One for the Electrical switch experts

[R Wilco]

I have an old work car that has the window stuck down about half way. The bad thing is it is 20 outside and snowing. Something in the switch broke. Is there a way to jumper it to get it closed? The male side that plugs in has a yellow, brown, and black wire on one side of the switch which looks to be the passenger side and 2 blues on the driver side. If I recall basic electrical systems the black should be the hot wire? Before I blow any fuses trying different things I'd like to know if anyone knows how to do this?

[john70t]

Not an electrician, but I think black is only "hot" in 110 or 220V household wiring. In cars the black should be the ground. The other two should be the up/down control circuits for the motor.

One way to check is to test with a multimeter(DVOM), set to "Volts".
-Clip the DVOM black wire to a ground anywhere on the vehicle chassis and see which wires have positive voltage going to them. The key may have to be in the "on" position.
-Check for ~12volts at the yellow and brown wires. Check the black to make sure there is none.

If black is ground and the others positive, just jumper a wire between ground and one of the other wires for a second- the window will either move up or down.

[R Wilco]

I checked and if you look down at it from above on the left side is a yellow brown then black wire. I can touch my multimeter red to the yellow and black to black and I get +14. I would think I could take a jumper from the yellow (hot) to one of the blues and it would complete the circuit making it go up or down but it doesn't. Any ideas?

[nineoneone]

is this with key on? check for voltage from the blue to ground and than jumper it out to see if that works.

[Moneyguy1]

Window motors are bi directional. The windings to the motor are not grounded so polarity can be reversed. Find a "hot" source. clip a lead from a good ground to one motor lead and touch the "hot" to the other lead. The motor should move the window either up or down. If the wrong way, reverse the clip leads. Disconnect the switch first to eliminate any possibility of damaging feedback.

Depending on the make of car the "ground" changes color. American: black. European: brown.

[john70t]

Originally posted by Moneyguy1
Depending on the make of car the "ground" changes color. American: black. European: brown.

Thank you for the correction.