The mad world of driving lamps
Discussion
So I'm in the process of tidying up some wiring in the engine bay (as I need to wire up a kenlowe but don't want wires EVERYWHERE). However, that requires first to sort out a previous bodge, or as the mechanic has written it in his invoice a previous "fix".
The left hand side of the car has been re-wired:
1) Pods running through engine bay
2) Driving lamps, similarly running through engine bay
I've decided to start with #2 on the assumption that it would hopefully be easier.
So what I figured out, was that the original "on" wire for the driving lamp on the left hand side of the car had been diverted to switch a relay which then fed back to turn the left side lamp on - suggesting there was enough power from the wire to switch a relay but not switch the lamp on (actually I didn't test this yet as couldn't find my multimeter). Any suggestions as to what might be going wrong based on the following behaviour:
a) Relay by-passed (ie wiring bridged at lamp) - neither lamp works
b) Relay wiring left disconnected - right hand side
I should also point out that the right hand side lights seem to be working normally on almost original wiring (some refurb has clearly been done).
Cheers
edit: if anyone could snap a pic of the wiring behind their lamps it would be much appreciated.
edit2: the lights on mine operate by putting the light switch on the side of the steerinh wheel down one click, and then flicking the central dash switch.
The left hand side of the car has been re-wired:
1) Pods running through engine bay
2) Driving lamps, similarly running through engine bay
I've decided to start with #2 on the assumption that it would hopefully be easier.
So what I figured out, was that the original "on" wire for the driving lamp on the left hand side of the car had been diverted to switch a relay which then fed back to turn the left side lamp on - suggesting there was enough power from the wire to switch a relay but not switch the lamp on (actually I didn't test this yet as couldn't find my multimeter). Any suggestions as to what might be going wrong based on the following behaviour:
a) Relay by-passed (ie wiring bridged at lamp) - neither lamp works
b) Relay wiring left disconnected - right hand side
I should also point out that the right hand side lights seem to be working normally on almost original wiring (some refurb has clearly been done).
Cheers
edit: if anyone could snap a pic of the wiring behind their lamps it would be much appreciated.
edit2: the lights on mine operate by putting the light switch on the side of the steerinh wheel down one click, and then flicking the central dash switch.
Edited by jindle on Sunday 31st August 20:42
On my car the driving lamps were fed from the main lighting loom: where it crosses the engine bay just ahead of the bonnet there were two 2-pin connectors into which each lamp was plugged.
Sadly some previous monkey had monkeyed it in much the same way as yours so there were extra relays & fuses (at least they'd fitted fuses!) hanging off the back of the relay panel.
I restored it to correct operation... using the relays that were still in place for the purpose...
Sadly some previous monkey had monkeyed it in much the same way as yours so there were extra relays & fuses (at least they'd fitted fuses!) hanging off the back of the relay panel.
I restored it to correct operation... using the relays that were still in place for the purpose...
Cheers that's what I thought.
So I've discovered this so far:
Right lamp works with the switch normally
Left lamp doesn't
Left lamp has original 2-pin connector, although wired differently from connector to lamp. If I disconnect this I see 11.5v or so across the yellow/red and black with the lamps NOT switched on - suspect some dodgy re-wiring or stuck relay maybe here.
The right lamp ONLY works if the black wire on the left-side connector is wired to the left lamp mount and the red/yellow is not connected to the left lamp.
If I measure across the left lamp mount and black wire on the connector, I get 11.5v.
That suggests the left lamp mount is live, and the black wire on the left lamp connector is feeding that power to the right lamp.
The only other wire on the left lamp is another black wire t-tapped into one of the pod motor wires which is an earth.
At that point it started to get dark so I had to stop.
Anyone able to visualise what's going on here better than I can?
Am going to do the following this weekend:
Measure same things with the lamps switched to the on position.
Measure same things with the t-tap disconnected.
So I've discovered this so far:
Right lamp works with the switch normally
Left lamp doesn't
Left lamp has original 2-pin connector, although wired differently from connector to lamp. If I disconnect this I see 11.5v or so across the yellow/red and black with the lamps NOT switched on - suspect some dodgy re-wiring or stuck relay maybe here.
The right lamp ONLY works if the black wire on the left-side connector is wired to the left lamp mount and the red/yellow is not connected to the left lamp.
If I measure across the left lamp mount and black wire on the connector, I get 11.5v.
That suggests the left lamp mount is live, and the black wire on the left lamp connector is feeding that power to the right lamp.
The only other wire on the left lamp is another black wire t-tapped into one of the pod motor wires which is an earth.
At that point it started to get dark so I had to stop.
Anyone able to visualise what's going on here better than I can?
Am going to do the following this weekend:
Measure same things with the lamps switched to the on position.
Measure same things with the t-tap disconnected.
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