Interesting Wiring Info

[Humble]

Found this while looking up electrical info and had no idea all the little numbers meant something. So when you see 1 and 15 on a coil or 85, 86, 87 and a relay, or the little numbers in wiring diagrams here's why.

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From Bosch Automotive Handbook, 3rd edition
Terminal Designations (Excerpts from DIN Standard 72 552)
The terminal designations do not identify the conductors, because device
with different terminal designations can be connected at the two ends of
each conductor. If the number of terminal designations is not
sufficient (multiple-contact connections), the terminals are
consecutively numbered using numbers or letters whose representations
of specific functions are not standardized. <<huh?>>
Terminal Definition
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
IGNITION
1 Ignition coil, ignition distributor, low voltage
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Ignition distributor with two separate electrical circuits)
1a to ignition contact breaker I
1b to ignition contact breaker II
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
2 short-circuit terminal (magneto ignition)
4 Ignition coil, ignition distributor, high voltage
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
(ignition distributor with two separate electrical circuits)
4a from ignition coil I, terminal 4
4b from ignition coil II, terminal 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
15 Switched + downstream of battery
(output of ignition/driving switch)
15a Output at dropping resistor to ignition coil and starter
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
GLOW PLUG AND STARTER SWITCH
17 Start
19 Preheat
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BATTERY
30 input from + battery terminal, direct
30a input from + terminal of battery II
(12/24 V series-parallel battery switch)
31 Return line to battery
- battery terminal or ground, direct
31b Return ine to negative battery terminal or ground, via switch
or relay (switched negative)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
(12/24 V series-parallel battery)
31a Return line to - terminal of battery II
31c Return line to - terminal of battery I
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ELECTRIC MOTORS
32 Return line
(Polarity reversal possible at terminals 32-33)
33 Main terminal connection
(Polarity reversal possible at terminals 32-33)
33a Self-parking switch-off
33b Shunt field
33f For second lower-speed range
33g For third lower-speed range
33h For fourth lower-speed range
33L Counterclockwise rotation
33R Clockwise rotation
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
STARTER
45 Separate starter relay, output; starter input (main current)
45a Output, starter I
Input, starters I and II (Two-starter parallel operation)
45b Output, starter II (Two-starter parallel operation)
48 Terminal on starter and on start-repeating relay for
monitoring starting procedure
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TURN SIGNAL FLASHER
49 Input
49a Output
49b Output, second turn-signal circuit
49c Output, third turn-signal circuit
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
STARTER
50 Starter control (direct)
50a Output for starter control
(Series-parallel battery switch)
50b Starter control with parallel operation of two starters with
sequential control
50c Input at starting relay for starter I
(Starting relay for sequential control of the engagement
current during parallel operation of two starters)
50d Input at starting relay for starter I
(Starting relay for sequential control of the engagement
current during parallel operation of two starters)
50e Input, Start-locking relay
50f Output, Start-locking relay
50g Input, Start-repeating relay
50h Output, Start-repeating relay
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ALTERNATOR
51 DC voltage at rectifier
51e DC voltage at rectifier with choke coil for daytime driving
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TRAILER SIGNALS
52 Signals from trailer to towing vehicle, general
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
WIPER MOTOR
53 Wiper motor, input (+)
53a Wiper (+), self-parking switch-off
53b Wiper (shunt winding)
53c Electric windshield-washer pump
53e Wiper (brake winding)
53i Wiper motor with permanent magnet and third brush (for higher
speed)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TRAILER SIGNAL
54 For lamp combinations and trailer plug connections
TRAILER STOP LAMP
54g Pneumatic valve for additional retarding brake,
electromagnetically actuated
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
LIGHTING
55 Fog lamps
56 Headlamp
56a High beam, high-beam indicator lamp
56b Low beam
56d Headlamp-flasher contact
57 Side-marker lamp: motorcycles, mopeds.
Abroad also cars, trucks, etc.
57a Parking lamp
57L Parking lamp, left
57R Parking lamp, right
58 Side-marker lamps, tail lamps, license-plate lamps and
instrument-panel lamps
