confused my wiring diagrams and inadvertantly connected the wrong wire from the handbrake to the lamp. If I recall - fine when not running but when running shorted the alternator down to earth and fried the diodes!
Here - connected to terminal 61 and didnt check mines an early late xoverish thing and connected switch to terminal 61: http://thelatebay.com/index.php?thr...g-light-wiring-1700-type-4.19431/#post-314785
Now I'm thinking I'll just leave it for now..... Unless someone can send me a pic of the wires going into the back of the warning light holder.......please
Ok dude, so: K connects to the 3rd pin on the brake light switches on the MC (should be a red wire) 15 is ignition switched live (black wire) 31 is ground/earth (brown wire) 61 goes to the hand brake switch (white with green tracer wire), then the other side of the HB switch goes to earth/ground (brown wire) Pretty simple really
Why do you need a light? With the (very) limited performance of a bus, surely you'd notice the handbrake being on? Similarly would you not be more likely to see a bloody great handle about a foot out of position rather than a small light with the lumen output of a poorly firefly?
Tis true. I think some busses had to have a brake circuit failure light in some territories (mebbe the US), so that makes sense. The brake warning was the main function of the light. Maybe the handbrake warning had to be there as well. As you say, it's hard to miss six inches of greasy handle sticking out of the dash...
I shouldn't admit to this but will... The first time I test drove a camper (auto it was), I thought the hand brake was the choke.... Oops did I just say that!!!
Show me an MOT tester who's THAT familiar with the lights configuration on a 40 year old VW! Mine has the light but it's for brakes only as there's no switch fitted. A mate has exactly the same layout but its the other way round. VW had huge numbers of options for each different selling country, with the worldwide movement of buses it'd be impossible to know every option. That said, if you want a light, that's your choice. Personally I'm just happy if the bloody thing runs, stops and steers.
Definitely! I find the variance of knowledge between MOT testers is vast! Personally I have two or three who I trust to tell me if something NEEDS doing or if the rules say something SHOULD be done. Therein lies the difference. One of them posted some pictures recently of a car that came in for its 1st MOT with 65,000 on the clock and still on the original tyres or what was left of them, right through to the canvas!!! This wasnt the worst though, the brakes were through the pads and actually stopping on the pistons!!!!
