Solving wiring diagrams -- a technique - Revision history

Dbeierl: moved Wiring diagram improvement to Solving wiring diagrams -- a technique: Clearer meaning

2010-10-15T21:33:10Z

moved Wiring diagram improvement to Solving wiring diagrams -- a technique: Clearer meaning

MariusStrom: Add categories

2010-06-03T17:23:57Z

Add categories

Msouth at 17:23, 7 May 2010

2010-05-07T17:23:14Z

Msouth: restored, having received permission from David through email

2010-05-07T17:22:40Z

restored, having received permission from David through email

Msouth: Undo revision 122 by Msouth (Talk)

2010-05-07T17:14:45Z

Undo revision 122 by Msouth (Talk)

Msouth: deleting until I get permission for content

2010-05-07T15:45:08Z

deleting until I get permission for content

Msouth: Created page with 'David Bierl: In understanding Vanagon (or any other) wiring diagrams there is a not-so-little trick that will make it vastly easier to figure out what's really going on in a cir…'

2010-05-07T15:34:20Z

Created page with 'David Bierl: In understanding Vanagon (or any other) wiring diagrams there is a not-so-little trick that will make it vastly easier to figure out what's really going on in a cir…'

New page

David Bierl:

In understanding Vanagon (or any other) wiring diagrams there is a
not-so-little trick that will make it vastly easier to figure out
what's really going on in a circuit. Before you can do this of
course you have to be familiar with Bentley 97.3-97.6. so the
diagrams make any sense at all.

The trick is this: First copy the page in question so you won't
wreck the original if you mess up somewhere. Get yourself an
assortment of colored pencils, at least five or six including brown
and red. Then take a look at
http://picasaweb.google.com/dbeierl/FiguringOutVanagonWiringDiagrams#
for a working example of how it's done. You may want to keep it open
to refer to or make a color print of it to use the first time or two
you do this.

Start by locating the grounds. Since this is a physical schematic
some of them may originate far away from where you're looking even if
it would be easier to understand if they simply drew all of them
straight down to line at the bottom line of the page, which is
chassis ground. Every terminal labeled as 31 is a ground. Every
ground you find, draw a brown line next to the wiring for its whole
length. For switched grounds I recommend a dashed line instead of
solid upstream of the switch.

Then look for the +12 supply wires and color them red. You may well
want to use different colors for unswitched (terminal 30), switched
by ignition (terminal 15), and switched by the load reduction relay
(X-terminal on ignition switch operates it; power upstream is 30 at
the relay, downstream (switched) is 87 like all relay
outputs. Again, power that's switched downstream should use a dashed
line downstream of the switch.

Now pick a wire and figure out what it does. Follow it off the page
if necessary and label where it goes on your drawing. If you can't
figure it out, pick another wire. As soon as you know what it does,
label it as such then pick a color for it and draw solid or dashed
line as appropriate. If a single wire does multiple things, as in
the circuit from 53e at the motor up to the switch, down to the relay
and thence to the motor 53 terminal, use multiple solid or dashed
lines as appropriate (Note: the pink wire should be dotted for its
entire length and there should also be a brown dotted line for the
whole length of that circuit. Can you discover why? Answers on
request. Hint: I missed one of the functions of the auto-park switch).

Keep on doing this for wire after wire until you understand them all
(or are certain you understand enough of them, which may or may not
be true). Each wire you figure out makes the rest easier, and the
colored lines take away the visual anonymity of Joe Random
Black-line-on-the-page. Now you can follow the circuit around and
find out where a particular problem might (or must) lie as well as
where it cannot.

This is the second time I figured out this particular wiper
circuit. The first time I forgot this trick I learned thirty years
ago, and it took me over an hour. This time I remembered, and it
took about ten minutes after I found the colored pencils and
photographed the page. And I was easily (but not in ten minutes)
able to establish that the relay cannot possibly be correct as drawn
(since at some point it would hook +12 directly to ground) and how it
would actually have to be (which happens to coincide with the diagram
molded into the side of the actual 19 relay, but I didn't know that
at the time. I definitely did *not* figure that part out the other time.

Yours,
David

Robert Keezer adds:

This is an idea I had 15 years ago when I was installing Digifant 2 and later Motronic fuel injection wiring in my 82 Westfalia ,with one additional trick-
make the copies larger than the Bentley, making them easier to read.

The circuit tracks are very close on top of the page, and I mixed up the 1 wire with the 15 wire and fried the computer before I ever got it started.

Colored marking pens also work well. Once you learn these diagrams, you can troubleshoot any circuit easily, or do a conversion. Many of the color codes for Vanagon are the same for Jetta , Golf etc.

