Wiring a wiper motor??

seafrog

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Sep 4, 2006
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First post. Great board and I hope y'all can help.

I rewired my instrument panel and switches. Problem is, I'm having a hell of a time figuring out how to wire the wiper to my new switch. The only logical wire (to me) to hook up is a white one (which is actually BLACK at the wiper motor) that is hot all the time. When I connect it of course, the switch light comes on and the wiper does not operate. However, when I touch this wire to any other connection on ANOTHER switch (horn for example), the wiper works! What the heck!??

help......
 

xtraham

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

that sounds like a ground for the wiper motor, what other wires do you have connected and to what?
 

Silvertip

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

Wiper motor wiring is the same as any other switched device. Hot to the switch. Other terminal on the switch goes to the hot wire on the wiper motor. The second wire on the wiper motor goes to ground.
 

seafrog

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

Thanx for the quick replies. I wish it was like other accesories, but it ain't. LOL

There are THREE wires from the wiper motor. One is red - goes to the fuse panel (+ pos). Another is blue and goes to the fuse panel (neg -). The third is the black which is hot all the time. As I said, when I connect it to the switch, it lights up the switch LED, but doesn't work the wiper. Only when I touch it to another switch, does it work. I'm assuming that the third wire is to "park" the wipers? What a PITA this is....

If I could get a schematic for a single speed wiper....

thanks again.
Chris
 

xtraham

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

red to swiched + / black to - / blue is for park
 

Boatin Bob

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

Look at this link, even though it's for a 2 speed motor it clearly shows the conenctions for the red, black and blue.
Wiper Motor
 

Boatin Bob

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

Blue is park so in order for it to park the wiper after you turn it off it needs to be hot all the time so it goes to an unswitched 12 volt line.
 

seafrog

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

Still no joy. As stated the blue wire is grounded and the black wire is hot all the time. I managed to get the wiper to work, but then the LED won't light. I didn't change any of the connections except the black. the other two were connected this way and my wiper worked. The only difference between my prior setup that worked and my present one, is that my new switch has an LED. The other switch did not. I cannot find a schematic for hooking up a wiper to a LED swiched panel with breaker. The hot wire is throwing me off! I may have to go to an electrician, which in all my years of wiring car stereos, lighting etc, will be a first for me.:'( I'm stumped.
 

bruceb58

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

What do you mean the black wire is hot?

do you have any test clip leads laying around? Forget the switch for the moment. Hook up a ground to the black. Hook up 12V to the blue...What happens then? Now add another clip lead to the last wire from 12V and see what happens.

Once you have that figured out you can worry about your switch.
 

Boatin Bob

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

If the new switch has an LED or light and the previous switch didn't then the switch now needs a ground wire for the LED to work. Follow Bruce's idea and hook up the wires temporarily the way they should be to prove the wiper motor is OK and then wire up the switch. Just curious how many terminals are on the switch? Is it just an on/off switch?
 

seafrog

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

When I say "hot", I'm not referring to temperature - it has power.

None of the previous switches had led's, but the gang panel I bought has the grounds and all the other switches are working. Again, it's the hot wire that's throwing me off. Usually the black wire is a ground, and I'm having to rethink everything.

Yes, the switch is just an on-off and I have lots of test leads, multimeters etc.

Thanx Bruce and Bob!
 

xtraham

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

forget how it is connected now, lets rewire it like this, black connected to ground, red connected to a switched positive blue connected to positive, if it happens not to work in that manner try switching the blue and red
 

Boatin Bob

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

The back of your switch may look like this? but you can see that there is a need for a ground to make the LED work, the middle term should have +12v and the load should be the red wire going to your wiper motor
Circuit7.jpg
 

Gone

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

Understand that after you connect the red wire to a constant +12V, the unconnected black wire will indeed be "hot" until you ground it. (Ohms law, no current etc).

Do as the others say, wire it up directly without the switch and analyze what happens.

CD
 

bruceb58

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Re: Wiring a wiper motor??

LOL

I know what hot "usually" means...i am an electrical engineer. I am just wondering how it becomes hot in how you are wiring it. If you hooked up the red and the blue wires and left the balck wire dangling in the open, it will measure 12V on it. That doesn't mean it is hot though.

seafrog said:
When I say "hot", I'm not referring to temperature - it has power.

None of the previous switches had led's, but the gang panel I bought has the grounds and all the other switches are working. Again, it's the hot wire that's throwing me off. Usually the black wire is a ground, and I'm having to rethink everything.

Yes, the switch is just an on-off and I have lots of test leads, multimeters etc.

Thanx Bruce and Bob!
 
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