How to access the habitation door cabling.

[Ingwe]

Bailey 620 Approach and had problems with the habitation door locking with the remote or automatically when you drive off. So checked the wiring where it it joins the Hartal habitation door and found that the green lead had snapped. Unfortunately, where the lead is in the van (as opposed to the door itself) the length of lead is extremely short and it's not possible to make a decent repair by joining up the snapped lead to the door.
The snapped green lead seems to disappear into the van and I was wondering how to access those cables so that I can permanently join the lead to the door by replacing the green wire. It simply isn't obvious to me where the cables go and how to access them. I can take some photos if necessary.
Many thanks.

 

[TheBig1]

a photo may be essential in this case

 

[Ingwe]

I'll upload photos in the morning.

 

[TheBig1]

As the cable regularly flexes, a mechanical repair rather than soldering will last longer

 

[Ingwe]

What do you mean by a mechanical repair? I hadn't considered soldering. I thought if I could access the green lead in the van, I could connect a new length of wire by a connector block to the wire sticking out of the door, sorry if I'm being thick!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TheBig1]

a mechanical joint uses a crimped terminal or screw down clamp connection. soldering as you will know involves melting lead to join the wires. however the heat used affects the copper in the wire making it go brittle and eventually snap if flexed

 

[Blue Knight]

Does this thread help in any way. I added a few pics of my previous issue when the wires broke on my Pilote.

All the best,

Andrew

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/central-locking-on-habitation-door.170750/

 

[Blue Knight]

Did you manage to sort the issue @Ingwe

 

[Ingwe]

Thanks for the link Andrew. Very useful indeed. My problem is that it is the snapped green wire in the van body section is so very short. I am struggling to upload a picture ( the picture just doesn't upload when I try but will persevere when I have better wifi signal.).
I have managed a bodged repair by slipping a connector block over the 1/2" green wire peeping out of the frame to a length of wire (blue as it's all I had) connected to the green wire sticking out of the door.
It now works but is very frail. I'd ideally like to access the green wire in the van body and attach a length of green wire to it and then connect it to the door via a connector, that I can slide into the gap in the door frame.
Thanks for all the advice offered and apologies for the delay in replying. Been on Cherbourg ferry and now parked up outside m.i.l.'s house with weak wifi.

 

[tonyidle]

Solder / heatshrink a suitable length so that excess, and the joints, can be pushed into the door and bodywork. The joints will be permanent, waterproof, and well away from the area where the wire is flexed by operation of the door.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Ingwe]

Solder / heatshrink a suitable length so that excess, and the joints, can be pushed into the door and bodywork. The joints will be permanent, waterproof, and well away from the area where the wire is flexed by operation of the door.

That would be fine if I could get to the broken wire in the van! When I can post a photo all should be clearer.

 

[Ingwe]

Right. Attached is a photo of the bodged repair. You can see the white connector block pushed into the space between the door frame and can body. I was able to connect the block connector to the bit of snapped green wire. The other end of the green wire coming out of the door is connected to a piece of spare blue wire, the other end of which goes to the connector block.

 

[treetops1]

Regular problem with quite a few motorhomes .The wire they use is quite stiff and is not flexible enough for the position it is in.

 

[210ians]

is that a cubard that the wire go,s behind or have you checked under the floor of the van if as was said it may go under the floor or if like mine it has a double floor and may be in there is there more than 1 wire or did you just tape the wire you replced as i think i see at least 3 wires there.

 

[TheBig1]

looks like the fly screen frame will need removing to fix

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[tonyidle]

If there's enough to connect the connector block there's enough to join with solder & heatshrink. More important is whether once connected you can push the joint well into the hole it appears from. If you can do so, and push the door end connection back into the door, you will have new cable in the gap & both joints away from the area that flexes the wires.

 

[Ingwe]

@210ians-the wires go into a space behind what is the gas locker. There are three wires; green, blue and white.
@tonyidle-don't know how to heatshrink and soldering, whilst clearly possible, would be difficult but on its own, would leave a very fragile connection, would it not?

 

[tonyidle]

@210ians-the wires go into a space behind what is the gas locker. There are three wires; green, blue and white.
@tonyidle-don't know how to heatshrink and soldering, whilst clearly possible, would be difficult but on its own, would leave a very fragile connection, would it not?

No - it's stronger than any other method. As pointed out in an earlier post it won't take kindly to flexing but pushed back from the door-to-body bridge it won't have to. It is the correct way to join wires where future disconnection won't be required.

 

[Ingwe]

Thanks , Tony. noted. What do you need for the heat shrink?

 

[tonyidle]

Thanks , Tony. noted. What do you need for the heat shrink?

Heat shrink . Here:



Slide a short length over the joint then use a heat gun (or cig lighter at a push) to shrink it. Use a short length on a scrap of wire to get a feel for it.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}