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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: Zephod on December 25, 2014, 06:13:18 PM

Title: Puzzling wires
Post by: Zephod on December 25, 2014, 06:13:18 PM
I have a load of loose wires - many not connected to anything on my International 3800 1995. Any ideas?
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-fWKtq076iik%2FVJyKRViQKrI%2FAAAAAAAABv0%2F3OlOo_mTD1A%2Fs1600%2FIMG_20141225_124438.jpg&hash=f8cb559b5ff8f9f4d5eb78b7c1acf4055603fb22)
The grey wire hanging from the right of the console

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The red wire hanging to the left of the console

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The grey wire hanging from the handbrake
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: eagle19952 on December 25, 2014, 09:42:41 PM
your kidding  ;D .... virtually  impossible to answer..... ???
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: solodon on December 25, 2014, 10:01:51 PM
 ;D  My best guess is that they went to stuff   ???   ::)
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: wildbob24 on December 25, 2014, 10:50:41 PM
I'll take a WAG. The grey wire looks like shielded cable, possibly for an antenna to a 2 way radio. The red wire could be the power supply for the same 2 way radio. The handbrake wire might be for a warning light for when the brake is applied.

Bob
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: robertglines1 on December 26, 2014, 05:16:40 AM
observation: red wire looks like it has as broke off stud in like off bottom of cig lighter or possibility off a sensor or alarm.  way to find out is turn switch on and see if it has power to it.  If not is anything not working that requires censor of air ? Prob first one just pull it out.   Bob
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: Dave5Cs on December 26, 2014, 05:48:38 AM
If a man fell off a horse how many pancakes would it take to cover a doghouse?????????? :o Non because Ice cream has no Bones!!!!!!!.........

You could Attach all to each other and see what happens but I wouldn't. Do you own a Multi meter? And a toner?
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: Beesme on December 26, 2014, 05:50:25 AM
Pulse generator !
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: luvrbus on December 26, 2014, 06:23:27 AM
LOL that is not a CAN system for sure if you come across any twisted sets check those out careful before trying to remove
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: Oonrahnjay on December 27, 2014, 12:12:05 PM
    My WAG is that a previous owner installed *something????* and left the wires there after that something was removed.  Or they're factory wires that went to something that was removed.  Or maybe both.  But there's no way to know (on the Internet).
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: wg4t50 on December 27, 2014, 12:52:29 PM
Very simple, purchase the shop manual for that vehicle and figure em out, not rocket science.
Dave M
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: luvrbus on December 27, 2014, 12:59:15 PM
School buses have so many cameras and extra gizmo's there is no telling what those were for.here they have the stops programed into auto,these even tell you were to turn I guess good school bus drivers are hard to find so the bus just takes the lead  ;D and the driver just rides along 
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: Tikvah on December 27, 2014, 01:17:57 PM
Hey now, he asked a serious question - he deserves a serious answer.

So, without question or hesitation the answer is an absolute, definitive -    ??? "I Duno"  ???

Get the wife on one end, and you on the other and tug on one.  See if something wiggles.
You just have to chase them individually... if they don't go anywhere, pull them out.  Then see if everything still works.

Wiring is such fun!
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: gumpy on December 27, 2014, 01:27:03 PM
Only one of those three wires is original equipment, and that's the one on the brake handle (well, probably original). The other two are add-ons. Probably radio or intercom or something like that. They both look like antennae wires, to me. I suggest you just follow them back to the other end and see where they lead you.

I'm a little disappointed with some of the responses in this thread. Seems like there's a lot of sniping and condescension going on that's really not necessary. It's a legitimate question, and does not really deserve so much sarcasm. Some of you need to remember it is not required that you respond to every post, especially if you don't have an answer. Sometimes, just keeping your fingers off the keyboard is the better answer.

Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: luvrbus on December 27, 2014, 01:36:45 PM
The one cable and bracket is for the satellite gps tracking system I have seen those before
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: bobofthenorth on December 27, 2014, 02:06:34 PM
What Craig said - times 2.  We should all be in a better mood, particularly at this time of the year.

The only advice I can offer is - once you do figure out what a wire does or where it goes WRITE IT DOWN.  You'll be surprised how often what appears blindingly obvious today can become a great mystery tomorrow.  I keep one of those label maker gadgets handy so I can make up tags for every wire I touch.  I also make drawings (I hesitate to call them schematics).  Sometimes just a little bit of additional information from the past will solve a current problem.
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: Oonrahnjay on December 27, 2014, 02:56:31 PM
Quote from: gumpy on December 27, 2014, 01:27:03 PM...  I'm a little disappointed with some of the responses in this thread.

     I hope that my post didn't come off like that.  Of course, it's hard to know just single wires from an Internet photo, but my response was meant to be polite, reasonable, and (within what I know) helpful.
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: baker4106 on December 27, 2014, 03:55:32 PM
With the parking brake applied the brake light on the dash should be lit.
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: luvrbus on December 27, 2014, 04:05:51 PM
Don't they disconnect the hand brake and wire when they are equipped with Micro parking brake system 
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: Jim Eh. on December 27, 2014, 05:14:39 PM
Quote from: bobofthenorth on December 27, 2014, 02:06:34 PM

The only advice I can offer is - once you do figure out what a wire does or where it goes WRITE IT DOWN.  You'll be surprised how often what appears blindingly obvious today can become a great mystery tomorrow.  I keep one of those label maker gadgets handy so I can make up tags for every wire I touch.  I also make drawings (I hesitate to call them schematics).  Sometimes just a little bit of additional information from the past will solve a current problem.


