Technical Dangerous indicators.

[CamperVanBeethoven]

In my opinion, the indicators on my 2007 120 Multijet are downright dangerous...
1. I'm only 5'9" - but the the dashboard indicators are usually obscured by the steering wheel rim - even with the wheel raised to the max.
2. The 'click' is almost inaudible too. Totally - with music playing (there's always music playing)

These, to me, amount to a potentially lethal design fault.

My question is - can I add a loud buzzer or clicker to the circuit? (I've already searched here and discovered there is no relay on these vehicles)

 

[rayc]

This buzzer should work https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123490365130?

 

[varesecrazy]

My 15 year old Ducato was purchased from an Older Chap

It had a bikerack with Trailerboard.. and the Towing repeater was in the Glovebox

Every time we started to indicate.. the passenger would loudly say
'EXTERMINATE'

Canbus is a funny thing.. but you can probably splice it in ok.. from the hazard switch area maybe..??

 

[CamperVanBeethoven]

My 15 year old Ducato was purchased from an Older Chap

It had a bikerack with Trailerboard.. and the Towing repeater was in the Glovebox

Every time we started to indicate.. the passenger would loudly say
'EXTERMINATE'

Canbus is a funny thing.. but you can probably splice it in ok.. from the hazard switch area maybe..??

Haha
My electrical skills are strictly basic - plus the lack of wiring diagrams, plus the canbus enigma - this doesn't bode well for me.

 

[Anthony489]

Hi Beethoven

I have found the schematics for your age of van and added some extra annotations in yellow. They are posted below.

Although these vehicles have Canbus, the indicators are ordinary bulbs driven with pulsed 12 volts from the body control module. What they do have is a monitoring circuit that checks if the bulb current is too high or too low, so you can't add a significant extra electrical load or it will think there's a fault. Fortunately, a low power device like a buzzer or a 12 volt compatible LED warning lamp will be fine. Just make sure it draws less than about 0.1 Amps.

Probably the easiest wiring to splice into is at the rear lights if it's factory electrics, i.e. a van or a panel van conversion type motorhome. The simplest method is to use two small 12 volt buzzers. Wire one on each side between the live feed wire (Pink or Pink/Black) and Earth (Black). They should be loud enough to be noticed even if hidden behind the trim, unlike the discreet "pecker" under the dashboard.

 

[varesecrazy]

Thanks Anthony

Am I right in thinking the Hazard switch is on the same circuit to trigger a repeater? Hazard switches are often well within the drivers sightline.. so handy to park a small Green or Yellow lamp alongside it
(Some Hazard push buttons are Massive.. maybe potential to bury the tell.tale within it.. a non permanent addition to the dash?)


Positive information there for
@CamperVanBeethoven

(It was a Band name IIRC..
our 1st 'camper' was potentially getting that moniker.. C.V.B )
But our son preferred
Screaming MetalDeathtrap

Being a £500 Renault Autosleeper..
He may have had a point


We settled on ' Mystery Machine'

 

[CamperVanBeethoven]

Thanks Anthony

Am I right in thinking the Hazard switch is on the same circuit to trigger a repeater? Hazard switches are often well within the drivers sightline.. so handy to park a small Green or Yellow lamp alongside it
(Some Hazard push buttons are Massive.. maybe potential to bury the tell.tale within it.. a non permanent addition to the dash?)


Positive information there for
@CamperVanBeethoven

(It was a Band name IIRC..
our 1st 'camper' was potentially getting that moniker.. C.V.B )
But our son preferred
Screaming MetalDeathtrap

Being a £500 Renault Autosleeper..
He may have had a point


We settled on ' Mystery Machine'

It was a band indeed: remember 'Take The Skinheads Bowling'?
Bit puzzled whether I could plug a buzzer into the hazard wiring without it only being activated by the hazards rather than the indicators.
A warning lamp in the button would be too far from my line of sight, I fear.

 

[CamperVanBeethoven]

Hi Beethoven

I have found the schematics for your age of van and added some extra annotations in yellow. They are posted below.

Although these vehicles have Canbus, the indicators are ordinary bulbs driven with pulsed 12 volts from the body control module. What they do have is a monitoring circuit that checks if the bulb current is too high or too low, so you can't add a significant extra electrical load or it will think there's a fault. Fortunately, a low power device like a buzzer or a 12 volt compatible LED warning lamp will be fine. Just make sure it draws less than about 0.1 Amps.

Probably the easiest wiring to splice into is at the rear lights if it's factory electrics, i.e. a van or a panel van conversion type motorhome. The simplest method is to use two small 12 volt buzzers. Wire one on each side between the live feed wire (Pink or Pink/Black) and Earth (Black). They should be loud enough to be noticed even if hidden behind the trim, unlike the discreet "pecker" under the dashboard.

Hi Beethoven

I have found the schematics for your age of van and added some extra annotations in yellow. They are posted below.

Although these vehicles have Canbus, the indicators are ordinary bulbs driven with pulsed 12 volts from the body control module. What they do have is a monitoring circuit that checks if the bulb current is too high or too low, so you can't add a significant extra electrical load or it will think there's a fault. Fortunately, a low power device like a buzzer or a 12 volt compatible LED warning lamp will be fine. Just make sure it draws less than about 0.1 Amps.

Probably the easiest wiring to splice into is at the rear lights if it's factory electrics, i.e. a van or a panel van conversion type motorhome. The simplest method is to use two small 12 volt buzzers. Wire one on each side between the live feed wire (Pink or Pink/Black) and Earth (Black). They should be loud enough to be

noticed even if hidden behind the trim, unlike the discreet "pecker" under the dashboard.

Ohhh, sterling work, thankyou
Thank God for boffins
I have a sealed wooden bulkhead - and it's an insulated, furnished LWB camper, so I doubt rear-end buzzers would do the trick, tbh.
How about that "discreet pecker under the dash" though? could I replace that with a buzzer?

 

[CamperVanBeethoven]

I've bought this one, btw.
I guess it can handle left and right circuits.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363733907030

 

[Anthony489]

Hi again

The hazard warning switch sends low level commands to the Body Control Module (BCM) when hazards are needed, so unfortunately it won't do anything during normal indication.

The "pecker" is part of the BCM, and you'd need to be brave to open that up and modify it.

If you want the extra buzzer(s) up front near the driver, your best bet is probably to identify the wires that run between the BCM and the front indicators or the door mirror repeaters and tap onto those. For the low price of a buzzer it may be more convenient to wire a separate one each side, it all depends on the length of the wire runs and the availability of a 12 volt source. There is no electrical problem with extending the wires on the buzzer to make them reach.

The BCM is about the size of a paperback book, and is mostly hidden immediately behind the connection/relay/fuse unit. Look under the dash on the right hand (UK driver's) side behind the small panel with 2 screws.

 

[CamperVanBeethoven]

Hi again

The hazard warning switch sends low level commands to the Body Control Module (BCM) when hazards are needed, so unfortunately it won't do anything during normal indication.

The "pecker" is part of the BCM, and you'd need to be brave to open that up and modify it.

If you want the extra buzzer(s) up front near the driver, your best bet is probably to identify the wires that run between the BCM and the front indicators or the door mirror repeaters and tap onto those. For the low price of a buzzer it may be more convenient to wire a separate one each side, it all depends on the length of the wire runs and the availability of a 12 volt source. There is no electrical problem with extending the wires on the buzzer to make them reach.

The BCM is about the size of a paperback book, and is mostly hidden immediately behind the connection/relay/fuse unit. Look under the dash on the right hand (UK driver's) side behind the small panel with 2 screws.

Excellent! Thankyou, I'll let you know how I get on