roof light flashing when closed, where's the microswitch?

[mountainmummy]

Hi

Had a nice trip to Glencoe at the weekend (chilly but fun). However since then the red roof light on the dash has been flashing.

Pretty confident the roof is fully closed and nothing blocking it. I've searched the forum and can see I might need to fiddle with the microswitches or even just squirt them with some switch cleaner. Been up a ladder having a good look today but my main problem is I can't find the microswitches.

Can someone give me an idiots guide as to where they are? I.e. How raised should the roof be, how far towards the front/rear are they etc?.

Thanks for your help.

Sara.

P.S the Freda passed its MOT at Xmas and had a good service and is driving and sounding like a new Van.

[g8dhe]

There at the front of the two slider mechanisms on the roof section itself see below;

To adjust see this image;

[mountainmummy]

Thanks Geoff.

Is it on the rising bit of the roof or the base?.

Going back our with the stepladder at the weekend.

Sara

[g8dhe]

Yes front top bit of the raising section, one switch on each side at the front/top for detecting that the roof is fully in the down position on both sides. There is also a switch halfway along on the nearside for the stop when it is halfway down and a final switch at the rear offside (I think) for detecting when its in the raised position.

[Northern Bongolow]

try just lifting and lowering it again whilst on a flat level piece of road, sometimes if the roof is used and lowered on a grass area it can be uneven so when the roof comes down it is twisted. sometimes works.

[mountainmummy]

Ha ha, roof's been up and down more times than a yo yo (polite version).

Will find and fiddle with the microswitches at the weekend
Slightly worried as we had to put roof down when camping beginning of week because it was so windy
However it doesn't look twisted at all and does seem to be fully down. It does the slight pause thing before raising and is locking into place fine when fully raised.

We have occasionally had to raise slightly and re-lower to stop the flashing in the past but this isn't working this time.

Sara.

[g8dhe]

Also make sure that nothing in top is stopping it coming right down, obvious I know but sometimes things get over the back of the front panel or even wrapped around the struts at night and forgotten in the morning

[mikeonb4c]

Try some Comma electrical contact spray on it. I find ageing switches and contacts are particularly prone to playing up in cold damp weather. My nearside one responded to this - roof had been beeping even when down and locked. Offside one has always been duff and the light has been flashing for 9 years though I've taped a square of pvc tape over the dash so I don't have to look at it! Must fix it one day lol

[g8dhe]

Sorry Mike! If any cleaner spray works then its time to replace the switch ... there sealed ones!
Datasheet here http://www.omron.com/ecb/products/pdf/en-d2fw_g.pdf

[mikeonb4c]

Sorry Mike! If any cleaner spray works then its time to replace the switch ... there sealed ones!
Datasheet here http://www.omron.com/ecb/products/pdf/en-d2fw_g.pdf

How sealed is sealed, especially after 20 years in service. I can only think that either the low viscosity alcohol spray was able to penetrate, or else it was coincidence....on two occasions

[mikeonb4c]

Sorry Mike! If any cleaner spray works then its time to replace the switch ... there sealed ones!
Datasheet here http://www.omron.com/ecb/products/pdf/en-d2fw_g.pdf

Incidentally Geoff, do you think it feasible to replace switches with new. I'd be tempted except there seems no spare wire to allow removal and replacement of old ones

[g8dhe]

Replacing the switches is HORRIBLE as the wiring runs behind the track itself, so you have to take the entire track down off the AFT which means just about disassembling the whole AFT as far as I can see.

Sealed means sealed to IP67 level see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Code
basically totally dust proof and safe for immersion to 1m under water for 30 minutes!

[Bob]

And Bongy wouldn't like that.

[mikeonb4c]

Replacing the switches is HORRIBLE as the wiring runs behind the track itself, so you have to take the entire track down off the AFT which means just about disassembling the whole AFT as far as I can see.

Sealed means sealed to IP67 level see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Code
basically totally dust proof and safe for immersion to 1m under water for 30 minutes!

Maybe just coincidence then and it was operating it a few times that fixed it. If replacement is horrible, is there a way they can be deactivated as I'm sure their alarms are likely to be false from my experience.

[g8dhe]

I guess if the sealing has gone faulty then that might explain both the failure and the fact that cleaner can penetrate and do its job.
Maybe I was a bit over the top on being horrible, its possible that just by loosening the track there might be enough room to get the switch out on its wires from the side;

Those two nuts above and below the switch holding the track in position might be the answer, but its a bit of an awkward place to reach.