Bus control panel and wiring help needed

[BigDanTx]

Hello,
I have a 1995 International Harvester but it also has Carpenter on it so its a little confusing on the title. We are very close to completing our bus conversion but I would like to label the faded out controls.. We know what a couple of the main ones are like the door and AC but I would like to see what else we are missing and label them accordingly. Also, I'd like to find a diagram to disonnect the wires we have hanging out after removing the stop sign and we would like to disconnect all the alarm wires that go to the doors, emergency windows and roof hatches.. Any help or a point in the right direction is appreciated. I have a before and after of the exterior and a couple of the interior.

Thanks

[Robin97396]

Dan, I think you scared everybody off. There have been some electrical nightmares with buses in various locations around the country. Everybody is a little burnt out on wiring issues.

Luckily it sounds like you don't actually have a wiring issue, but rather a labeling issue. Are you able to take a picture of your dashboard? Someone here will have one just like it.

If you're new here you may like to know that photos uploaded to Photobucket first will transfer onto this site.

Good luck.

[EastCoastCB]

Chris is driving back to OH if I recall correctly. He'll be able to tell you what they all do. He has a Carpenter of similar vintage, I think.

OP- post some pics of the panel!

[BigDanTx]

Here is a photo of the panel in our bus I was referring to... not sure about how to transfer from photobucket to this message I just uploaded from my phone which I used to take the photo.

[cowlitzcoach]

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

At a guess the switches on the auxiliary panel to the left of the driver will control all of the heaters, heater booster pump, defrosters, blower fans, interior lights, the 8-way light controls, mirror heat, wipers, washers, fog lights, step lights, step heat, etc. What all everything is/was all depended upon what options were spe'c'ed by the original user.

As to the arrangement on the panel, that is even more difficult. I have seen buses with consecutive serial numbers sold to the same original user with identical spe'c's that had the switches arranged in different orders. And as the years went by, as switches failed and were replaced, even the switches didn't stay the same.

I have seen panels where all of the switches were in the off position in the down position. I have seen panels where all of the 3-position switches (off/low/high) were off in the middle position. And I have seen panels where some of the switches were off in the down position and some were off in the middle position.

I have seen panels where there were switches for five different underseat heaters, an under the driver's seat heater, two defrosters, two front/stepwell heaters, two different windshield blower fans, three powered ceiling vent fans, a heater booster pump, four different interior lights, a driver's map light, clearance lights (separate from the headlight switch), step well light, mirror heat, three separate switches to operate the 8-way lights and stop paddle, two wiper switches with another momentary switch for the windshield washer, and another switch to turn on the wheelchair lift power. I also know there are other options out there that would require more switches. All on the panel to the left of the driver.

Newer buses have some of those switches moved to the turn signal stalk and steering wheel or to an auxiliary panel to the right of the instrument panel or on the pedestal by the manual door control. Even still, most have more than ten switches to the left of the driver.

[cowlitzcoach]

Originally Posted by BigDanTx

Here is a photo of the panel in our bus I was referring to... not sure about how to transfer from photobucket to this message I just uploaded from my phone which I used to take the photo.

Fifteen switches with no labels--what fun! NOT!

First off, I would see which switches have more than just an on/off position or is a momentary switch. Momentary switches would operate functions like turning on the amber portion of the 8-way lights, windshield washer, or railroad crossing mute. Switches with three or more positions would be for blowers, fans, or heaters. Switches with only an on/off position would operate functions like turning on the 8-way light system, ceiling/step/clearance/fog lights, mirror/step well heat, heater booster pump, wheelchair lift power, etc.

If the switch turns on a pilot light of some sort it is usually tied to a function you don't want to leave turned on when leaving the bus. Functions like mirror/step well heat are some that come immediately to mind.

I think you will discover that the switches will tend to be grouped by function. Heaters and defrosters will either be grouped in one area or will all be on the same level. The 8-way master switch, activation switch, and stop paddle override switch will be the closest to hand as those switches would have been used the most often.

On the older style Carpenter body buses that had rocker switches instead of toggles all of the heater/defroster/blower fan switches were on the lower level. The interior light switches were usually on the top row on the left side of the panel. The mirror heat switch was the last switch on the left of the top row. The wiper and washer switches were the first three on the right of the top row.

Outside of cycling on and off all of the switches I have no real idea as to what function each of the switches had.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Nanopet]

Originally Posted by BigDanTx

Hello,
I have a 1995 International Harvester but it also has Carpenter on it so its a little confusing on the title. We are very close to completing our bus conversion but I would like to label the faded out controls.. We know what a couple of the main ones are like the door and AC but I would like to see what else we are missing and label them accordingly. Also, I'd like to find a diagram to disonnect the wires we have hanging out after removing the stop sign and we would like to disconnect all the alarm wires that go to the doors, emergency windows and roof hatches.. Any help or a point in the right direction is appreciated. I have a before and after of the exterior and a couple of the interior.

Thanks

Hi BigDan,

I'm also working on the electrical box for my Carpenter bus. Do you mind posting photos of the inside of your electrical box? Rats have eaten through all of the wiring in my box and I'm trying to rewire myself. Thanks!

[Jesslea]

My battery keeps draining. I think I need to figure which ways the switches allGo? See picture. Any other help would be awesome.

[indigo_k]

Originally Posted by BigDanTx

Here is a photo of the panel in our bus I was referring to... not sure about how to transfer from photobucket to this message I just uploaded from my phone which I used to take the photo.

Oh man this is the kind of panel I want for my bus. I don't have many controls left after pulling all the wires this week, and I'd love to retro-future the heck out of it.

[JuneauPurpleBus]

I got lucky. Mine came really well labeled.