My head lights are very weak, my top mounted 100w Hellas are pathetic and my wipers are slow....

Everything used to be fine some time ago and its getting worst with time. I have been told to clean out the earths on my vehicle.

Where are these earths on the vehicle and how should I clean them? Its a 2001 110 TD5 double cabin pick up.

Will really appreciate the help!!

Bump......

Did you google it? I do not have a Landy....as yet so can't help you however, I always found that adding a good quality earth strap helps especially if you install a 1000 watt sound system and a HAM radio with a 500 watt amp like I usually do

Easy solution for now and later you can clean the original ones.

By the way, quickly looking at your thread name, I thought you had the are and on reversed lol.

Should not be spoon feeding ya but here is a link to some info which might be generic.
Electrical/earth point problems 200TDI - Defender Forum - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum

Thanks!

Lol... Are and on reversed.

Okay so I cleaned the ends of my 2001 TD5 Defender 110 with WD 40 and fine sand paper. It was on the bulkhead behind the right front wheel above the prop shaft cross.

I also added two more straps, one from engine block to frame and one from frame to bulk head. Things seem to have improved but my roof mounted lights are not working for some other reason so can't say for sure at this time.

Raider td5 said:

Okay so I cleaned the ends of my 2001 TD5 Defender 110 with WD 40 and fine sand paper. It was on the bulkhead behind the right front wheel above the prop shaft cross.

I also added two more straps, one from engine block to frame and one from frame to bulk head. Things seem to have improved but my roof mounted lights are not working for some other reason so can't say for sure at this time.

Click to expand...

Ok that's good to hear that there is improvement. Remember to add some anti corrosion paste to the strap points.

If both roof lights are out at the same time time check for power to the fuse and switch. Get a cheap light tester like the one I attached to do testing.

Roof lights? Do you mean internal or external?

You need to get a volt meter, put the black probe on any metal parts/chassis, set to dc volts and then put the red probe on one of the connections on one of the lights.
If no 12 volts test with the red probe on the back of the switch and work back through the circuit towards the power supply.

If you put your red probe to the ground side of the light and keep the black on chassis your meter should read 0volts with the power on if you have a few volts you have a poor earth connection

You can only ever have three faults in a simple electrical circuit, 1. open circuit (no voltage getting round the circuit, broken wire, switch not working, etc) 2. Short circuit (power going to straight to earth, usually blows fuse, sparks etc) 3. High resistance (poor earths, loose or corroded connections)

The trouble with energy probes as recommended is they can only test two of the three faults open and short circuit, some can only test one of the three faults. If you have high resistance from poor earthing you wont find this kind of fault without a volt meter.

With the circuit live, test from the earth to any point past the light (earth side) this should be zero volts, if not you test your earth wire back all the way to where it goes to earth if at any point through the circuit you do get zero vaults the part of the circuit you just tested is were your fault lies.

Regards
Lee

Oscar Romeo said:

The trouble with energy probes as recommended is they can only test two of the three faults open and short circuit, some can only test one of the three faults. If you have high resistance from poor earthing you wont find this kind of fault without a volt meter.

Lee

Click to expand...

Really??? I don't think so. What happen to the placing the probe on the positive feed to the light and then clamping to ground elsewhere to see if the energy probe lights?

If it does then you have a ground issue in the light circuit.

Don't think I do not know anything about voltmeters BTW.

Forgot to ask, which ones only test one of three faults? That is absolutely ridiculous, because if you are thinking about the led ones, they do work in every configuration too......in fact I teach kids how to make those from broken screwdrivers.

Bud....please do not post comments which is inaccurate and misinform members. I do not know everything, so I do not post what I don't know.... wish everyone can do the same.

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Barbados said:

Really??? I don't think so. What happen to the placing the probe on the positive feed to the light and then clamping to ground elsewhere to see if the energy probe lights?

If it does then you have a ground issue in the light circuit.

Don't think I do not know anything about voltmeters BTW.

Forgot to ask, which ones only test one of three faults? That is absolutely ridiculous, because if you are thinking about the led ones, they do work in every configuration too......in fact I teach kids how to make those from broken screwdrivers.

Bud....please do not post comments which is inaccurate and misinform members. I do not know everything, so I do not post what I don't know.... wish everyone can do the same.

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Click to expand...

Lol i did actually say test for potential difference between the light and ground.
I would like to ask you how a cheap energy probe can measure voltage or resistance? It can only tell if voltage is there or not, which leads to guess and mess.

