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Old 09-04-2012, 06:02 PM   #1
joeypoconos
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 90
Default Is There An Electrician In The House?

Some weeks back I posted a thread regarding my 1929 Sport Coupe titled “Where Did All My Lights Go”. In short, when I turned on my dims to leave a cruise night, about a mile down the road, my dims became very bright and burned out. Switched to my bright lights, a few seconds later same results. Ditto for my cowl lights. LED brake and tail lights remained working.
To date, I’ve performed voltage and continuity tests , all appears normal.
Fiddled with my repro headlights and sockets thinking there’s a short somewhere in the circuitry.
I bought new bulbs and turned on the lights without problem. Ran the car at a fast idle, no problem. Took her out for a 5 or so mile jaunt, no problem. Back in the garage, turned the car off, ran the light switch through the three positions, no lights. Started the car, bingo, lights. Revved the motor, lights got very bright, pop goes the light bulbs. LED brake and tail lights not affected.
I went through the continuity tests and voltage tests again, same results, all appears normal. This time around I removed the wiring harness from the bottom of the steering column and ran some tests with a probe light. The three dimples controlling the dim, bright and cowl lights showed a very low glow on the test light. The battery dimples lit up bright, the brake and tail lights had no affect on the test light.
I ran a jumper between the “LIVE” dimples and the dim, high and cowl dimples. All lights lit up and looked normal.
Next I REMOVED THE FUSE from atop the starter and checked the three (dim/bright/cowl) dimples with same result – a very low glowing of the test light. I touched the test light to various parts of the car (head light buckets, starter housing, generator housing, coil housing, radiator shell etc.) the test light glowed very dim.
My knowledge of electricity is along the lines – If I stick my finger in a light socket, it’s going to hurt like heck. I’m stumped as to why the test light is glowing when the circuit is no longer fused and really stumped as to exactly how to find the short or whatever else could be causing this problem. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
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