[[Category:diagnostic_tips]][[category:understanding_bentley]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:23, 3 June 2010
Line 68:		Line 68:


−	[[Category:diagnostic_tips]][[category:understanding_bentley]]	+	[[Category:diagnostic_tips]][[category:understanding_bentley]][[Category:Electrical]][[Category:Wiring]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:23, 7 May 2010
Line 1:		Line 1:
−	~~David Bierl:~~
−
	In understanding Vanagon (or any other) wiring diagrams there is a		In understanding Vanagon (or any other) wiring diagrams there is a
	not-so-little trick that will make it vastly easier to figure out		not-so-little trick that will make it vastly easier to figure out

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:45, 7 May 2010
Line 1:		Line 1:
−	~~David Bierl:~~	+	(deleted the content until I can get permission from the original posters)
−
−	~~In understanding Vanagon~~ (~~or any other) wiring diagrams there is a~~
−	~~not-so-little trick that will make it vastly easier to figure out~~
−	~~what's really going on in a circuit. Before you can do this of~~
−	~~course you have to be familiar with Bentley 97.3-97.6. so~~ the
−	~~diagrams make any sense at all.~~
−
−	~~The trick is this: First copy the page in question so you won't~~
−	~~wreck the original if you mess up somewhere. Get yourself an~~
−	~~assortment of colored pencils, at least five or six including brown~~
−	~~and red. Then take a look at~~
−	~~http://picasaweb.google.com/dbeierl/FiguringOutVanagonWiringDiagrams#~~
−	~~for a working example of how it's done. You may want to keep it open~~
−	~~to refer to or make a color print of it to use the first time or two~~
−	~~you do this.~~
−
−	~~Start by locating the grounds. Since this is a physical schematic~~
−	~~some of them may originate far away from where you're looking even if~~
−	~~it would be easier to understand if they simply drew all of them~~
−	~~straight down to line at the bottom line of the page, which is~~
−	~~chassis ground. Every terminal labeled as 31 is a ground. Every~~
−	~~ground you find, draw a brown line next to the wiring for its whole~~
−	~~length. For switched grounds~~ I ~~recommend a dashed line instead of~~
−	~~solid upstream of the switch.~~
−
−	~~Then look for the +12 supply wires and color them red. You may well~~
−	~~want to use different colors for unswitched (terminal 30), switched~~
−	~~by ignition (terminal 15), and switched by the load reduction relay~~
−	~~(X-terminal on ignition switch operates it; power upstream is 30 at~~
−	~~the relay, downstream (switched) is 87 like all relay~~
−	~~outputs. Again, power that's switched downstream should use a dashed~~
−	~~line downstream of the switch.~~
−
−	~~Now pick a wire and figure out what it does. Follow it off the page~~
−	~~if necessary and label where it goes on your drawing. If you~~ can't
−	~~figure it out, pick another wire. As soon as you know what it does,~~
−	~~label it as such then pick a color for it and draw solid or dashed~~
−	~~line as appropriate. If a single wire does multiple things, as in~~
−	~~the circuit~~ from ~~53e at~~ the ~~motor up to the switch, down to the relay~~
−	~~and thence to the motor 53 terminal, use multiple solid or dashed~~
−	~~lines as appropriate (Note: the pink wire should be dotted for its~~
−	~~entire length and there should also be a brown dotted line for the~~
−	~~whole length of that circuit. Can you discover why? Answers on~~
−	~~request. Hint: I missed one of the functions of the auto-park switch).~~
−
−	~~Keep on doing this for wire after wire until you understand them all~~
−	~~(or are certain you understand enough of them, which may or may not~~
−	~~be true). Each wire you figure out makes the rest easier, and the~~
−	~~colored lines take away the visual anonymity of Joe Random~~
−	~~Black-line-on-the-page. Now you can follow the circuit around and~~
−	~~find out where a particular problem might (or must~~) ~~lie as well as~~
−	~~where it cannot.~~
−
−	~~This is the second time I figured out this particular wiper~~
−	~~circuit. The first time I forgot this trick I learned thirty years~~
−	~~ago, and it took me over an hour. This time I remembered, and it~~
−	~~took about ten minutes after I found the colored pencils and~~
−	~~photographed the page. And I was easily (but not in ten minutes)~~
−	~~able to establish that the relay cannot possibly be correct as drawn~~
−	~~(since at some point it would hook +12 directly to ground) and how it~~
−	~~would actually have to be (which happens to coincide with the diagram~~
−	~~molded into the side of the actual 19 relay, but I didn't know that~~
−	~~at the time. I definitely did not figure that part out the other time.~~
−
−	~~Yours,~~
−	~~David~~
−
−	~~Robert Keezer adds:~~
−
−	~~This is an idea I had 15 years ago when I was installing Digifant 2 and later Motronic fuel injection wiring in my 82 Westfalia ,with one additional trick-~~
−	~~make the copies larger than the Bentley, making them easier to read.~~
−
−	~~The circuit tracks are very close on top of the page, and I mixed up the 1 wire with the 15 wire and fried the computer before I ever got it started.~~
−
−	~~Colored marking pens also work well. Once you learn these diagrams, you can troubleshoot any circuit easily, or do a conversion. Many of the color codes for Vanagon are the same for Jetta , Golf etc.~~
−
−	~~[[Category:diagnostic_tips]][[category:understanding_bentley]]~~