58b Tail-lamp changeover for single-axle tractors
58c Trailer plug-and-receptacle assembly for single-conductor
tail-lamp cable with fuse in trailer
58d Variable-intensity instrument-panel lamp, tail-lamp and
side-marker lamp
58L Side-marker lamp, left
58R Side-marker lamp, right; license-plate lamp
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ALTERNATOR (magneto, generator)
59 AC voltage, output
Rectifier, input
59a Charging armature, output
59b Tail-lamp armature, output
59c Stop-lamp armature, output
61 Alternator charge-indicator lamp
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TONE-SEQUENCE CONTROL DEVICE
71 Input
71a Output to horns 1 & 2, low
71b Output to horns 1 & 2, high
72 Alarm switch (rotating beacon)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERIOR
75 Radio, cigarette lighter
76 Speaker
77 Door-valve control
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SWITCHES
----------(Break-contact and changeover switches)----------------------
81 Input
81a 1st output, break side
81b 2nd output, break side
----------(Make-contact switches)--------------------------------------
82 Input
82a 1st output
82b 2nd output
82z 1st input
82y 2nd input
----------(Multiple-position switches)---------------------------------
83 Input
83a Output, position 1
83b Output, position 2
83L Output, left-hand position
83R Output, right-hand position
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
CURRENT RELAY
84 Input, actuator and relay contact
84a Output, actuator
84b Output, relay contact
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SWITCHING RELAY
85 Output, actuator (end of winding to ground or negative)
86 Start of winding
86a Start of winding or 1st winding
86b Winding tap or 2nd winding
----------(relay contact for break and changeover contacts)------------
87 Input
87a 1st output (break side)
87b 2nd output
87c 3rd output
87z 1st input
87y 2nd input
87x 3rd input
----------(Relay contact for make contact)-----------------------------
88 Input
----------(Relay contact for make and changeover contacts (make side))-
88a 1st output
88b 2nd output
88c 3rd output
----------(Relay contact for make contact)-----------------------------
88z 1st input
88y 2nd input
88x 3rd input
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALTERNATOR and VOLTAGE REGULATOR
GENERATOR and GENERATOR REGULATOR
B+ Battery positive
B- Battery negative
D+ Dynamo postive
D- Dynamo negative
DF Dynamo field
DF1 Dynamo field 1
DF2 Dynamo field 2
----------(Alternator with separate rectifier)--------------------------
J Excitation winding positive
K Excitation winding negative
Mp Center point terminal
U,V,W Alternator terminals
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIRECTION INDICATOR (turn-signal flasher)
C First indicator lamp
C0 Main terminal connection for separate indicator circuits
actuated by the turn-signal switch
C2 Second indicator lamp
C3 Third indicator lamp (e.g., when towing two trailers)
L Turn-signal lamps, left
R Turn-signal lamps, right
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cross-reference for old and new terminal designations in accordance with
DIN 72 552.
Only terminal designations whose significance has altered are given.
OLD NEW
1 1, 53(wiper), 53e
2 2, 53e
3 53, 53b(wiper)
4 4, 53a, 53b(wiper)
15 15, 49(turn-signal flasher)
15+ 49
15/54 15, 49, 54
16 15a, 15
30 30, 33(motor)
30/51 30, 87, 88(relay)
30f 45
30h 45, 45a
30h I 45a
30h II 45b
30L 33L (motors)
30R 33R (motors)
31 31, 31c, 32(motors)
31a 31a, 31c
31B- B-
50 50, 50b, 50f, 50h
50a 50, 50a, 50e, 50g
50b 50d
50k 50d
50 II 50c
51 51, 59, B+
51 - 59
51a 59
51B+ B+
54 54, 53a, 54g
54/15 15
54d 53(wiper)
54e 33b, 53b(wiper)
54L 49a
58 58, 58L, 58R
58b 58b, 58d
59 59a
85d 31b(alarm switch)
B+30 B+
B+51 B+
D+/61 D+
D-/61 D-
H 71
HL L (L54b)
HR R (R54b)
K C
K0 C0
K1 C, C2
K2 C2
K3 C2, C3
K4 C2, C3
L54 L (L54)
N 55
P C, 57a
PL 57L
PR 57R
R R, 75
R54 R, (R54)
R54b Rb
S 49a, 53(wiper)
S4 49a
SBL (L54)
SBR (R54)
VL L
VR R
+ 15, 49(turn-signal flasher)
53, 53a(wiper)
+2 53a
+15 49
- 1 (ignition coil), 31
------------------------------------------------------------------------
and, while i'm at it, here's some interesting stuff:
Power consumption of vehicle electrical leads (average values)
Backup lamps 25W
Battery ignition 20W
Blower motor 80W
Cigarette lighter 100W
Fog lights 35W each
Fog warning lamp 35W
(red fog light on rear)
Glow plugs 100W each
Headlamps, low beam 55W each
Headlamps, high beam 60W each
Heated rear window 120W
Horns and fanfare horns 25W...40W each
Instrument-panel lamps 2W each
Interior lamp 5W
License-plate lamp 10W
Parking lamp 3W...5W
Radio 10W...15W
Side-marker lamps 4W each
Starting motor for truck 2.2kW...12kW
Starting motor for car 0.8kW...3kW
Stop lamps 18W each
Tail lamps 5W each
Turn-signal lamps 21W each
Vehicle heater 20W...60W
Windshield wiper 90W

http://www.members.shaw.ca/bilbo/bosch.html

[Gerrelt]

Thanks! I always wondered where they came up with the numbers.
I saved it for future reference.

