Earthing point rear quarter.

[Marc1]

I’m wondering if someone can help?
I want to use the rear quarter earthing point, but when I put a cable on that point I’m getting a lighting fault warning on my dash.

Any suggestions why this is happening somewhere else I can earth from at the back of the van?

Really appreciate some advice. Thanks

 

[roadtripper]

Welcome @Marc1

If you take out VIP membership to help the forum run the benefit is you get access to the downloads of wiring diagrams including the official diagrams of earth points.

You don't say if you are a T6 or T6.1 (they are quite different electrically) but the T6 earth diagram is here:

https://www.t6forum.com/threads/earthing-concept-wiring-diagram.28953/

 

[roadtripper]

For the fault you are getting I would double check that the ground you are adding is not insulating any existing grounds or making them have poor contact.

Photographs of what you are doing will help folks advise - they may spot something you've missed the significance of so don't write down

 

[Marc1]

For the fault you are getting I would double check that the ground you are adding is not insulating any existing grounds or making them have poor contact.

Photographs of what you are doing will help folks advise - they may spot something you've missed the significance of so don't write down

Hi I’ll take some pictures tomorrow morning.

My van is T6 and I’m using the rear quarter on the drivers side there is a stud that has a brown wire on it (rear light uses for it earth) im assuming.

Both wires are making a Clean connection.

Im hoping to have a negative bus bar for my leisure battery and other electrics at the back of the van.
This is the point I’m trying to explain

 

[ginkster]

I use that earth point for my leisure electrics and it works fine for me. Are you using the original nut? Is the existing brown wire connected first? What is the cable you are adding attached to - could it be causing a short?

 

[Marc1]

I use that earth point for my leisure electrics and it works fine for me. Are you using the original nut? Is the existing brown wire connected first? What is the cable you are adding attached to - could it be causing a short?

Hi,
Yes I’m using original nut, Iv tried both connecting it first and second same warning, light on dash.

I’m using a 35mm2 cable but also tried a 16mm2 both with the same result!

Can’t figure out why ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[drinfinity]

What is connected to the other end of your new cable when you get the warning light?

 

[archersam]

What happens if you earth it somewhwere else?

 

[Marc1]

What is connected to the other end of your new cable when you get the warning light?

Nothing at the moment it’s just the cable. Will be busbar

 

[Marc1]

What happens if you earth it somewhwere else?im not sure where else to earth to?

 

[Marc1]

So even if I do a closed loop I’m getting the same warning light on the dash.

Doesn’t make sense to me?

 

[ginkster]

Strange! Any aftermarket LED bulbs? Do all the bulbs work when the warning is on? Have you turned all the bulbs on (inc reverse, fog light etc) to see if the warning goes out? Is the starter battery good?

I put some LED DRLs in and initially got a bulb warning light. It was due to low starter battery voltage and went out (next start) once it had been run for a while and charged up and has never returned (18+ months).

 

[drinfinity]

So if the warning comes when your cable isn’t even connected to anything else it suggests there is some discontinuity in the existing cable or earth point. Make sure it is completely clean (no residue of spray glue from the carpet for example) and there is no damage to the existing cable.

 

[EAN]

When you disconnected the original earth, was the battery still connected?
If so, then you introduced a fault by disconnecting the original and possibly the van is telling you.
That’s the only explanation I can think of.

 

[drinfinity]

When you disconnected the original earth, was the battery still connected?
If so, then you introduced a fault by disconnecting the original and possibly the van is telling you.
That’s the only explanation I can think of.

Does the warning light go out if you connect the earth back as it was without your cable? Do all your indicators/tail lights etc work properly when earth connected?

 

[Marc1]

Does the warning light go out if you connect the earth back as it was without your cable? Do all your indicators/tail lights etc work properly when earth connected?

Yes it goes off when not connected. All lights are working properly and no new fancy lights.

 

[Marc1]

When you disconnected the original earth, was the battery still connected?
If so, then you introduced a fault by disconnecting the original and possibly the van is telling you.
That’s the only explanation I can think of.

Yes it was still connected but when I remove my cable the light goes out.

 

[drinfinity]

Ok, so I would be looking to get the nut bolt and connections sparkling clean. Solvents, wire brush, sandpaper. There is something on the bolt sticking fluff to it.

 

[Howzat]

So even if I do a closed loop I’m getting the same warning light on the dash.

Doesn’t make sense to me?
View attachment 235384

That's some crazy shiz you got going on there.
Just to be clear, what is that wire in the pic above?
Is that the new wire or an existing wire? That wire doesn't look like this wire....

What happens if you put the first wire back on then put your 2nd wire on? Still the same fault?

 

[Marc1]

That's some crazy shiz you got going on there.
Just to be clear, what is that wire in the pic above?
Is that the new wire or an existing wire? That wire doesn't look like this wire....

What happens if you put the first wire back on then put your 2nd wire on? Still the same fault?

So the brown wire is the original wire that I assume is an earthing wire, the second it the wire that I want to run to a bus bar.