Electrical gremloins?? - Page 4

strictlypersonl · #61 (**permalink**) 12-11-2018, 04:30 AM

Someone has screwed with the original connectors. The white and brown 10g wires never passed through the 12-gang block. They were in a separate high-amp connector. I'll send him the correct connectors.

patrickt · #62 (**permalink**) 12-11-2018, 05:56 AM

Moriarty -- if you're wondering how you can avoid nuisance electrical gremlins like this, it's pretty easy to do on an ERA (even one that apparently had a missing hi-amp connector). The wiring configuration of the fuse blocks makes running a voltage drop test really easy on most of the intermediate connections. Just turn your headlights on, put one lead of your VOM on the left screw of Fuse #1 and the other lead on Fuse #7 (High Beams) or Fuse #8 (Low Beams) and measure the voltage drop. Parking Lights are on Fuse #6 and Brake Lights are on Fuse #5. Before that brown wire finally gave up, Fuses 6, 7, and 8 would all have likely shown a hefty voltage drop of probably a volt or two. Gaz will tell you that a half volt or less is probably acceptable, I'd give it a little more. Just remember, you always perform a voltage drop test with the circuit loaded. The reason we didn't run a voltage drop test on your problem is that the circuit died when you hit the light switch. If turning the light switch on had just created "dim lights," then we would have performed the voltage drop test along the circuit to find the weak connection and it would have pointed right to that faulty connector.

patrickt · #63 (**permalink**) 12-16-2018, 03:09 PM

This thread motivated me to upgrade my own wiring. That thread is here:
Headlight Wiring Upgrade
You might consider doing the same, it's about as easy as it gets.

EM-0785 · #64 (**permalink**) 12-23-2018, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

With the key off, check for voltage on all 16 screws on each side of the eight fuses that are on your firewall. Write down which screws have 12v and which don't. For example 1-Left and 1 Right might have voltage and 6-Left and 6-Right might not. If one side of the fuse has it and the other doesn't then the fuse is blown. This is the configuration of your fuses:

1L----1R 5L----5R
2L----2R 6L----6R
3L----3R 7L----7R
4L----4R 8L----8R

Post those results.

Then, turn the key on and repeat the process. Post those results. With that info we can tell you where to look.

I wanted to support the results of the recommended 16 screw voltage testing in this thread. I too tested voltage across all fuses with key off then on. Found some deficiencies. My fuse blocks had a lot of corrosion so I decided to restore their condition first and see if that made a difference.

A few nights of steel wool, metal polish and contact cleaner. Took the opportunity to replace the rusted mounting hardware with new stainless. The good news is it looks a little better.

The better news is it restored the lost function of both my horn and wipers! This highlights the importance of starting with baseline diagnostics. I suppose I’ll put my wiper motor research on hold now!

Thanks ‘again’ for your advice Patrick!

See project photos below. Brent

Before photos – corroded:

After photos – restored voltage flow:

patrickt · #65 (**permalink**) 12-23-2018, 12:03 PM

Wow, that's pretty dramatic. Two other really easy to touch-up spots, and that could make a real difference, are the two ground points on the frame where the lights and fans take their grounds. That's up on the cross-member right in front of the engine, and back in the trunk over towards the driver's side. Just unscrew it all, clean it up, and screw it back together.

patrickt · #66 (**permalink**) 12-23-2018, 01:44 PM

Now, that front cross-member ground is a pretty important ground point. And, for whatever reason, if it is not "up to snuff," then your lights and fans will not operate at their peak capacity. Fortunately, this is another spot that is really, really easy to upgrade. Just unscrew it all, clean it up good, buy a longer bolt and incorporate an aluminum "saddle washer" at the cross-member, along with a nice fat 2 gauge ground strap and run it to the driver side cylinder head. Saddle washers are available from aviation web sites. Here's a pic of mine:

DanEC · #67 (**permalink**) 12-23-2018, 03:47 PM

That is an amazing transformation. Congrats on a job well done. I've become a big fan of No Ox in the last year or two - an electrical conductive grease. I have a Wi-Fi security camera system with 12V power to the cameras and some of them I couldn't keep on line for more than a few hours at a time after awhile. Unplugging and plugging the 12V power back to them would restore their service but they would shut down after a few hours. I applied No Ox to all the antenna connections and the 12 V power plugs and even the 115V transformer plug ins in the attic and suddenly almost no problems any longer. Now I lose a camera every 3 or 4 weeks if that. I've been applying it to all my auto electrical connections.

https://www.amazon.com/NO-OX-ID-Spec...85242409&psc=1

cycleguy55 · #68 (**permalink**) 12-24-2018, 07:28 AM

You have executed a magic transformation on those fuse blocks - great work.

Merry Christmas!

EM-0785 · #69 (**permalink**) 12-24-2018, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

You have executed a magic transformation on those fuse blocks - great work.

Merry Christmas!

Well Brian you’ve got that right, ‘Blue Magic’ metal polish as a matter of fact! I set out to buy new fuse blocks, had some in my Summit cart, give or take $10 each. Yet, while they looked the same, they said ‘20 amp’ fuse blocks, and the metal tabs between screws on the power side block didn’t have a break like mine (whether that matters or not).

Mine had no markings on them. Yet had one 30 amp fuse installed, as I’d also seen spec’d in that same position for example on the ERA 427 manual (don't know their block spec).

I assume most are the 20 amp style blocks, even though a 30 amp can be used just fine on one. Yet wasn’t sure and wasn’t evident via quick research.

To be safe, just restored mine, also wanted to get moving on it, to test my electrical. Bought my car intent to have some updating and projects to keep me physically and mentally active. This little project really delivered. My arms and hands got quite the workout!

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

(Note: Our own Alfa02 (Tom) recommended Blue Magic metal polish. I’d used it in the past, and forgotten all about it. Wonderful stuff!)

strictlypersonl · #70 (**permalink**) 12-24-2018, 10:48 AM

Interesting... I don't think those are original fuse blocks. The early ones didn't have one piece fuse clamp mounts. Around 10 years ago I changed to something similar, but I've never seen such overall corrosion on them. The way they're attached to the firewall is odd too. That's what sometimes happens after 20 years.

patrickt · #71 (**permalink**) 12-24-2018, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strictlypersonl

Interesting... I don't think those are original fuse blocks. The early ones didn't have one piece fuse clamp mounts. Around 10 years ago I changed to something similar, but I've never seen such overall corrosion on them. The way they're attached to the firewall is odd too. That's what sometimes happens after 20 years.

… and the ERA mantra is that any changes you make along the way must improve on Bob's original designs.