[Steve C]

Hi

That's all very interesting, I've also saved it for future reference as well. The Germans always do things logically, unlike the Japanese who change the colour of the same wire.

This was an article in our car club magazine about wire colours

Showing Your Colours.

There is definite common sense a certain purity in the colour used by Volkswagen and Audi for their wiring. While other manufacturers have their own codes unlike any other makers', which may differ from model to model within the same model, and even an the same car [I once came across a wire in a Japanese car which changed colour three times as it went through connectors]. VW/Audi colours have been the same for the basic functions since the 1940s, and also match those of other German manufacturers to a certain extent.

Starting at the source of power, the battery: a permanently live source, i.e. a "hot" wire, is red in colour. This is somewhat of an international, but by no means universal standard. The connection between "red" and "hot" are obvious. You must have noticed that any wire attached to the care chassis, to "earth", is brown in colour. Another natural connection earth is, after all, brown.

High-beam headlights are bright in colour; therefore, logically, the wires leading to them should be white. Low-beam is less bright, a little dimmer, yellow to be precise Parking lights are only a shade of their big brothers, hence the grey wires providing current.

There is no obvious colour for wiring associated with the ignition circuit. VW/Audi uses black, with an assortment of traces to distinguish various consumers of current. More about traces later.

Any warning light wire has blue as its basic colour. Pure blue feeds the warning light virtually every car has the charge warning light. Others are blue with various traces.

Green with its associated traces has, since the advent of water-cooled VWs, become associated with all to do with windscreen wipers.

A trace on a wire used to mean in the Beetle days that the wire had been through a switch of some kind. Therefore red/black goes to the starter solenoid. But somewhere along the line it also came to mean an unswitched supply to a particular consumer. For example, on Golfs a red wire with a grey trace, permanently live, goes to the cigarette lighter. Some designer obviously had a sense of humour here, as grey is the colour of cigarette ash!

Black/red goes to the brake lights [because of red lenses?] Black/blue is for reversing lights. Black/yellow comes from the so-called "X" contact - the one which makes the headlights go out when you start the engine. Black/white goes to the left blinkers, black/green to the right. So logically, which colours are used for the wire between the blinker relay and the blinker switch before the current is split up to either side? Black/white/!green, of course, the only wire on any VW/Audi with two differently coloured traces.

Brown with a trace means that there is a switch to earth. So the wire between the interior light and the door switch, which is earthed, is brown with a white trace [white signifying light].

How do you tell the wires leading to the right-ride high and low-beam headlights? They both have a black trace.

Grey, basically for parking lights, has a variety of colourful traces. Grey/black is for the left side parkers and tail-lights; grey/red for the right side; grey/blue in generally for dash lights; grey/green for the number plate light on cars with the split parking-light system [one side parker/tail-light on with the blinker arm); grey/white for the feed to the fog lights [fog is white, you know); and grey/yellow for the rear fog lights [not as bright as front fog-lights].

Blue/green on Beetles means the oil pressure warning light. Of course early Beetles had a green warning light! Newer cars now have blue/black. Blue/white is the hi beam warning light white for the high-beam, naturally. Blue/red means the blinker warning light. Blue/brown is for the brake/handbrake warning light.

Pure green was used on early Beetles for the supply to the wipers and on later models for the self parking facility. Golfs took this steps further. Green/black and green/yellow also go to the wiper motor; green/red to the windscreen-washer pump and green/white to any rear washer pump.

With the increase in equipment added to modern cars - air conditioning, cruise control, fuel injection etc., the consistency of colours was inevitably lost in duplication and a whole lot of apparently illogical colour choices So yellow is now used for the dynamic oil pressure warnings as well as for low beam. The fuel gauge sender now has a violet/ wire. [OK, so the Beetle's brown illogical too.]

But, I ask you, what other cars such evidence of natural, human influences shining through in a feature as mundane as their wires Another reason why VWs and Audis are special, I think.

Rod Young

[Gerrelt]

Thanks Steve, very interesting too.
Also saved it.

[al_kaholik]

Very good. I've seen the terminal designation before, but its nice to find out where they come from.

[beetle1303]

great info guys. Of course saved for future reference...
Much needed now that I'm done with listing the factory wiring and sorting the new ones for my updated wiring loom.

I want to keep it mostly stock colored, but modernize it as far as it goes

I will make a thread for it when I have enough material.

Cheers
Chris