Another trick is to glue or tape a ziplock baggie on the inside of your wiring panel and put the "drawing" or notes in it. Sure as the sun comes up in the morning, when you do need that information it'll be "now where did I put that ...."
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: Beesme on December 28, 2014, 03:31:19 PM
I hope no one thought I was being sarcastic .. Just a lil humor ... The only thing you can do is check wire with multi meter and if it's hot, put a wire nut on it and trace it.then either hook it up where it belongs or get rid of it .hope that helps ...
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: Iceni John on December 28, 2014, 04:05:55 PM
Most skoolies have a 2-way radio  -  there may be an antenna on the roof to which some coax will run from the dash area.   They usually also have some sort of camera and DVR  -  I have a mystery toggle switch that only a phone call to the school district's head wrench revealed to be for the camera.   There could also be a PA system, maybe with an outside speaker.   Some school districts are quite adventurous when it comes to adding whatnots and gizmos to their fleet, so perhaps a call to their garage would help (assuming you know which district your bus came from).   Even if you get the chassis and body schematics, there's no guarantee they'll show everything!

Have fun, John
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: Dave5Cs on December 28, 2014, 05:11:49 PM
Seems like there's a lot of sniping and condescension going on that's really not necessary?

Sorry I was not trying to be any of the above.
Only a little humor to show that it was a question that needed more information, such as what kind of tools and meters, etc does he have to test the systems to find out what these wires are or go to and only suggesting that he needs to have a Multimeter and a toner or letting us know that he does. One of the two best tools in the box to find anything electrical if used correctly.

Anyone can guess but that actually gets him no further than where he was to begin with.
Sorry again if I sounded flippant.

Dave
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: luvrbus on December 28, 2014, 05:18:35 PM
Not many school buses on this site they are nothing like a bus they are more like a truck his is a truck
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: gumpy on December 29, 2014, 07:32:45 AM
Likely, the brake wire is not hot. It probably grounded a tell tale light in the dash when the brake was applied. I imagine it's either come off a spade terminal,
or the spade has broken off.

The two antennae wires will probably be fairly easy to figure out if you just follow them back to their source (or destination). 

I tried the tonal wire chasers once on my bus. They were useless and I took them back and got my money back. Multimeters and light probes work better for me.
Maybe I just didn't know how to use them properly. 
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: Dave5Cs on December 29, 2014, 08:20:07 PM
With a toner you have to unplug and disconnect batteries. No charge in the lines. Also get a good one with two wires so one is a clip-on ground then just turn it on and hook it to any wire. Take the hand help wand turn it down to the lowest setting you can here well. Note; to many turn it up all the way thinking they can here it better but it will just produce a lot of static. You follow the sound on the wire from where you found it and just walk or crawl if needed along where you here it getting stronger as you go or at least stronger in 1 direction than the other. It will pick up the wire through most anything. When it finds the other end you just mark it.
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: luvrbus on December 30, 2014, 06:14:56 AM
I don't get a long with toner either I use a motor cycle battery and a test lite to find the ends of wires most of the time if the breaker clicks I know I have a ground   
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: eagle19952 on December 30, 2014, 07:51:21 AM
+1  :)

Quote from: luvrbus on December 30, 2014, 06:14:56 AM
I don't get a long with toner either I use a motor cycle battery and a test lite to find the ends of wires most of the time if the breaker clicks I know I have a ground   
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: oltrunt on December 30, 2014, 01:30:36 PM
I can sure sympathize with anyone trying to sort out stray wires these days. Without a full wiring diagram its next to impossible.  Other than physically locating where a wire goes, neither toners, continuity testers, volt meters nor test lamps are much use when confronted with todays multiplex wiring systems as these tools will often present correct and incorrect answers at the same time.  I know that Thomas bus company brags that their multiplexed system reduced the number of wires in its school buses from 650 to 350.  I discovered that my Isuzu chassis makes use of multiplex wiring after spending 16 hours trying to ring out the head lamp wiring--one wire actually reverses polarity depending on its use!?!  I'm sure there are many others and I hope to never find out.  Jack
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: luvrbus on December 30, 2014, 01:48:39 PM
Multiplex wiring is that not hard IF you have the correct software I would hate to chase a circuit down without the software so I hide from Multiplex I had it on the Jeep 
Title: Re: Puzzling wires
Post by: Lin on December 30, 2014, 02:36:29 PM
You can trace where they go either manually or with a tone generator as suggested above.  It is most likely that most are doing nothing, however I would not necessarily remove them.  Old wires in the right place may save you a lot of work running new wires in the future.  They can be tied up and hidden to await that time.  As mentioned, if you figure out where they go you will soon forget it,so label them if you can.