Mystery wiring, only live with headlights

[steve_a]

Hi All -

I realise the answer to this might be "depends who wired the van", but does anyone else have these two wires that go from under the bonnet through behind the main battery into under the steering column, next to the main ignition loom (red/black + black thin wires in pic)? They look after-market, but I noticed that other Bongos also seem to have them. Testing with a meter, the red/black wire only goes live when the headlights are on. I ended up disconnecting the other ends when working on something, but for the life of me now cannot see where they went [rookie error...] - they went somewhere across to the passenger side near the leisure battery. The strange thing is nothing appears wrong or missing! All lights work fine. I did wonder if it was the switch feed for the fog light relay or something, but fogs are also fine. Could it be something for the "lights on" reminder buzzer (noticed that this doesn't work)?? But don't see why that would need to go out into the bonnet? Trying to think of other things that are likely after market. Something radio related? But why lights linked?

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

[g8dhe]

They might be used for a coolant alarm ? They would end up near the de-gassing tank in front of the passenger under the bonnet and in the area of the dashboard controls for the alarm itself.

[steve_a]

Hi Geoff - Possibly, but this also seems to work ok (well, tests ok, at least). I can check that. Also, that wouldn't be live controlled by headlight switch?

[Winnie-bongo]

It's not for daylight running lights is it?

[teenmal]

It's not for daylight running lights is it?

Don't think you would use Head Lights or any other lights To feed DRLs, but you never know.

[steve_a]

It is thin wire, so my thinking is that it probably is used to send a signal to something to say the headlights are on, or it is feeding something relatively low power, but only when the headlights are on. What things need to know if the headlights are on or not? This is why I thought of the fog lights relay (i.e. allowing fog lights to switch on when headlights are on) - but these are working ok.

[Winnie-bongo]

It's not for daylight running lights is it?

Don't think you would use Head Lights or any other lights To feed DRLs, but you never know.

Strangely enough my DRL's have a feed from my headlights so when the headlights go on the DRL's dim like they are meant to

[teenmal]

It's not for daylight running lights is it?

Don't think you would use Head Lights or any other lights To feed DRLs, but you never know.

Strangely enough my DRL's have a feed from my headlights so when the headlights go on the DRL's dim like they are meant to

That is Strange,does that mean you only have DRLs when the headlamps are switched on? did you install them yourself?.



Take care

[Winnie-bongo]

Don't think you would use Head Lights or any other lights To feed DRLs, but you never know.

Strangely enough my DRL's have a feed from my headlights so when the headlights go on the DRL's dim like they are meant to

That is Strange,does that mean you only have DRLs when the headlamps are switched on? did you install them yourself?.



Take care

Yes I fitted it myself, using a drl loom, this switches drls on when the engine starts and off when it stops, but when my headlights are switched on the drls automatically go dimmer which they say is a legal requirement. It also has the facility to flash the drls with the indicators but I didn't bother with that.

[simmonsmob]

Is it for the light on the top of the parking stick?

[teenmal]

Strangely enough my DRL's have a feed from my headlights so when the headlights go on the DRL's dim like they are meant to

That is Strange,does that mean you only have DRLs when the headlamps are switched on? did you install them yourself?.



Take care

Yes I fitted it myself, using a drl loom, this switches drls on when the engine starts and off when it stops, but when my headlights are switched on the drls automatically go dimmer which they say is a legal requirement. It also has the facility to flash the drls with the indicators but I didn't bother with that.

That probably would have caused an MOTT problem as All Direction indicators must be amber, and the DRLs would come into this if they were linked.


Take care.

[TheLongRoad]

I think the kit turns the drl off on the side which is indicating - least that's what mine said it would do. This is for when the drl is mounted close to the indicator.

[steve_a]

Hi Guys... I am still none-the-wiser with this, despite further investigation. A real Bongo mystery.... In any case, things seem to be running fine. It has to be something lights related, but no problems in all the essentials as far as I can tell. I assume I will realise one day what it was, when I least need the problem!

Thanks all for the thoughts.

[Markas]

Is it for the light on the top of the parking stick?

What's a parking stick? Have I got one...? It sounds exciting, especially with a light-up end

[g8dhe]

Some have a telescopic post fitted to the nearside front bumper with a light on top to assist in vehicle positioning, but the wiring should be a proper loom and socket near the bumper.