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By MoonShadow - 7 Years Ago
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I put in a new headlight switch and it seems to get hot when the lights are on. Appears to be around the dimming rheostat for the dash lights. Anyone else had this problem? I suspect Chinese innards may be the culprit.
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By oldcarmark - 7 Years Ago
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Take the Wire for Dashlights off the Terminal for Rheostat and put it on the Terminal for Headlights ( not parking Lights) if U want to test your Theory. That's why I prefer NOS US made Electrical Components. I bought a NOS Ford Ignition Switch the other Day. All other newer Switches ( non Ford) have very short Terminals where the Accessory Wires go on. NOS Ford has much longer Acc. Terminal which is the One that has the most Wires. There is a difference between NOS and later Chinese Junk.
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By Tedster - 7 Years Ago
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Make certain grounds, cables, and headlight wiring to include floor switch are good. It is really amazing how much voltage and is lost in cables that "look" good. High resistance circuits in vintage cars is the rule not the exception and will smoke switches. Chinese electrical parts, well, all bets are off. Just say "No."
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By MoonShadow - 7 Years Ago
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Just did a bunch of wire repair and re-routing last winter. I'll recheck those. Moving the taillight wire to the headlight post is a good idea too.
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By MoonShadow - 7 Years Ago
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Isn't the running light wire also the feed for the dash lights?
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By miker - 7 Years Ago
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Short answer yes, but IIRC, that feed is internal to the sw. inside the sw turning on the running (aka parking) lights feeds the reostat internally. At least that’s how I interpret the yellow wire shown on both sides of the reo, and the way I remember it. Those open wire reostats can also develop some corrosion just sitting in a box.
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By Lord Gaga - 7 Years Ago
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Do you have Halogen Headlights?
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By MoonShadow - 7 Years Ago
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I have some of the old style replacement bulbs. Never thought about them having a higher draw. With my old switch the dimmer didn't work but sometimes at night if I stopped at a light all the lights would pulse. Once moving again they would stop. I wondered if the switch had a internal circuit breaker that was causing the problem.
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By Tedster - 7 Years Ago
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Halogens draw more than tungsten filaments but if you pencil it out they are well within the stock wiring harness and switch capacity. I've used them for almost 20 years with no problems along with a stock 30 amp generator.
Typically what happens though is a vintage car has so much accumulated voltage drop and poor grounding and corrosion the headlights are dim, so Halogen lamps are installed as a remedy. Of course it doesn't work that way. Now relays are often suggested as a solution, and they will definitely take load off the switch, but it's important to have good grounds and connections regardless.
You can measure the voltage drop or high resistance with a low ranging voltmeter.
Test both ground and hot side individually. One probe on the negative battery post, and one probe on the negative headlight terminal (parallel to the wire or cable under test)
With the headlights on (engine off) the voltage drop in the connections and wiring will be displayed as a positive number. It should not exceed maybe 0.10 or 0.20 of a volt or so, a little higher on the positive side. Maybe 0.30 volts. With restored cars paint at grounding locations will cause voltage drop troubles, it's not just the tetanus vectors that have trouble with this.
When you are finally satisfied with the headlight brightness, and with the voltage drop at factory spec minimum you will be pleased, _then_ go ahead and install headlight relays. They will perform that much better. Whiter whites, brighter brights. But you should be able to reach an acceptable headlight brightness and avoid burning the switches or harness with good wiring. Try to find NOS floor switch and headlight switch. Overseas electrical parts are a crapshoot.
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By MoonShadow - 7 Years Ago
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Today I had the switch on running/dash lights only while testing output for the tail lights. I got hot enough to burn my finger when I touched it. I think the switch is crap. A new switch shouldn't get that hot. The tail light lead is hot so now I've got to trace the wire for a short or burn marks. I'll also swap in a used switch and see what happens. Does the wiring harness to the rear lights go down the left door jamb or under the center carpet?
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By Sandbird - 7 Years Ago
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Rheostats do run hot at certain settings. If you touch the wire wound ceramic wheel while at a low light setting you would get a blistered finger. Eventually they can destroy themselves from the heat they generate. When mine burned up I moved the wire like Oldcarmark said. The lights on the dash work at full bright and that's where I like them best anyway.
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By MoonShadow - 7 Years Ago
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With the running/tail light wire moved to the headlight power where do the dash lights get their power? Seems internal from the running light post then to the dash lights. Mine can get hot no matter what the adjustment is. I'm going to switch switches this afternoon and see what happens. I do have power on the post for the rear lights so perhaps there is a short down stream to find. Doing some wire tracing and checking grounds today too.
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By DryLakesRacer - 7 Years Ago
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I bought a complete laminated wiring diagram from Classic wiring .com... it really helps... my 56 Vic wiring to the rear of the car is under the carpet on the left side of the hump, Then goes to the left side over the the left rear tire. EZ to see with the back seat bottom out. There are only 4 wires, stop L & R, tail/license plate, and fuel guage. I do not have a rear speaker.
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By MoonShadow - 7 Years Ago
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That's what I thought. That wire is probably shorted under the carpet. I removed the taillight wire from the switch and turned on the dash lights there didn't seem to be as much heat in the rheostat. So I'm suspecting a dead short on that wire. I'll bypass it and see if that works.
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