Strange wire???

Evening all, just got my P38 and going round doing all the jobs on it and found a random wire. It goes from the battery live and earth to inside the dashboard. They are both fused but the one to earth isn't connected I don't know why this is it has had a new battery before I got it.

So has anyone got any ideas everything works apart from the usual suspects cruise control etc. I don't want to connect in case I blow it or something like:doh::doh:.

I will post a picture in the morning of it.

Thanks Danny.

If these are not part of the original loom then it's more likely that they were fitted for an early mobile phone, cb or similar.

This is the wire in question it has a mobile phone inside but wether it is connected I don't know. Any thoughts a bout is greatly appreciated.

Danny

ummmm...i have the same on my '02 but no evidence of a mobile phone fitted?

dannythedog said:

This is the wire in question it has a mobile phone inside but wether it is connected I don't know. Any thoughts a bout is greatly appreciated.

Danny

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When getting a new battery get the biggest there will fit, yours are quite small

My battery is about the same size, never had an issue, will fire up on the button a dozen times in succession. I imagine diesels require more juice though.

It's fine on starting up its 96 4.6 HSE if it helps find what it is. The battery was changed before my ownership.

Danny

dannythedog said:

This is the wire in question it has a mobile phone inside but wether it is connected I don't know. Any thoughts a bout is greatly appreciated.

Danny

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The battery clamp is either the wrong one or it's not fitted correctly, the angled part is chewing the top of the battery.
The wires are certainly not original or professional, you don't fit fuses in the negative line.
Leave them disconnected until either you find something does not work or you trace them through. Do you have a trailer socket? It's possible that it's a permanant live for a caravan if you do.

martynv8 said:

My battery is about the same size, never had an issue, will fire up on the button a dozen times in succession. I imagine diesels require more juice though.

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Sure it will start, but if you ever leave it for any length of time and if it's winter as well you would appreciate the extra power, remember the Becm does drain a fair bit even when everything is working correctly

Fair point. When mine needs replacing i will go for the biggest available but for now it works perfectly (3 weeks stood in winter & fired up immediately).
The only problem i've had was when the clamp came loose & the battery disconnected from the positive, i assume whilst driving I only noticed when i parked up & tried to lock the car & nothing. re-connected, re set windows, sunroof, radio & all was fine.

It doesn't have a tow bar fitted if the electrics are there I don't know. So should I disconnect the positive side of it or just leave it for now till I find out what it is.

dannythedog said:

It doesn't have a tow bar fitted if the electrics are there I don't know. So should I disconnect the positive side of it or just leave it for now till I find out what it is.

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I would pull both fuses and see if anything stops working, if all still works I'd leave the fuses out.

Well it won't work anyway is there is no return to earth so unless its put into another circuit then it could work. I don't really want to pull it as well as we all know how temperamental p38's are with electrickery.

dannythedog said:

Well it won't work anyway is there is no return to earth so unless its put into another circuit then it could work. I don't really want to pull it as well as we all know how temperamental p38's are with electrickery.

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It's something that's been added, safer to remove it.

What ever it did power it most certainly not doing so now as the earth is not connected. Also it would only have been for something aftermarket like a phone system which prob got removed. It won't be powering any of the RR standard systems as it is clearly been fitted after purchase.