake this is torz...on matts sign in

so you have a black box eh...........mine went long ago but underneath are two 25amp fuses, ( which are a pig to get in and out and need to be handled carefully in order NOt to blow them!!!)one of which is for the ebber and the other on mine is for the internal lights....BUT we re-wired our internal lights to run off the leisure battery so I think the other one controls those and the radio..............

you will need to do some investigating in order to find out which fuse controls what items..............

as to it getting hot...I would say thats not good and would advice carefull investigation..............if you have abny probs, give me a bell on 07838 111635 and I'll try and help you.

Post by **Ade** » 13 Jun 2006, 11:46

so you have a black box eh...........mine went long ago but underneath are two 25amp fuses

think your talking about your battery charger .........................

Post by **torz** » 13 Jun 2006, 11:59

Ade,......I fought you was my pal, did you just raise your eyebrows at me?????????

we're talking about the fuse box on the B pillar................................

It is behing the drivers seat on your left and has two blue 25 amp fuses in it with a large black insulated wire going to the battery......but on yours where do the two red wires from the top of the fuse box go to? and what do they control............????

mine has a split off that my ex husband put in, ( he's an engineer in the RAF on Tornados, Jaguars and Harriers) in order to run the interior lights and cd player off the leisure battery insted of the starter battery...........

I do know one of the fuses controls the ebber but I'm presuming the other controls the fridge................

any thoughts and can you add your knowledge too, just spoke to Jake and his is getting so hot while driving it would burn his hand if he touched it ......

Post by **syncroand101** » 13 Jun 2006, 12:02

dubzontorz wrote:and his is getting so hot while driving it would burn his hand if he touched it ......

I'd just like to clarify that we are still talking about the fuse box.

Post by **matt** » 13 Jun 2006, 12:11

hehehehheheheheheheheh

Post by **Ade** » 13 Jun 2006, 12:18

Sorry Torr,meant to put a smiley honest,

mine goes to the fridge and other twelve volt bits on the cooker unit as far as I recall not to the ebber,
but I have two batteries,the other goes to the ebber from under the passenger seat

PS my little brother has just left the RAF after 22 years working on Jaguar avionics

as I said heat is almost always generated by a poor connection

Post by **torz** » 13 Jun 2006, 12:21

hmmmm.....scratching head then now.........seems lots have been fiddled with......

Post by **syncroand101** » 13 Jun 2006, 12:23

Looks like I shall have to have a good fiddle with it later - yes and the fuse box - haha

I shall let you know what I find...and maybe where it goes etc

Post by **Mocki** » 13 Jun 2006, 12:34

Post by **torz** » 13 Jun 2006, 12:56

Just found this on the American Westfalia owners site.............it might help......certainly explains why my tap wasn't working and was then subsequently mauled and mangled into something else courtesy of Matt........but hey it works now..........and yes dear I am eternally gratefull

cs_wolfrom Junior Member posted May 22, 2003 5:49 PM

Hi folks, I've got a 1987 Westy with sink troubles (turn the knob and the pump doesn't kick on). One of the things the Bentley manual says to check is the pump's fuse, but I can't locate it. Is it in the pump housing itself? Thanks in advance.

zookz Member posted May 23, 2003 11:38 AM

According to the VW Camper Supplement for the 1987 Westy:

Fuses (12 Volt)
A small fuse box, located on the door post behind the driver's seat just below the seatbelt retractor reel housing, holds the following two fuses:

Refrigerator - 16 Amp

Water pump and lights in sink cabinet control panel - 8 Amp

Good luck.

zookz
'87 Westy

cs_wolfrom Junior Member posted May 24, 2003 10:05 AM

Hi zookz,

The Bentley manual (97.31) says: "check fuse on water pump and fuse located under driver's seat"

I found the fuse block behind the driver's seat, but can't find one on the water pump in an obvious location. Is it integral to the pump, or is it located in the wiring in the cabinet next to the water tank?

ARwesty Member posted May 30, 2003 10:17 PM

I had a similar situation with my 85 Westy and never found the fuse on the pump, only the one on the door post. I ordered a replacement which said it had a fuse but when it arrived it was just like my old pump with no fuse. GoWesty said their ad was wrong and that particular submersible never had a fuse on the pump. It was light blue and sealed except for the area around the impeller and where the water comes out. Sounds like you may have the same pump. Good luck.

Post by **torz** » 13 Jun 2006, 13:02

ok this seems to be the answer...hope they don;t mind me pasting it on here.....

have a 1985 Westy GL with the full camper package. The contol unit, or indicator unit, (not sure what it is called) that is mounted on the front of the sink/stove cabinet does not light up. Also, the water pump for the sink does not work, nor does the Fridge (on battery or propane) This tells me that I am probably not getting power to the control unit. I am trying to find info on this unit, especially a wiring diagram. I think that the previous owner modified the wirng, as when I open the driver's door, there is a pair of red wires running along the door post mounted on the cabinet that you can see on your right if you are standing looking in from the drivers door on your right hand side. Both of these wires run into a stand alone fuse unit with two fuses. If anyone knows where I can get the wiring diagram, please let me know. Thanks : )

The wiring diagram is in the Bentley shop manual, Section 97.32 & 33 along with the full diagnosis & repair of the level indicator panel. Please read the Message Board Guidelines linked at the bottom of this & all index pages, especially #2 & #4.

The wiring diagram will show the set of wires running from the battery cut-out relay in the box under the driver's seat to the factory stand-alone fuse panel on the pillar next to the cabinet. It houses fuses for the fridge & sink pump.

If your sink works when the engine is running but not stopped, it's just plugged in to the wrong side of the relay. It should be on the terminal with the double pole along with the lead from the main battery.

There is a full explanation of the fridge in the FRIDGE forum, "Vanagon fridge syndrome . . ." thread.

The level indicator panel does not 'control' any of the Westy equipment functions, just monitors water level, battery condition and if the fridge is on LP or DC (not AC). I'd suggest you get an owner's manual camper supplement. One is posted on the GoWesty site sponsor's site.

Bentley 97.30 incorrectly states the fuse for the LED panel & water pump is located under the driver's seat, when every Vanagon I've ever seen has it (along with the fridge fuse) mounted just behind the driver's seat, affixed to the door frame near the floor. The water-pump/LED fuse is an 8-amp, the fridge a 16-amp: depending on which fuse you tapped into to power your swamp cooler (whatever the heck that is), you may have blown one. Check/replace them, then follow the procedure on 97.30 to test your LED indicator panel.

s far as the "little gray box" goes, it is indeed very confusing at first. Bentley doesn't reference the specs or testing procedures for this relay, nor have I come across any in the forums. If there are any testing specs I'm sure many readers could benefit from the luxury of being able to eliminate or villify this little critter right off the bat as a source of the myriad of problems that we all seem to have regarding the fridge and its wiring quagmire. Can you work any mojo on this befuddlement, Capt. Mike, please? Word of note, the 8A fuse that services the contol panel and water pump usually feeds the fridge fan as well.

Post by **matt** » 13 Jun 2006, 13:36

certainly explains why my tap wasn't working and was then subsequently mauled and mangled into something else courtesy of Matt

its amazing what ya can do with a door bell