Home
> Spitfire > Electrical Equipment > No Lights
Anything and everything Spitfire.
Section : Electrical Equipment
Alternators, dynamos, lights, wipers, etc.
Posted By : Andrew Robinson, 01-Sep-2006,
11:13pm
Hi folks,
an intermittent lights - front and rear main / dipped and courtesy (under dash) problem has become permanent over the space of a couple of hours.
Model is '76 1500 Spitfire and I'm a complete novice at autoelectrics.
Appears to be no voltage across middle fuse - should there be?? Are two fuses intended to be inseries as the diagram implies or is that just my
mis-interpretation?
Horn works but is a newer replacement so is outside original wiring diagram and thereofre a red herring I think.
Reversing lights don't work but suspect (now!) that they may not have worked when car purchased this summer.
Is there a logical sequence to fault finding this which someone could share with me, in lay terms!
Temptation is to start running new wires and neglect the old but maybe that's being a bit premature.
Any help appreciated.
Andy
-
Posted By : Paul Bodiam, 01-Sep-2006,
11:50pm
Hi Andy
Welcome to the joys of Lucas electricals (Lucas: the prince of darkness).
Don't start running new wires - it will just add to yoru problems later on. The existing wiring loom is almost certainly up to the job.
The most likely cause of the problem is going to be fuse related - not necessarily a blown fuse, but a bad contact. The Spitfire fusebox is notorious
for it. The designers in their wisdom used the clips that hold the fuses in place as connectors in the lighting circuit. The two halves of the clip are
not electrically joined until the fuse cap is inserted. A poor contact on one half of the clip cn lead to the sort of problem you describe. It can also
lead to a localised hot-spot in the fuse box (mine melted a neat little hole in the fuse box cover before I found out what was wrong).
Remove each fuse in turn and use a piece of fine wet & dry paper or emery cloth to thoroughly clean the contacts at each end of the fuse.
All the fuses should be 35 Amp.
hope this helps
Paul
-
Posted By : Andrew Robinson, 02-Sep-2006,
08:24am
Hi Paul,
That may explain why the first time it happened a rotation of fuses with thumb seemed to solve it.
Back to it later this a.m. - will let you know how I get on.
Still trying to rationalise the diagram against what my wiring looks like so I can determine which fuse is which!
No fuse box cover either!
Andy
-
Posted By : Andrew Robinson,
02-Sep-2006, 04:09pm
Sorted.
Bottom fuse connector, LHS. Independent feeds for some unknown reason. Had to pinch the two together around the fuse end cap with long nosed
pliers to get a voltage.
Decided to drive a small screw between the spade connectors at the rear of the fuse box to short them together too.
Fuse box cover fashioned from a plastic box which my business cards cards came in from the printers - just need to glue it in place with some
evostik!