Gaffa to the rescue!!!

[Danno13]

I've had a niggly electrical fault with my van for the last couple of weeks, in that the dashboard lights don't come on so you can't see the dials.

I was 40 out of 50 miles towards my gig when I notice a couple of cars have flashed me. I come off at the next junction to find that this same fault means neither my front sidelights, or tail lights don't work! It was only just beggining to get dark at the time, so I wouldn't have noticed earlier (although they probably weren't working for my journeys last weekend which is pretty scary! :eek: )

Anyway, I've managed to park myself within sight of a halfords, so I rush there and pick up some fuses and a spare lamp kit. I had to do the rest of the journey with the rear fog light on so people could see me. Setup for 7 and don't have to start till 9.30pm.. not even background music as its a masonic do, and they have allsorts of speeches and other interuptions during the meal.

So I spend the next couple of hours playing with fuses and the various connections to the fuse box. I've now convinced myself that a loose connector block is the problem, but can't get the fuse box out to see behind it, despite removing every screw I can find in the general area!

I have to abandon it, and so called the AA just before carrying everything back into the van at the end of the night. Takes them 1h 30mins to show up (its now 2am) the guy pokes around, changes a few fuses (which I later found out fixed the rear intertior light that hasn't been working for ages) but decides its probably a faulty switch and its too dark to investigate.

So I'm now going to be towed home and he's lowered the ramp and I'm all in position, when he decides to check with the AA (he's an approved contractor rather than real AA) and they decide they'll send one of their own tow trucks as theres one in the area.

45 minutes later and I'm still waiting for said tow truck, so decide to have a play myself. I take all the plastic away from around the steering column and find that all the lights come on when one of wires on the connector block for the idicator/lights/wiper sticks is in a certain position.

So its gaffa tape to the rescue!! Wrapped plenty round so the connector block is held in the position that makes everything work, ring the AA to cancel their tow truck thats "in the area" and still hasn't shown up. About an hour later, 4.40am, and I'm back home safetly!!!

[CRAZY K]

I've had a niggly electrical fault with my van for the last couple of weeks, in that the dashboard lights don't come on so you can't see the dials.

I was 40 out of 50 miles towards my gig when I notice a couple of cars have flashed me. I come off at the next junction to find that this same fault means neither my front sidelights, or tail lights don't work! It was only just beggining to get dark at the time, so I wouldn't have noticed earlier (although they probably weren't working for my journeys last weekend which is pretty scary! :eek: )

Anyway, I've managed to park myself within sight of a halfords, so I rush there and pick up some fuses and a spare lamp kit. I had to do the rest of the journey with the rear fog light on so people could see me. Setup for 7 and don't have to start till 9.30pm.. not even background music as its a masonic do, and they have allsorts of speeches and other interuptions during the meal.

So I spend the next couple of hours playing with fuses and the various connections to the fuse box. I've now convinced myself that a loose connector block is the problem, but can't get the fuse box out to see behind it, despite removing every screw I can find in the general area!

I have to abandon it, and so called the AA just before carrying everything back into the van at the end of the night. Takes them 1h 30mins to show up (its now 2am) the guy pokes around, changes a few fuses (which I later found out fixed the rear intertior light that hasn't been working for ages) but decides its probably a faulty switch and its too dark to investigate.

So I'm now going to be towed home and he's lowered the ramp and I'm all in position, when he decides to check with the AA (he's an approved contractor rather than real AA) and they decide they'll send one of their own tow trucks as theres one in the area.

45 minutes later and I'm still waiting for said tow truck, so decide to have a play myself. I take all the plastic away from around the steering column and find that all the lights come on when one of wires on the connector block for the idicator/lights/wiper sticks is in a certain position.

So its gaffa tape to the rescue!! Wrapped plenty round so the connector block is held in the position that makes everything work, ring the AA to cancel their tow truck thats "in the area" and still hasn't shown up. About an hour later, 4.40am, and I'm back home safetly!!!

Glad you got home ok--bit worrying--I always reckon to phone my breakdown people if I do breakdown on the way to the gig and get them to tow me the rest of the way ready to start on time---maybe:eek:

Would have thought an hour would have been reasonable--unless a Bank Holiday,

Did they get the official tow truck because of the weight of your DJ equipment?

CRAZY K

[Shaun]

Glad you made it home ok, mate. That's a rediculous amount of time to wait for a tow truck though.

[Penfold42]

That is a long time......another couple of hours would have seen you up with the morning chatter.....:)

What about the other 'AA'..........Jamesh.....not in the area!!:D

[Danno13]

Yeah, it was a right pain having to wait, and I didn't even want to go in search of any food places as sods law would mean they'd arrive when I was sat waiting for a pizza somewhere! And being central birmingham (well.. erdington) you'd think there'd be plenty of patrols about.. even late at night.

I don't think it had anything to do with the weight, probably more because it would have been a 50 mile trip back to my house so probably more cost effective for the AA to do it themselves rather than pay the contrator.

I was in two minds to give up and just drive back with the fog light.. would have been safe enough really (main headlights and beam still work), its just I'd have a hard time claiming ignorance if I'd got pulled over!

[bluishbob]

If you think thats bad, when i broke down with my dad in france, it took 23 hours to get towed an hour and a half down the road the the nearest landrover dealer.

[djgordyp]

Going slightly off topic here (nothing new there :p ). In relation to using gaffa tape to tidy up cables. Does it not leave the cables very sticky?
Watching a video on youtube recently, there was mention of some brand of tape that leaves no mess but can't remember what it was.

[robbiedj]

Going slightly off topic here (nothing new there :p ). In relation to using gaffa tape to tidy up cables. Does it not leave the cables very sticky?
Watching a video on youtube recently, there was mention of some brand of tape that leaves no mess but can't remember what it was.

Use cable ties, much neater and no mess.

[bluishbob]

or velcro ties.

[Danno13]

Yeah, I use velcro ties for attaching cables to stands. But it doesn't work very well attaching cables to carpet or wood floor, which is why you still need gaffa!

[Mission]

Used gaffa on carpet last night to hold down cable. Just ask first to make sure its OK to use it on those nice hotel carpets :D

Dan, sounds like if the tow truck had turned up after all, you could of shown them a new use for Gaffa tape :argue: :angry: :zip:

:D

[pdarnett]

Gaffa is like the force.

It has a dark side and a good side and holds the universe together

[PropellerHeadCase]

:eek: Should we be worried that the "Good side" is sticky :confused: