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[GMCnet] Darned Grounds! [message #97358]

Thu, 26 August 2010 17:34

Ken Henderson

Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA

Karma: 9

Senior Member

Today was light bulb day. I'm more than a little casual about the operation
of lights -- I don't do much night travelling so don't miss a twinkle or
two. But I figured there were enough inoperable that I'd better operate
today -- it being only about 95*F outside & all. On the agenda: Both right
side clearance lights, 2 rear roof clearance lights, one backup light, and,
most important of all, HER porch light.

The side clearance lights turned out to be just corroded bulb connections;
easily repaired with a little CRC 2-26 and wiggling. But the lenses of all
4 were so crudded up on the inside that I had to remove and clean them. I
got lucky and all the rusted screws came out -- and were replaced with
stainless.

The roof clearance lights have never been opened since I "sealed" them with
cement before the paint job in 2002 (IIRC). "Sealed" being a euphemism for
"H20 can get in but not out". One of the failed ones was somewhat corroded
but mostly poor quality showed up in the seat spring having worked its way
around the center wire insulating washer. I managed to return that to its
proper location and bend it so it should stay. The other light had the same
spring problem, but it was so rusty that I had to break the socket out of
the plastic, install a new socket, and fabricate an internal bracket for the
lens retaining screw -- to replace the bracket I broke. These lamps are the
larger teardrop shaped variety or I'd go ahead and replace them all with the
LED versions that were too expensive in '02. Maybe after a few more quit
working.

The Subject: above comes from the right backup light. The bulb looked good.
the test lamp showed the socket had +12 VDC and ground. The bulb tested
good with the bench power supply. HUH??? Then I noticed that the RR side
clearance light, which I'd just repaired, was burning without parking lights
being on. And going off when the shift lever was not in Reverse. Hmmm.
That spells ground problems to me. The wiring diagram was no help -- the
backup lights circuits are about a foot away from all the other lights on my
8' long wiring diagram. A jumper wire from the backup light's ground lead
to the bumper solved the problem and didn't seem to cause any others. If I
recall correctly, the ground for all those lights is behind the rear panel,
screwed to the aluminum rear crossmember. That panel is behind the toilet,
and the base upon it sits. And that comes out only after the lavatory
cabinet and the shower walls and the bath tub are removed. So I ran a new
ground wire through the fiberglass insulation into the right rear
compartment (where most folks have an LPG tank but I have a bath tub).
Fini.

Don't anyone DARE tell HER that the porch light's been inoperative for 3
years because I wouldn't snap the lens out and replace the bulb -- PLEASE.

Tomorrow maybe I'll fix the dedicated tow light on the CRV -- the right rear
one's been on the fritz for the past few trips.

Mustn't forget to deflate and stow the 6' plastic rattlesnake from the fig
tree before the yard man arrives. He came running up from the back yard on
Tuesday, almost white, yelling, "Bring yo' shotgun -- they's a BIG ol' snake
in that there fig tree!" He had a school mate bitten and killed by a water
moccasin a few years ago, so I guess he's justified in his terror. He's
already called today to be sure the snake will be gone when he arrives
tomorrow.

Ken H.
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach