Dash2 Pro Blank Screen-Factory Wiring Mistake
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 4:10 am
I purchased a Dash2 Pro last week and carefully installed it per the wiring diagrams in a Formula Ford. After triple checking all my wiring, I flipped on the battery switch and nothing happened; no lights, no screen image. I turned off the battery and checked my wiring again, I couldn't find any errors, so I called Al Seim the US distributor. After discussing the situation, he offered to overnight ship to me another unit since I had a race the next day.
When I received the new unit, I again checked my wiring to confirm that I hadn't made a mistake. I then connected the Dash2 Pro and turned on the battery switch. Again, nothing. I emailed Al (since it was after his closing time) and reviewed the installation instructions and wiring diagrams again.
The next moring, I called Al and discussed the installation. He and I both agreed that it was highly improbable that we had two dead units. AL suggested that I verify that we didn't have any broken leads and also check for potential short to ground issues by using a continuity test on all wires. I took the testing a step further and also tested for voltage on each lead, including the ground leads. During that testing, I discovered that I had continuity and voltage at several pins whose wires I was not using in my application. I then compared the colored wires to the factory manual and the Binder Connector Company schematics. It turns out that the person that assembled the wiring harness at the factory (Race-Tech) had crossed every wire that had a black tracer with the same color wire without a black trace. The yellow/black was soldered to the pin for the yellow, the orange/black was soldered to the pin for the orange, the red/black was soldered to the pin for red, etc. The quick fix was to remove the black trace tape from the wires and remark the wires according to their actual location on the connectors. After resoldering the pigtails to my car wiring, I turned on the battery switch and the Dash2 Pro lit up and appears to be unharmed. I then connected it to my pc and it communicated properly and appears to be working.
I hope that I am the only person that received miswired connectors from Race Tech, but I thought that I should share this in the event that someone else has what appears to be a dead unit when in fact the factory harness could be the problem.
When I received the new unit, I again checked my wiring to confirm that I hadn't made a mistake. I then connected the Dash2 Pro and turned on the battery switch. Again, nothing. I emailed Al (since it was after his closing time) and reviewed the installation instructions and wiring diagrams again.
The next moring, I called Al and discussed the installation. He and I both agreed that it was highly improbable that we had two dead units. AL suggested that I verify that we didn't have any broken leads and also check for potential short to ground issues by using a continuity test on all wires. I took the testing a step further and also tested for voltage on each lead, including the ground leads. During that testing, I discovered that I had continuity and voltage at several pins whose wires I was not using in my application. I then compared the colored wires to the factory manual and the Binder Connector Company schematics. It turns out that the person that assembled the wiring harness at the factory (Race-Tech) had crossed every wire that had a black tracer with the same color wire without a black trace. The yellow/black was soldered to the pin for the yellow, the orange/black was soldered to the pin for the orange, the red/black was soldered to the pin for red, etc. The quick fix was to remove the black trace tape from the wires and remark the wires according to their actual location on the connectors. After resoldering the pigtails to my car wiring, I turned on the battery switch and the Dash2 Pro lit up and appears to be unharmed. I then connected it to my pc and it communicated properly and appears to be working.
I hope that I am the only person that received miswired connectors from Race Tech, but I thought that I should share this in the event that someone else has what appears to be a dead unit when in fact the factory harness could be the problem.