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 diagrams make any sense at all.
-The trick is this:  First copy the page in question so you won't
+The trick is this:  First copy the page in question (an enlarged copy can be helpful
 wreck the original if you mess up somewhere.  Get yourself an
-assortment of colored pencils, at least five or six including brown
+assortment of colored pencils/markers, at least five or six including brown
 and red.  Then take a look at
 http://picasaweb.google.com/dbeierl/FiguringOutVanagonWiringDiagrams#
@@ Line 64: / Line 65: @@
 at the time.  I definitely did *not* figure that part out the other time.
-Yours,
+Adds Roger:  "Once you learn these diagrams, you can troubleshoot any circuit easily, or do a conversion. Many of the color codes for Vanagon are the same for Jetta , Golf etc."
-Robert Keezer adds:
+Originally posted on the vanagon mailing list by David Beierl with additions from response by Robert Keezer
 [[Category:diagnostic_tips]][[category:understanding_bentley]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:14, 7 May 2010
Line 1:		Line 1:
−	(~~deleted~~ the ~~content until~~ I can ~~get permission~~ from the ~~original posters~~)	+	David Bierl:
		+
		+	In understanding Vanagon (or any other) wiring diagrams there is a
		+	not-so-little trick that will make it vastly easier to figure out
		+	what's really going on in a circuit. Before you can do this of
		+	course you have to be familiar with Bentley 97.3-97.6. so the
		+	diagrams make any sense at all.
		+
		+	The trick is this: First copy the page in question so you won't
		+	wreck the original if you mess up somewhere. Get yourself an
		+	assortment of colored pencils, at least five or six including brown
		+	and red. Then take a look at
		+	http://picasaweb.google.com/dbeierl/FiguringOutVanagonWiringDiagrams#
		+	for a working example of how it's done. You may want to keep it open
		+	to refer to or make a color print of it to use the first time or two
		+	you do this.
		+
		+	Start by locating the grounds. Since this is a physical schematic
		+	some of them may originate far away from where you're looking even if
		+	it would be easier to understand if they simply drew all of them
		+	straight down to line at the bottom line of the page, which is
		+	chassis ground. Every terminal labeled as 31 is a ground. Every
		+	ground you find, draw a brown line next to the wiring for its whole
		+	length. For switched grounds I recommend a dashed line instead of
		+	solid upstream of the switch.
		+
		+	Then look for the +12 supply wires and color them red. You may well
		+	want to use different colors for unswitched (terminal 30), switched
		+	by ignition (terminal 15), and switched by the load reduction relay
		+	(X-terminal on ignition switch operates it; power upstream is 30 at
		+	the relay, downstream (switched) is 87 like all relay
		+	outputs. Again, power that's switched downstream should use a dashed
		+	line downstream of the switch.
		+
		+	Now pick a wire and figure out what it does. Follow it off the page
		+	if necessary and label where it goes on your drawing. If you can't
		+	figure it out, pick another wire. As soon as you know what it does,
		+	label it as such then pick a color for it and draw solid or dashed
		+	line as appropriate. If a single wire does multiple things, as in
		+	the circuit from 53e at the motor up to the switch, down to the relay
		+	and thence to the motor 53 terminal, use multiple solid or dashed
		+	lines as appropriate (Note: the pink wire should be dotted for its
		+	entire length and there should also be a brown dotted line for the
		+	whole length of that circuit. Can you discover why? Answers on
		+	request. Hint: I missed one of the functions of the auto-park switch).
		+
		+	Keep on doing this for wire after wire until you understand them all
		+	(or are certain you understand enough of them, which may or may not
		+	be true). Each wire you figure out makes the rest easier, and the
		+	colored lines take away the visual anonymity of Joe Random
		+	Black-line-on-the-page. Now you can follow the circuit around and
		+	find out where a particular problem might (or must) lie as well as
		+	where it cannot.
		+
		+	This is the second time I figured out this particular wiper
		+	circuit. The first time I forgot this trick I learned thirty years
		+	ago, and it took me over an hour. This time I remembered, and it
		+	took about ten minutes after I found the colored pencils and
		+	photographed the page. And I was easily (but not in ten minutes)
		+	able to establish that the relay cannot possibly be correct as drawn
		+	(since at some point it would hook +12 directly to ground) and how it
		+	would actually have to be (which happens to coincide with the diagram
		+	molded into the side of the actual 19 relay, but I didn't know that
		+	at the time. I definitely did not figure that part out the other time.
		+
		+	Yours,
		+	David
		+
		+	Robert Keezer adds:
		+
		+	This is an idea I had 15 years ago when I was installing Digifant 2 and later Motronic fuel injection wiring in my 82 Westfalia ,with one additional trick-
		+	make the copies larger than the Bentley, making them easier to read.
		+
		+	The circuit tracks are very close on top of the page, and I mixed up the 1 wire with the 15 wire and fried the computer before I ever got it started.
		+
		+	Colored marking pens also work well. Once you learn these diagrams, you can troubleshoot any circuit easily, or do a conversion. Many of the color codes for Vanagon are the same for Jetta , Golf etc.
		+
		+	[[Category:diagnostic_tips]][[category:understanding_bentley]]