I can see how you could be confused by using a voltmeter to test from earth to earth. i will try to explain. the circuit should absorb all the voltage past the load, if voltage is present after the load you have a high resistance grounding issue. This could be a couple of volts, keep testing back to the earth till you get 0volts, how can a light/LED show these few vaults? This method of finding poor earths is more accurate and will track down to exactly where the fault is.

I can assure you a volt meter and knowing how to use is far better than a cheap probe and not understanding its limitations.

You ask which probe will only test one fault? The one that is a wire that clips to earth and goes through a festoon bulb to point, again not accurate.

Don't get me wrong i not decrying energy probes and test lights they have place but the sad fact of the matter is they don't give all the information a volt meter can.

Please explain how a circuit with a 3v voltage drop on the pos side of the circuit be found with power probe, what if the vehicle battery is down how can this be found with a probe, this list goes on and on.

As for misinforming members, i do this all day, everyday for a living and have done so for 30 years plus and work on specialised vehicles far more complex than humble lighting circuit on a landy but i am always willing learn something new i doubt however you can teach me anything i haven't already seen especially the fact complex electrical diagnosis can be done with an inexpensive power probe!

Best regards
Lee

For anybody whos lost on how to find poor earths check the link below it explains it really well.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WONhgSxeZ2s

Regards
Lee

Lee,

If you are so smart and have been in the trade for 30 years (btw it's (35) for me, do you think a person cannot see the difference between bright light and a dim one?

It's great that you try to explain the theory and I say theory of electronic engineering to the OP when they guy can find the grounding problems with a light tester. Next thing you might advise him to get a digital storage oscilloscope to check his light bulb filament.

You are sitting there judging me and saying that I can't teach you anything, that tells me that you think you are Einstein and far from being a mature engineer.

Lee, if you are so smart and really an electronic tech as you claim and desperately trying to convince us that you are.....you will know that in the electronic and mechanical engineering field we WILL NEVER KNOW EVERYTHING as techs in these trades and professions.

The field is so huge now and development moving so rapidly, we just cannot know everything like we did in the old days.

I never claim to be a know it all and I am not here to have a debate with you as to who knows more... like so many of you do, however I can guarantee you that I can teach you a lot and maybe I can learn from you too. So do not get in twisting panties about knowledge Lee, it's goes against the ethics of engineering.

For your knowledge, though you see Barbaods as being my name and a third world island, I am actually from Canada on a Diplomatic Assignment here and an electronic engineer with heavy mechanical engineering skills.

I opened my first business, in electronics of course, at the age of 17. In my early 20ies, I used to manufacture C Band satellite dishes ranging from 17 to 40 feet in diameter for TV stations, cable stations etc. I guess I can teach you about that.

As for the auto field, I have been racing and building race cars in my 20ies too and until last year, I was the owner of a European Car performance shop, building and turbo charging BMW and Porche race engines. We built the stand alone ECUs for some of these cars.

Do not judge anyone Lee, if you are older and wiser as you claim, you ought to learn quite abit more especially when you think you are Einstein and a know it all. In both electronic and mechanical engineering there is always more to learn and again....please maintain the ethics of engineering by respecting the fact that we do not know everything and can help each other.

I do not get into debates about knowledge and religion, I leave that to idiots with time to waste. I pointed out what I am and what I represented to help you develop some maturity regarding your judgemental trend.

I have attached a few pics that are so old I had to take digital snaps of them since there were no digital cameras 20 plus years ago. Those I built from scatch in the late 80 and early 90ies.

For Lee

Is that why you told him go and get earth strap, before testing the battery voltage or checking the charging state?

Still waiting an answer on how to find a 3v volt drop with cheap test light, if i need help testing my radar station with a torch ill give you al call..... Bud

Best regards
Lee

Oscar Romeo said:

Is that why you told him go and get earth strap, before testing the battery voltage or checking the charging state?

Still waiting an answer on how to find a 3v volt drop with cheap test light, if i need help testing my radar station with a torch ill give you al call..... Bud

Best regards
Lee

Click to expand...

Did you read my reply to the OP before making yet another useless comment? I wrote

"Easy solution for now and later you can clean the original ones."

Did he ask for a voltage drop test? He asked where the straps were and he is right by thinking that he needs to clean those first.

I also told him to use the energy tester to sort out his roof lighting issue, not his grounding which was already solved.

Stick to the progress in the thread Einstein and do not try to twist the posts to look better. Maybe in the 30 years you were playing with diodes and resistors you forgot how to read.

