Reconnect Frunk light wire - question

[xarkon]

Years ago I disconnected the frunk light on my 85 Carrera Targa. But I didn't label the bottom end, so am not sure where it reconnects. See photo.

• A is the wire (white/black) coming from the hood and presumably the switch? Male spade connector.
• B is a pair of black wires that has a female connector
• C is another wire (brown/white) but has a male spade connector.

I didn't see any other connectors in the area. My initial impression is that A probably connected to B but since the wire colors are different, I didn't want to just guess. Any guidance would be appreciated. I want to label the wires so that if I reconnect, I have the right pair.

Here's the car, BTW:


Thanks in advance for the help!

[Joe Bob]

Test the wire to see if you have power. Hook up lighting fixture and provide a ground. Usually under the hinge bolt.

[Missed Approach]

Hi xarkon- First, welcome aboard- great looking '85 Targa! FWIW- On Petra (1986 Coupe) it's a 4 wire connection with Brown/White & Black (see image). This may not be beneficial, as your male spade hood wire appears to be white/black.

[xarkon]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Test the wire to see if you have power. Hook up lighting fixture and provide a ground. Usually under the hinge bolt.

Thanks. I have power to the light. (10.2 V, whereas at the battery I am reading 12.1. Sigh - another issue to sort.) So I'm thinking that the White/black wire might be for something else, since grounds are usually brown.

[xarkon]

Originally Posted by Missed Approach

Hi xarkon- First, welcome aboard! FWIW- On Petra (1986 Coupe) it's a 4 wire connection with Brown/White & Black (see image). This may not be beneficial, as your male spade hood wire appears to be white/black.

Thanks. I'm going to go have another look. I'm now wondering if the white/black wire is for some other purpose. I finally found the trunk light mentioned (briefly) in one of the current flow diagrams in the Bentley manual, but on the alarm control unit - the wires shown going to the light in the diagram are brown/white.

[Showdown]

Leave that damn little m*therf*cker disconnected. That little jerk has caused more drained batteries than a single light bulb should.

[xarkon]

So I did some more investigating.

Connection shown as "B" in my original post photo has 12.6 volts. So clearly doesn't go there.

Took apart the light. Brown wire to the light has 10.2 V on it (when disconnected from light). White/black has nothing.

Took out the switch. It has the brown wire (that goes to the light) and brown/white tied together. (Trying to add photo but can't figure it out on replies.) Switch (when installed) has no effect on the 10.2 V at the light.

I'm concluding that this might have been miswired? I keep finding stuff that's odd from the first owner - and I've owned the car for over 30 years - so nothing surprises me. But maybe it's supposed to be this way. (@Julian - I hear you. I'm just busy trying to set various electrical items on the car straight, and will disconnect after ensuring that it's working correctly.)

Any additional ideas would be welcome - thank you.

[xarkon]

Here's the photo of the switch, removed from hood.

[xarkon]

New working theory, then I'm bagging it for the night.

I'm thinking that the connection labeled "B" in my original photo - which I indicated as having 12.6V - is actually the hot, and probably also runs to the glovebox light. I can check that later.

So, the white/black wire (A) would connect to B.

This raises the question of why there is 10.2 V on the ground (brown) side of the light. My car has factory alarm. I'm thinking it might be a signal voltage from the alarm control until, and that when the switch is depressed (if it were like, actually working) that would take it to ground and tell the alarm control that the hood was closed.

[proporsche]

Hi i`m just working on 1985 ..i took some pictures to guide you.It is all original car wiring .The only one which is disconnected it the brown white wire with black rubber on it..hope it helps

Ivan

[xarkon]

Originally Posted by proporsche

Hi i`m just working on 1985 ..i took some pictures to guide you.It is all original car wiring .The only one which is disconnected it the brown white wire with black rubber on it..hope it helps

Ivan

Thank you! These appear to confirm what I thought - it looks like the white/black wire is connected to the black wire with the spliced-in spade connector, which I think then goes to the glove box light. I'll take a closer look later.

Mini-rant - I worked for HP during the 80's (for an instrumentation division). We had much cleaner cable routing, even in complex systems. I have to keep telling myself that the 911 was invented in the '60s, that the wiring was "evolving," that they were planning to kill the 911 and so probably weren't interested in major redesign projects, etc. Because the wiring is just a disaster.

[gomezoneill]

It's long past time to stop using the term frunk. It's dumb and silly. No offense intended.

[sean m]

That light is a PITA! I've done everything......still drains the battery.

Disconnected it and never looked back

[Joe Bob]

I eliminated the dark ages incandescent bulb. I have the flat LED strips and a manual switch for both the front and rear compartments. Since my Lasik surgery my low light acuity sucks. Plus it draws less power if you forget to turn it off.

I also have them in the footwells. Under the dash.

[Damon88]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

I eliminated the dark ages incandescent bulb. I have the flat LED strips and a manual switch for both the front and rear compartments. Since my Lasik surgery my low light acuity sucks. Plus it draws less power if you forget to turn it off.

I also have them in the footwells. Under the dash.

Would like to do the same. Where did you get the LED bulbs from. Or do you have a parts number .. cheers

[Joe Bob]

https://www.ledunderbody.com/led-interior-light-kits/?msclkid=2a1dc02c74881f469679a190635d138f&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Search%20%7C%20Generic%20%7C%20Interi or%20%7C%20General&utm_term=interior%20led%20light%20kit&utm_content=General

[7783911]

Agree with Sean and others, leave disconnected, its a battery killer for some reason for such a small bulb