Troubleshooting Front Marker Lamp- Vixen
Troubleshooting Front Marker Lamp- Vixen
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Discussion

JeffT

Original Poster:

60 posts

248 months

Saturday 27th February 2010
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I am having trouble with one of my Sparto Front Directional Lamps.

Upon install right side works fine. Left side flashes faster than normal without lights on. With lights on, lamp flashes very slow.

Sparto Lamps are 3 wire and two filament bulbs. So they function as running lights and directionals. I thought the wires might be bad so I replaced the wires and soldered the connections. I noticed that only one filament on the bulb is doing both functions. Not sure if that is correct.

Let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks,-Jeff

heightswitch

6,322 posts

266 months

Saturday 27th February 2010
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bad earth.

I find it best to earth everything individually. some stuff as std is earthed through another light.

Seabass

193 posts

215 months

Sunday 28th February 2010
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As above. The flasher (bimetallic) speed is determined by current and therefore resistance.

Use a multimeter to try and measure the resistance along the wires if they are old.

Edited by Seabass on Sunday 28th February 12:23

JeffT

Original Poster:

60 posts

248 months

Sunday 28th February 2010
quotequote all
The problem was related to a bad ground. So I grounded the unit and it worked correctly. However I was having problems with one of the contacts in the bulb holder. Each contact is spring loaded. One of the springs is weak and won't make a solid connection when bulb is installed. I took the bulb holder apart to see if I could repair it but it broke and is beyond repair now. If I could get a new bulb holder for it, I could repair it. I don't think the Sparto Lamps are available anymore.

I'd like to keep the car original. I have a set of Lucas Lamps that are pretty close to stock, but they are only two wire or single function lamps. I want a set of 3 wire lamps so I have front maker lights and directionals in one lamp.

Land Rover has some similar lamps, no chrome ring. Let me know if you have a parts source for the Sparto Lamps.

Thanks,-Jeff

Grantura2a

101 posts

250 months

Monday 1st March 2010
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I bought some Sparto lenses from johnrichardssurplus on ebay. He deals with Rover bits. Maybe he would have a suitable base. You could adapt a universal bulb holder to your existing base without too much work.

Mike T
Griffith 200
Grantura 2a