Checking for power to door solenoid (1 Viewer)

[Ingwe]

Our habitation door no longer locks using central locking. It used to lock, with both cab doors, when the van reached 20kmh. Someone suggested that power wasn't getting to the solenoid on the habitation door lock. They further suggested it would be difficult (and expensive) to find out why.

I was wondering if there is a using a continuity tester on a multimeter. The wires for the door seem to enter on the base of the door and in fact the flexing of that cable when the door opens and closes has resulted in the outer covering of the cables, splitting. I can see 4 cables, red blue white and green. I believe the green and white are the solenoid cables. I'm reluctant to cut those cables in order to get the probe for the mulitester and am also unsure how to get to the solenoid itself. The dealer sucked in air and whistled when I asked if they could fix this. So we haven't gone ahead and have managed to lock just using the key. But it would be convenient to be able to open and lock the habitation door with the remote. Any suggestions?

 

[SandraL]

If you stick a pin in the cable you can then measure voltage on pin using multimeter. When pin is pulled out only a small hole is left.....

 

[Ingwe]

Thanks for the suggestion Sandral. If I get readings at the base, then I presume the next step is to see whether the power is reaching the solenoid and if not why not?

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[Sheddy]

We had a similar problem on our Bessacarr which had a Hartal Hab door, the flex cable at the base of the door eventually sheared and yes it was the white and green wires that operated the solenoid, I wouldn't be surprised if either of the two wires have already internally sheared inside of the insulation. I eventually fitted an alternative more flexible twin pair to supply the solenoid. Good luck hope you find the problem.
Cheers
Ed

 

[Ingwe]

@Sheddy-I fear your diagnosis is my problem. So it looks like I'll need to access the solenoid and perhaps re-run some cable starting from the solenoid down to the door, outside of the insulation, where it flexes and see whether that is where the shearing took place. May be a bit beyond me to get to the solenoid.

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

If the wire has broken at the hinged area you only have to try to pull the individual wires apart. If it is broken the outer insulation will stretch. Strip back and insert a new piece for the part that flexes and you won't need to strip the door and replace it to the solenoid.

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[davidbaldam]

We had that problem 2 years ago just as we were setting off for 4 weeks in Italy. On our return to to a local garage who specialist in Auto electrics, took them an hour to sort it out at a cost of about £130.00. Turned out that the wires going from the Hab door to the van wear through due to friction. Worth considering.

 

[treetops1]

I had the same problem. Three years ago turned out the wire had snapped in the flexi at the bottom of the door .The wire is quite stiff so I cut through all the wires and soldered a much softer wire in and not had a problem since .The cable did look ok but on pulling both ends it had broken without damaging the outer .

 

[Ingwe]

Thank you all for your replies. I think I might take it to an auto electrician. May have to wait a while as we set off in a early May.

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[Stonemags76]

If the wire has broken at the hinged area you only have to try to pull the individual wires apart. If it is broken the outer insulation will stretch. Strip back and insert a new piece for the part that flexes and you won't need to strip the door and replace it to the solenoid.

My husband did this on our previous van, a Bessacar. He says he just put a new piece of wire in with some connectors.

 

[Ingwe]

I'm not sure whether the wires have broken at the hinged area. The insulated sheath containing all wires is split although the individual wires, within, look intact. That doesn't of course mean that the inside wire hasn't been stretched and broken. That's why I wanted to test for continuity.
The dealer, trying to fix a problem of the hab door lock where it wouldn't lock at all, had stripped the door several times so it is also possible that in doing so he may have either omitted to connect up the solenoid or even damaged the wiring. But I'll start by having a close look at the wiring at the hinged area and report back. Thanks for all suggestions.

 

[Ingwe]

Just a further quick question; to join new wire or reconnect, would you need to disconnect the battery? I presume one wouldn't carry out his whilst on hookup? I ask because he van is in secure storage and the only good lighting is from the van and my headlight.

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[Derbyshire wanderer]

As long as you are not operating the door locks the battery doesn't need to be disconnected but work on one wire at a time and avoid touching it to any metal parts. The circuit is on 12v so will not harm you (even though as stated it is not live unless the lock/unlock command is made).
Inserting a new bridging piece of wire would be better than having a joint repair where the break is as a repair is bulky and ridged which may break again due to the door moving

 

[Ingwe]

As long as you are not operating the door locks the battery doesn't need to be disconnected but work on one wire at a time and avoid touching it to any metal parts. The circuit is on 12v so will not harm you (even though as stated it is not live unless the lock/unlock command is made).
Inserting a new bridging piece of wire would be better than having a joint repair where the break is as a repair is bulky and ridged which may break again due to the door moving

Inserting the new bridging piece of wire rather than effecting a repair would require stripping the door. Thanks for the answer to the power point, too.

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

Inserting the new bridging piece of wire rather than effecting a repair would require stripping the door. Thanks for the answer to the power point, too.

It shouldn't as once the new bridge is fitted the joints are just pushed back into the door and frame so they are out of the way. It all depends on how you make the joints but I have never stripped out the panels to enable this type of repair (usually in boot lids on cars)

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[hilldweller]

This is the long term solution to door cables, though only lightweight wire.......

 

[treetops1]

Just pull the flexable cable cover back at the bottom of the door as far as you can , if there is a break in the wire it will be in there ,just pull each single wire until the broken wire is found .You can then stri p it back a bit and join then back together and just tape them up .that will be fine. I preferred to pull the flexi one way as far as possible cut the 4 wires if I remember as near to the door as possible fastened a softer more flexible wire on each one you can tape these up them feed your soft wire through the flexi to the other end and do the same .then push the flexi cove back into the holes at each end .Job done .Or you could pay Brownhill £100 to do it for you. Go for it .lol

 

[Ingwe]

Right, will have a go, maybe on the weekend, and will report back.
Incidentally, the solenoid wires are green and white. What are the other wires for? Daft question I know but don't want to cause another problem by cutting those wires, even if it is only the solenoid wires causing the problem.

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[treetops1]

Just cut them all one at a time . Be careful with each one .I didn't turn any power of but I didn't wave them all around either lol.