Testing, Testing, 123 (how to test Electrical items)

[mook]

Hi Guys starting to put the van back together and i wondering what the best way would be to test different items. For example how to test Dash Instruments without ruining them and so on (good for my HX dash going on ebay soon).

I figure that I'll be easier to test everything (electrically) before it goes back on, and will make life easier when trying to sort electrical problems.

Would anyone have a wiring diagram? Or should i get a whole loom to bench test and start fresh?

Im Running twin headlights, GTS dash and HJ-HZ rear lights on a WB Van (which has an existing loom)

Any thoughts would be well appreciated.

[RodneyHZ253]

In my opinion it's a bit of trial and error no matter how much prep work you do I think you will have to have a couple of goes at the dash if my experience counts.one of the best things I did with wiring was find an auto electrician that owns a hq 4 gts so he understood the basic wiring to start with.he spent probably 10 hrs tidying up the wiring

[playwme]

Wiring diagrams are in the generic workshop manual that Gregorys? do.

If you had a spare loom it probably wouldn't be a bad think to have pegged to a board on the wall of the shed for testing items.

[1BadVan]

Don't know if this helps
I got a big piece of chipboard and with an artline wrote where all the components go. I then put nails in the wood so the wiring would not move. I then went about fixing the harness and getting rid of any unwanted bits. I did have the wiring diagram as a guide. I was pretty confident of my work everything looked good so I insulated it all whilst on the board. Once in the car I hooked up the battery and where I could tested with a 12 volt test light. Withthe guages I just hooked them up and watched to see they went biserk. Everything was cool. If you start form scratch with wiring and are thorough and logical about it ther isn't much to it. It's when things don't go right and you have to find the problem thats when the real problems start.

[wbute]

Short of hooking the gauges up to a car and testing them I think you really need to just get a gauge place to do it.

The loom is as 1Badvan said, just repair as needed.

One tip, in the wb service manual it says..... do NOT operate or test the temp/fuel gauges without the earth hooked up! Instantly rooted!

Try and buy a genuine GMH service manual. I have the HJ and WB updates and they have terrific wiring diagrams and heaps of other technical stuff in them.