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tomgagne · 05-18-2014, 09:34 AM

I've been renovating my 2002 Diplomat and I removed the covers of the steering column and found this bundle of what I assume to be grounds. The connector on the end jumpers 2 of the grounds. As you can see one of sets of wires has been damaged by probably a poor connection within the connector pin. I will remove the connector and permanently splice the wire showing the burn/over current. My question is can anyone help to identify what device/instrument these wires lead to?

mel s · 05-18-2014, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomgagne

I've been renovating my 2002 Diplomat and I removed the covers of the steering column and found this bundle of what I assume to be grounds. My question is can anyone help to identify what device/instrument these wires lead to?

tomgagne
From the looks of it a lot of dash board devices are grounded via that connector.
Gauges, radio, cruise control, and indicator lights are some possibilities.
IMO, the only way to find out for sure, is to follow each individual wire.
Mel

bgbranch · 05-18-2014, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomgagne

I've been renovating my 2002 Diplomat and I removed the covers of the steering column and found this bundle of what I assume to be grounds. The connector on the end jumpers 2 of the grounds. As you can see one of sets of wires has been damaged by probably a poor connection within the connector pin. I will remove the connector and permanently splice the wire showing the burn/over current. My question is can anyone help to identify what device/instrument these wires lead to?

Don't assume them to be grounds as all of the dash wiring is white in color.
Good Luck.

BFlinn181 · 05-18-2014, 11:17 AM

Did you look at the printing on the wires? Many times they have function printed on them.

ShapeShifter · 05-21-2014, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

Did you look at the printing on the wires? Many times they have function printed on them.

Precisely! In the picture, I can see that the wires are printed, but the printing is not readable from this angle.

Whenever you see plain white wires like that on a Monaco built coach, it's a fairly safe bet that the function of the wire will be printed on it every few feet. It will also have a circuit number along with the description, but that isn't going to help you unless you have the wiring diagrams where you can look up the numbers.

MarkinOR · 05-21-2014, 04:44 PM

I can't answer your question but mine looks EXACTLY like yours! Burnt-ish and brittle insulation and discolored connectors. I haven't had time to trouble shoot with a meter and the printing on the wires is a bit smeared so I'm interested if you find anything...

Fireman_898 · 05-21-2014, 05:08 PM

I found the exact same bundle inside my steering column cover on my 03' diplomat. The jumper was for the headlights on my coach. I can only assume that it has something to do with the daylight running lamp option that my coach wasn't equipped with. I had similar heat markings as yours too. Removed the jumper an soldered the wires together and haven't had any issues since. That was over a year ago.

Hope that helps,

Colin & Abbie

2003 Monaco Diplomat PST
2007 GMC Sierra Classic 2500HD Toad

tomgagne · 05-22-2014, 01:00 AM

Thanks for the input. I'll confirm this weekend but I think the printing on the wire was hdlt. Which could be headlight. I do plan on splicing the two wires together and a good solder splice will ensure that it won't overheat again. Odd electrical setup, but it's not the first issue I've had and I never like seeing an overheated circuit!

86 Cavalcade · 05-22-2014, 04:36 AM

Where is this wire connector located? I have had my steering column cover off to look at the u-joint and I don't recall seeing this wire. Thanks George 2001 Diplomat

BFlinn181 · 05-22-2014, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomgagne

Thanks for the input. I'll confirm this weekend but I think the printing on the wire was hdlt. Which could be headlight. I do plan on splicing the two wires together and a good solder splice will ensure that it won't overheat again. Odd electrical setup, but it's not the first issue I've had and I never like seeing an overheated circuit!

I'm not so sure you'll solve all overheat (fire) issues just by eliminating the connector by soldering the wires. The one 'fried' wire, the larger loop, seems to be a much heavier gauge than the rest of the wires in the picture. It could be an optical illusion from photo angle, or, could that loop be a fusible link? Just soldering the wires would eliminate the 'weak spot' of the fusible link, (if it is one) and then the heat would develop in the next weakest part of the circuit, perhaps in a more flammable location.

I really think you need to explore all the wires joined in that connector. If it is just an place where grounds are gathered, it wouldn't be difficult to add another ground wire to assist in current flow when all things in those circuits are on.

wa8yxm · 05-22-2014, 02:48 PM

Are you talking about the white MOLEX plug with the burned wire looped into it and the burn marks on it's side or the other one.

Neither of them are grounds, though one of the wires in the bundle may be grounded.. And what that is supposed to hook to I can not tell you.