Wiring question? Blowing light fuse!

vvwbeetle Officially Full-On Dubber

234 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 11 Jul 2011, 8:47 pm

#851265

Hi guys

Noticed on the weekend that my right tail light and number plate where not working!

1970 model

Had a look at the bulbs they are fine!

I did have an earth wire off in the engine bay. Its on the right side there are 2 together. Put it back on and also put a bit of tape between it and the dress up kit as I thought it might short it out.

I replaced the fuse (8amp) and turned the lights on and the fuse poped straight away.

I have searched the Internet for a wiring diagram and it looks like it's the fuse for the right tail light and number plate light which is why I guess they are not working!
See link to wiring diagram (http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/bug_6971.jpg)

Does anyone have any tips for what i should be looking for?

cesiumfrog Seriously Crusin Dubber

161 posts · joined Apr 2005 · 11 Jul 2011, 8:53 pm

#851267

have you had the number plate light off and the put it back on with wires reversed...didn't make sense to me but thats what happened
kept blowing fuse
yep..dress up tins rubbing against a tail light wire will do it also
you have to have a short there somewhere

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 · 11 Jul 2011, 8:54 pm

#851269

take the globes out, then check fuse, if ok put one globe back in at a time and if it blows then you know what light and side causing the trouble.

😂🤪😂🤪😂
car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

vvwbeetle Officially Full-On Dubber

234 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 11 Jul 2011, 8:58 pm

#851270

When the engine was rebuilt and the car was on the dyno they had the deck lid off.

So I will check that.

Thanks Ian I'll try that as well

Peter Leonard Moderator Volatile

1,456 posts · joined Apr 2003 · 11 Jul 2011, 9:46 pm

#851295

I connected the number plate light back to front, so the housing would touch the body every so often and blow the fuse. This may very well be your problem, esp as the decklid was off 🙂

let sleeping dubs lie

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 · 11 Jul 2011, 10:02 pm

#851305

Blown fuse = wrap it in alfoil and bobs your uncle, she works.
Learnt that from my oldies, couldn't believe they used to do it as a temporary fix in their type 3.

But that is definitely not your issue, you're short circuiting somewhere.
Sounds like it has something to do with the number plate light.

The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 11 Jul 2011, 10:10 pm

#851311

vvwbeetle wrote:Hi guys

Noticed on the weekend that my right tail light and number plate where not working!

1970 model

Had a look at the bulbs they are fine!

I did have an earth wire off in the engine bay. Its on the right side there are 2 together. Put it back on and also put a bit of tape between it and the dress up kit as I thought it might short it out.

I replaced the fuse (8amp) and turned the lights on and the fuse poped straight away.

I have searched the Internet for a wiring diagram and it looks like it's the fuse for the right tail light and number plate light which is why I guess they are not working!
See link to wiring diagram (http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/bug_6971.jpg)

Does anyone have any tips for what i should be looking for?

Hi
First Off..
that wiring diagram is for the North American ONLY beetles..
Ours is totally different...
BUT

the Right hand Front parking lamp should also be off...
so, Your short circuit could be in the front Right hand headlamp or in the wire going to it...
so, You could be looking at the wrong end of the car... lol

FRont RHS Park lamp- and RHS Tail lamp/number plate lamp ALL go thru the same fuse...

and pushing a bulb in won't find the short circuit..
check the wires going to the RHS headlamp for a wire that has rubbed thru..

On top of the fuse box....
You will see two wires coming off it... [fuse that blows]
pull one wire off ... insert a fuse turn parkers on...
if it doesn't blow... check if the RHS tail lamp is working..
or the RHS front parker..

[if it blows You know its that wire shorting out]

then put the other wire back on..
and do it again.. if it blows then You know its that wire...
and which lamp - front or rear..

I hope that helps...

LEE in Freezing Scone...

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

vvwbeetle Officially Full-On Dubber

234 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 11 Jul 2011, 11:23 pm

#851329

Hi guys thanks for the advise

The right hand front light works ok all 3 parkers, low beam & high beam

Borrowed a multi meter from work.

With the fuse out and with the meter connected to one wire on the number plate the other earthed it beeps. Then the same on the other wire!

Tried to chase the wire from the fuse but it is so hard with all the wires.

Have taken the back seat out and have wires everywhere. As well as under the bonnet/boot ( front end).

It's also impossible to chase any wire in the engine bay with the dress up tin.

Why is it never simple?

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 11 Jul 2011, 11:41 pm

#851335

Usually, they don't short out unless the wires have been moved
or the rubber grommet or rubber boot they are in has split..

try the two wires on that fuse...

to keep You roadworthy...
run a wire from the left hand tail lamp across to the RHS tail lamp

I would strongly suggest that the dress up kit can cause all sorts of problems ...

the wire may have rubbed thru the insulation quite easily...

shame you are not close by... lol

I love finding faulty wires etc... lol

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

vvwbeetle Officially Full-On Dubber

234 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 17 Jul 2011, 8:44 pm

#852254

Good news but not before a waste of time

Had a mate come over on Friday night to help chase wiring issue.

After not being able to chase the wire as it changes colour and has been run through the heater channel.

My mate and I decided to run a new wire. From the other tail light through the engine bay past the dress up tin and hidden away etc. Close to 3hrs got it to work great.

We then thought ok to connect up the number plate light. Done .

Turn on the lights POP the fuse goes for that circuit. Bugger.

But at least we know it has something to do with the number plate light. After putting the multi meter everywhere it was not clear what the issue is.

Now it's 1am. So off to bed to clear the head and start again.

Now morning

Mate and I head back to the garage. We have a look at the plastic wire connector for the wires on the deck lid. Think ok let's bypass this and try it.

Sorted.

We removed the wire we ran and thought that we wasted our time the night before.

It only should have taken 20min to fix the issue. It took us over 4hrs. Anyway had a good time doing it. Plenty of laughs.

The wiring is now sorted!