Very strange electrical happenings?!

From CEM to VEM, from LED to lightbulb and more. If you have an electrical problem, like a broken info-centre, search for answers in this category. This is also the place to be when you expect the problem to be of an electrical nature...

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doingitsideways
480 Expert
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Joined: Wed May 02, 2012 8:55 pm
Location: Manchester

Very strange electrical happenings?!

Post by doingitsideways » Sat Aug 10, 2013 8:33 pm

Right, so....

This evening I noticed the door ajar light on, but all doors and the boot closed properly.
Then notice the electric aerial not working, but turn the radio off and the light goes out.
No main beam flasher either, or front fogs

however, turn on the headlights and main beam, then operate the main beam flasher and all the other things work, even the electric aerial intermittently as I pull the flasher!

Very strange!!

Any ideas anyone??

As regulars to my VOC project threads will know, after the week I've just had, catastrophic electrical failure on the 480 really isn't what I need!! :(

Cheers,

Steve :hopping:
"If you can't fix it with a hammer, it's an electrical fault!"
Hammers can't fix a 480!!!

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Captain Slow
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Location: St Andrews

Re: Very strange electrical happenings?!

Post by Captain Slow » Sat Aug 10, 2013 9:48 pm

Erm....stabs in the dark at earths, cem? but thats only because they are frequent candidates for any electrical abnormality!

And good luck with it. Haven't read VOC but assume you're having a dodgy old day
Previously....
Whitney - 95 N White celebration No.449/480 now with Ladyforatey
Lula - 94 M Volvo 480GT Sold on...
Daphne - 95 M volvo 440si 1.8 73,000K (sold :()

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AcidicDavey
Can tell where the 480 was built
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Re: Very strange electrical happenings?!

Post by AcidicDavey » Sat Aug 10, 2013 11:02 pm

Some utter scumbags stole his 460 Turbo and completely destroyed it!
Poppy sold 2 year ago, sorely missed :(
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Now driving my 98 V70 AWD inherited 8 years ago!

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glasgowjim
480 Is my middle name
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Re: Very strange electrical happenings?!

Post by glasgowjim » Sat Aug 10, 2013 11:14 pm

check your battery for charge as a lowish voltage / charge will cause all sorts of strange electrical gremlins.

If battery ok then you work methodically through the cem functions and isolate the problem.

Stage 1 battery voltage check. + check all fuses.

Stage 3 check all earths

Stage 2 disconnect the battery for over 30 mins reconnect and see if the problem still remains.

Stage 4 check the connectors to the cem and that the relays in relay box are in socket firmly.

Stage 5 disconnect cem and run through the functions noting the ones which are cem dependant
now reconnect cem and run through these again. Keep the combinations simple to start with

Now post up results.

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doingitsideways
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Re: Very strange electrical happenings?!

Post by doingitsideways » Sun Aug 11, 2013 11:49 am

Tried the easiest thing first and disconnected the battery for a couple of hours, no change.

Will try the other things when I get a minute and report back :)

Steve :hopping:
"If you can't fix it with a hammer, it's an electrical fault!"
Hammers can't fix a 480!!!

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Captain Slow
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Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:13 pm
Location: St Andrews

Re: Very strange electrical happenings?!

Post by Captain Slow » Sun Aug 11, 2013 2:15 pm

AcidicDavey wrote:Some utter scumbags stole his 460 Turbo and completely destroyed it!
Ah. I see. Sorry to hear that, that has to be one of the most rubbish things that could happen.
Previously....
Whitney - 95 N White celebration No.449/480 now with Ladyforatey
Lula - 94 M Volvo 480GT Sold on...
Daphne - 95 M volvo 440si 1.8 73,000K (sold :()

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doingitsideways
480 Expert
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Joined: Wed May 02, 2012 8:55 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: Very strange electrical happenings?!

Post by doingitsideways » Mon May 05, 2014 10:10 pm

Right, update time.

I've checked all earths I can see for continuity.
Pulled every single fuse and all ok.
Fitted a second hand CEM I got from Jim a while ago.

All to no avail.

So, shy of a two kiffed CEMs, I'm stumped! :?


Oh, yes some @rseholes did nick my 460, rally it around the local park while being chased by the park rangers, then leave it face down in a hedgerow after being airborne! :badmood:

Got another though, so all things came good in the end :)
Although, there are only two 460 CD Turbos left... Now!

Steve :hopping:
"If you can't fix it with a hammer, it's an electrical fault!"
Hammers can't fix a 480!!!

Espada
Started learning about 480
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Re: Very strange electrical happenings?!

Post by Espada » Thu May 08, 2014 7:02 pm

From your description, assuming its not the cem it does still sound like bad earths.

Turning your lights on completes a circuit and possibly provides the earth path for the circuit that has failed.

When you say "earths I could see" do you mean at the faulty item or where they connect to the body?

My apologies if you have already tried but preferably check the resistance between the faulty item and a good earth on the body, don't worry at tracing the exact earth point of each item for now.

With the battery disconnected you could use the neutral cable as the earth point for your multi meter.

Also try to disconnect any parallel paths. For example when testing the door open circuit, either disconnect the cable from the switch or make sure the switch is open.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

Regards





Regards

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