We are onto a dome light issue Bud Lee, grounding problem was fixed a few moons ago.

You are all over the map now, so let me help you to gain back some ground, no pun intended.

OP HAD grounding problems. FIXED...checked off..done...working..zip.
OP now has a dome light issue....suggested that he get a simple tester to fix.

Raider td5 said:

Okay so I cleaned the ends of my 2001 TD5 Defender 110 with WD 40 and fine sand paper. It was on the bulkhead behind the right front wheel above the prop shaft cross.#

I also added two more straps, one from engine block to frame and one from frame to bulk head.

Things seem to have improved but my roof mounted lights are not working for some other reason so can't say for sure at this time.

Click to expand...

Barbados said:

Ok that's good to hear that there is improvement. Remember to add some anti corrosion paste to the strap points.

If both roof lights are out at the same time time check for power to the fuse and switch. Get a cheap light tester like the one I attached to do testing.

Click to expand...

Why are you back to grounding issues and the insinuating that I told him to get an energy tester to look for a voltage drop in his grounds?

You are proving me more that you are not what you claim and as I said before I have no time for idiots.

You are asking the OP to get into rocket science and invest in a DVM to get better grounding. What I suggested worked as you can see, so not even sure why there was all that elaborate explanation to test grounding which was already FIXED.

If he had a more complex issue then I would have advised that he needed to go further.

I won't waste my time and bring myself down to your level by arguing, especially when the OPs grounding problem is already solved.


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BTW, the OP said his lights were NOT working, not dim so clearly he has an open to B+ or ground. An energy tester WILL tell you which of the two is open.

So why were you on a roll with testing for high resistance?

It's an incandescent bulb, it will glow even if there was high resistance anywhere in the circuit, OP clearly said it's NOT working.

Read first, maybe a few times over and over before getting all type happy on the key board Bud.

Barbados, i have enjoyed our time together i do however respectfully point out that two hours after the thread started you said you probably couldn't help and asked him if he had googled it? Then told him go get an earth strap.

Sound diagnosis from one whose been around vehicle electrics all their life, at that point you didn't even know it was an earth issue it could have well been a defective battery or alternator.

I ll stick to using my 450 quid volt meter thanks, then again what do i know compared to you who thinks a light on stick is the answer.
If you ever do own a old defender you find a volt meter a must especially when a cheap dvm is only a few quid more than your option and stacks more versatile i am quite frankly astounded by some who has such a glittering career in electrics advocating cheap test light, for christ sake he owns a defender he ll be using it all the time and learn a hell of lot more about electrics using it.

But i bow to your obvious superior knowledge, back to work tomorrows fixing electrical problems on vehicles oh hay!

Best regards

Lee

Lee, you are progressively getting from bad to worse by "trying" to contaminate my posts aided with your lack of simple comprehension.

Your fundamental weakness is reading, which has significantly contributed towards your useless posts about something which is already fixed.

I never said I could not help him, I said I did not know where the grounding straps were and then not only suggested he Google its locations, I even found the link for him.

Again Lee, READ, open them eyes up and read Bud.

Since he was asking about grounding straps, I was responding to grounding straps...if the OP wanted to do his own diagnostic tracing, starting from the grounding straps, does it take rocket science to help him with that Einstein?

He NEVER asked for his issue to be diagnosed, cant you read???? He asked about grounding straps location.

You seem to be suffering from some sort of inferiority complex, which is now understandable, why do we need to know the cost of your DVM, that just childless and immature.

I wont stoop to your level by actually showing you all the test equipment I currently have.

So Einstein, whats wrong with the OP learning to trace simple faults with a test light? Did you start off into electronics with a NASA caliber equipped lab?

Yes a cheap DVM might be a few quid more than a test light INTHE UK, did YOU READ where he was located? Do you know the cost of a DVM or its availability there?

You are wasting bandwidth Lee. The OPs problem was fixed using my suggestion and we were on to problem number two.

Again you think you are the only one who worked on old cars, I have cars made in the 60ies and was restoring others up to last year.

I hope when "fixing those vehicles" tomorrow, the green coolant does not trigger your 998,987,239,708 quid laser emitting, supersonic data pelting diagnostic machine

Have a good day at work tomorrow Lee, watch out for those flying electrons If you read some of my posts a bit back..you will see..no grudge allowed...though I think you are a POS who really needs to read properly. Seriously, its all good.

Take care Bud and enjoy work tomorrow.

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