Headlight warning light on dash?

[RichChef]

Okay, new puzzler question.

I got the column switch off and have fixed the poor connections in there, this has fixed it so that the lights are on dip unless i move the selector to main beam at which point we get main beam (of a sort, its not going to win illumination awards that's for sure). Flashing now produces a dipped light with the headlights popping up unless the lights are already on (correct behavior).

However, the little light which lets you know if your main beams are on (on the dash with the hazard light and such) seems to have entirely the wrong behavior. If lights are on dip its brightly lit, once i move the switch to main beam it defiantly goes dimmer... I thought it should only light up on when on full beam?

Having checked the bible the warning light does not appear to be in the circuit diagrams (unless it has a cryptic name).

Any suggestions on where to look, or what behavior i should be expecting from that light?

Cheers,
Rich

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Mate..If i just put the sidelights on and then move the stalk forward to high beam then the pods will raise up and the high beam dash light will be lit...If i have main headlights on then the pods will be raised and when i push or pull the stalk then the high beam light on the dash corresponds accordingly..At one point i had no high beam indicator light until i found a blue/white wire that had come off the stalk connector switchgear..Ziga

[RichChef]

my high beam dash light is on regardless of the position of the column switch, it also seems to be brighter when in dipped headlight mode and dimmer when flashing or on high beam.... not a very helpful light in my case.

there must be a connection which is the wrong way round somewhere....

[mrzigazaga]

mmm..Electrics are not my thing but it does sound like there may be a short somewhere...ziga

[RCK974X]

If the headlights are dim, it may well be a dodgy earth connection. As the headlamps draw quite a lot of current, this can show up through warning lamps. I would check the connectors behind the lights, and also the earth return(s) to the battery.

My early wedge has a bolt with a stack of eyelets on it - I don't know if that's original, but I think so - anyway, it was corroded and some eyelets weren't properly soldered, causing a whole stack of weird problems.

[RichChef]

headlights are not too bad, for an old car i can't complain once it got dark and I drove back into the garage they were far more impressive. The earths checked out okay too

[The Hatter]

There's a very useful headlamp wiring schematic on wedg1es wedgeneering pages, much better than the bible's offering. You might be able to puzzle it out from that.

There's a bewildering number of relays and diodes in the system that can make all sorts of odd things happen when they fail - good if you like puzzles!