Dim Idiot Light
Discussion
My "Brake" tell-tale light doesn't always seem to illuminate properly when the handbrake is applied. Sometimes it's lit, sometimes it's dim, other times not lit at all.
Since I have the binnacle off while doing some other work to my car, I decided to investigate a little further. When I pull the bulb holder out of the receptacle, I can tell that it is indeed lighting. It's just that it is so dim that a firefly will have higher light output.
If I swap bulbs with another known-good bulb the same happens, so I know the bulb is not the problem. Then I decided to put a meter to the bulb socket with the handbrake applied. I read 11.65V but only 60mA of current. By comparison, when I measure another bulb socket that works properly, I get 10.8V and 2.4A of current.
Does anyone have any idea why there is so little current on the one light? Is there a place I should be looking for, perhaps a faulty wire with most strands broken?
Suggestions on how to troubleshoot and fix this problem are most welcome.
Cheers,
Karl-Franz :-)
www.espritfactfile.com
Since I have the binnacle off while doing some other work to my car, I decided to investigate a little further. When I pull the bulb holder out of the receptacle, I can tell that it is indeed lighting. It's just that it is so dim that a firefly will have higher light output.
If I swap bulbs with another known-good bulb the same happens, so I know the bulb is not the problem. Then I decided to put a meter to the bulb socket with the handbrake applied. I read 11.65V but only 60mA of current. By comparison, when I measure another bulb socket that works properly, I get 10.8V and 2.4A of current.
Does anyone have any idea why there is so little current on the one light? Is there a place I should be looking for, perhaps a faulty wire with most strands broken?
Suggestions on how to troubleshoot and fix this problem are most welcome.
Cheers,
Karl-Franz :-)
www.espritfactfile.com
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