gwtriker Report post Posted November 6, 2015 I have a 1998 Fleetwood Bounder 34J that has a partially severed wire harness. Several months ago, a neighbors dog got loose. It chased a cat into the left front wheel well and up onto the top of the engine. To get to the cat, the wiring harness running by that area was chewed up, resulting in a number of wires being chewed up. I am trying to repair the wiring, but am having trouble identifying both ends of several wires that are the same color and gauge, The wires were marked during the assembly of the coach. I have found the marking on one side of the wires, but the other side of the severed wires has enough tape and other residue on it that the markings are not visible. I have gotten some information from Fleetwood, but it is not inclusive enough to show were thesE wires terminate on both ends. The wires in question have white insulation and appear to be 14 gauge, Does anyone have a suggestion that would aid me in my effort? Marty Link Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted November 6, 2015 Marty, You can get a tone generator that you can hook to the wire and then follow that wire to see its origin. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kaypsmith Report post Posted November 6, 2015 Don't forget the tone probe for the other end. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted November 6, 2015 Yes, you will need both. Here is one example: http://www.ebay.com/bhp/tone-generator-probe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted November 6, 2015 Are the wires not color coded? Check each white for ground. If all are grounded then it is just white to white. The remainder should be color coded by color, stripes and size. Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted November 7, 2015 I have a 1998 Fleetwood Bounder 34J that has a partially severed wire harness. Several months ago, a neighbors dog got loose. It chased a cat into the left front wheel well and up onto the top of the engine. To get to the cat, the wiring harness running by that area was chewed up, resulting in a number of wires being chewed up. I am trying to repair the wiring, but am having trouble identifying both ends of several wires that are the same color and gauge, The wires were marked during the assembly of the coach. I have found the marking on one side of the wires, but the other side of the severed wires has enough tape and other residue on it that the markings are not visible. I have gotten some information from Fleetwood, but it is not inclusive enough to show were thesE wires terminate on both ends. The wires in question have white insulation and appear to be 14 gauge, Does anyone have a suggestion that would aid me in my effort? Marty Link Try removing more of the protective cover on the bundle you might be able to find some readable markings. The more room you have to work the easier it will be to do the repair. What does this bundle go to? From? Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gwtriker Report post Posted November 7, 2015 Herman: Yes the wires are color coded. The two most in question are the same gauge, both are white. they come from the same bundle, continue to the same bundle on the other side of the "break". Bill: The wire bundle comes from the front (under "hood") area and the bundle on the other side continues along the frame rail to the rear of the coach with a number of branches along the way. I am in the process of dropping the clamps along the route to try to find a cleaner area to read the marking. Thanks to all for the inputs. I think I will invest in the tone generator system. It might be useful in other trouble shooting applications. Marty Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted November 7, 2015 Here is an idea for doing what the suggested tone probe does. I think if I am reading this right it has a ring function. With leads long enough to reach the ends of the wires you can do the same thing. and it is under $10.00. http://www.sears.com/craftsman-multimeter-digital-with-8-functions-and-20/p-03482141000P?sid=IDx01192011x000001&gclid=CjwKEAiA3_axBRD5qKDc__XdqQ0SJAC6lecA87eeShuTd__KV_0WP-2MfNfMD9frnN2zNy3GkZ3JfRoCGCvw_wcB Find where the wiring bundle comes from and where it attaches in the back. Connect the leads to the white wires in the connector's/canon plug (on each end) then go to the brake and use a jumper to find the right wires to connect at the break. when the meter rings you will know those ends go together. It is harder to explain than to do. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted November 8, 2015 Marty, with a continuity tester check each white wire to ground. If the two white wires in one bundle both show continuity to ground then it won't matter which white wire on one side is connected to which wire on the other side because they are both grounds. Am I making sense to you?Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gwtriker Report post Posted November 8, 2015 Herman, you are making sense to me. In some respects, having lived in the electronic equipment word, I am used to BLACK wires being ground, not WHITE wire grounds in the electrical world. I would still like to find the correct matching pair and their origin on both ends. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rlbarkleyii Report post Posted November 9, 2015 Here is an idea for doing what the suggested tone probe does. I think if I am reading this right it has a ring function. With leads long enough to reach the ends of the wires you can do the same thing. and it is under $10.00. http://www.sears.com/craftsman-multimeter-digital-with-8-functions-and-20/p-03482141000P?sid=IDx01192011x000001&gclid=CjwKEAiA3_axBRD5qKDc__XdqQ0SJAC6lecA87eeShuTd__KV_0WP-2MfNfMD9frnN2zNy3GkZ3JfRoCGCvw_wcB Find where the wiring bundle comes from and where it attaches in the back. Connect the leads to the white wires in the connector's/canon plug (on each end) then go to the brake and use a jumper to find the right wires to connect at the break. when the meter rings you will know those ends go together. It is harder to explain than to do. Bill This is not a tone generator, nor can it be used to track wires in a bundle. It can determine continuity but that is not enough to indentify blind wires in a harness. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wayne77590 Report post Posted November 10, 2015 Are the wires not color coded? Check each white for ground. If all are grounded then it is just white to white. The remainder should be color coded by color, stripes and size. Herman Herman, Now way would I want my wires destroyed like that. Had to have the combo washer/dryer fixed. Behind it was at least 75 yellow wires. I asked the technician why all the same color and he said it didn't matter as they were all marked. Yeah, just like Marty's rig - all marked. At least he has some color codes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dmastroluca Report post Posted November 10, 2015 Sounds like you might want to turn in a homeowners claim on that one and get it repaired at repair center. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jbrunson Report post Posted November 10, 2015 Valuable technique lessons here..... tone tester a.k.a. "Fox and Hound" gets easier every time you identify one... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted November 11, 2015 This is not a tone generator, nor can it be used to track wires in a bundle. It can determine continuity but that is not enough to indentify blind wires in a harness. It is amazing that it won't work on a motorhome but it works on a F-35. Just saying. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
