The Ford Barn

Pilotdave · 12-16-2010, 10:42 AM

Looked at this so more. The conduit attaches to the socket, not to the socket holder, so you have to remove the guts of the socket to allow for the wires to pass through it and reinstall it into the bucket - yes? Or one can buy a "headlight socket ferrule" to replace the socket - appears to be designed for just this sort of thing - used for connecting conduit to the bucket when using sealed beam lights.

roccaas · 12-16-2010, 03:06 PM

I tie the halogens and the incandescent driving lights to a common ground wire at the frame rail on the driver's side and run the common ground back to the battery +. No problems.

Pilotdave · 12-16-2010, 06:33 PM

This is likely no surprise to any of you experienced A'ers, but I unplugged the conduit/wires from the other headlight socket to see how these were arranged. When I put it back together, I now get parking light and headlight when I turn on the parking lights. The contacts inside the socket are touching. That's what I get for disturbing something that's been working fine for ??? years!

So....enough!!!! I am replacing the plug/contacts with connectors.

Pilotdave · 12-18-2010, 09:50 PM

Finished converting the headlight plug/socket setups to plug connectors today. Works great! Wonder why Henry and his engineers choose to use the plug & socket approach 80 or so years ago.......suppose it was the best arrangement available for the least cost?

Tom Wesenberg · 12-18-2010, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilotdave

Finished converting the headlight plug/socket setups to plug connectors today. Works great! Wonder why Henry and his engineers choose to use the plug & socket approach 80 or so years ago.......suppose it was the best arrangement available for the least cost?

Original parts work well. My 28 with fluted headlights and original plugs has very good headlights.

LukeDahlinger · 12-18-2010, 10:44 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilotdave

Finished converting the headlight plug/socket setups to plug connectors today. Works great! Wonder why Henry and his engineers choose to use the plug & socket approach 80 or so years ago.......suppose it was the best arrangement available for the least cost?

It was probably less hassle to install the light bar on a moving assembly line with the wires set up the way they were orginally.

Mike V. Florida · 12-19-2010, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrTube

So,

Would it be considered tacky if I solder a wire to the outside of the headlights and soldered the other end to the side of the radiator shell in plain view

I went to aim the headlights tonight and my grounds apparently stink. I seem to have a poor connection where the housing pivots. Guess i'll dig into it tomorrow.

Can you solder to Stainless?

Pilotdave · 12-19-2010, 07:43 AM

Interesting point about ease of installation on a moving assembly line...but note that they were using new original parts. In my case someone had replaced the wiring harness which included using the wrong style terminal ends. This bowed the contacts in both sockets, leading to pretty strange results. I could have replaced the terminal ends and the headlight wiring sets on both sides....or gone the route I took. Lacking access to NOS sockets, I was influenced by the catalog description of the headlight wiring sets which indicated that they were "foreign and fair quality." Another factor was that the terminal ends on the wiring harness were fine for use with the wire connectors which are a steel sleeve inside a rubber tube. I removed the innards of the original sockets, running the wires through same and providing the J slots to attach the conduit connectors - the result looks original from the outside even if internally modified! We had the A out last night running over some pretty lumpy roads and the lights worked flawlessly.
My bet is that Henry's system works well if you have good quality parts that haven't been mistreated.....but not so well in other circumstances.

MrTube · 12-19-2010, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Can you solder to Stainless?

Don't know? It was a joke if no one noticed. Why would I solder to the outside of the headlight in plain view?

1931 flamingo · 12-19-2010, 01:47 PM

Nobody questioned because sometimes people do "strange" things. I won't tell you what I thought when I first saw the post.
Paul in CT

Mitch//pa · 12-19-2010, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrTube

Don't know? It was a joke if no one noticed. Why would I solder to the outside of the headlight in plain view?

i did not find your joke humorous and will think twice before offering any opinions on your future help requests. i did not think that it was originally a joke because some of the other posts you initiated were just a ridiculous.

MrTube · 12-19-2010, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

Nobody questioned because sometimes people do "strange" things. I won't tell you what I thought when I first saw the post.
Paul in CT

I did find many responses helpful but I wouldn't have butchered a headlight bucket like that.

MrTube · 12-19-2010, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

i did not find your joke humorous and will think twice before offering any opinions on your future help requests. i did not think that it was originally a joke because some of the other posts you initiated were just a ridiculous.

Mitch, Although the comment was a joke the posting was not. I did want opinions and tips from people and always appreciated your responses. I am sorry you did not find it humorous.

Mitch//pa · 12-19-2010, 06:26 PM

Chris,
i originally read into it that the whole post was a joke including having a ground problem. i guess i got a little perturbed because people were genuinely trying to help you and the whole thread was a scam. my mistake for not seeing past that on your original post that you did have a problem but were kidding about the wiring to the outside of the bucket. you have my public apologie for the way i overreacted. as for my comment on other posts you initiated were just as ridiculous i just threw that in there to vent some steam. thanks for the therapy session time to go throw some weights around.
Mitch

MrTube · 12-19-2010, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

Chris,
i originally read into it that the whole post was a joke including having a ground problem. i guess i got a little perturbed because people were genuinely trying to help you and the whole thread was a scam. my mistake for not seeing past that on your original post that you did have a problem but were kidding about the wiring to the outside of the bucket. you have my public apologie for the way i overreacted. as for my comment on other posts you initiated were just as ridiculous i just threw that in there to vent some steam. thanks for the therapy session time to go throw some weights around.
Mitch

Mitch,

I can understand that. I would never waste everyones valuable time like that on the Fordbarn.

I am sorry for giving such a vague response about the joke. It was my fault.

Mike V. Florida · 12-20-2010, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrTube

Don't know? It was a joke if no one noticed. Why would I solder to the outside of the headlight in plain view?

I've been at this long enough to have read far worse and it was no joke!!

MrTube · 12-20-2010, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

I've been at this long enough to have read far worse and it was no joke!!

By the way Mike, I do believe you can solder to stainless. I seem to recall seeing solder and flux for it on McMaster.

12-16-2010, 10:42 AM	#21
Pilotdave Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Grafton, MA Posts: 1,226	Re: grounds Looked at this so more. The conduit attaches to the socket, not to the socket holder, so you have to remove the guts of the socket to allow for the wires to pass through it and reinstall it into the bucket - yes? Or one can buy a "headlight socket ferrule" to replace the socket - appears to be designed for just this sort of thing - used for connecting conduit to the bucket when using sealed beam lights.

12-16-2010, 03:06 PM	#22
roccaas Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 1,300	Re: grounds I tie the halogens and the incandescent driving lights to a common ground wire at the frame rail on the driver's side and run the common ground back to the battery +. No problems. __________________ 20 years ago we had Johnny Cash, Steve Jobs, and Bob Hope. Now we have no Cash, no Jobs, and no Hope...please don't let Kevin Bacon die!

12-16-2010, 06:33 PM	#23
Pilotdave Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Grafton, MA Posts: 1,226	Re: grounds This is likely no surprise to any of you experienced A'ers, but I unplugged the conduit/wires from the other headlight socket to see how these were arranged. When I put it back together, I now get parking light and headlight when I turn on the parking lights. The contacts inside the socket are touching. That's what I get for disturbing something that's been working fine for ??? years! So....enough!!!! I am replacing the plug/contacts with connectors.

12-18-2010, 09:50 PM	#24
Pilotdave Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Grafton, MA Posts: 1,226	Re: grounds Finished converting the headlight plug/socket setups to plug connectors today. Works great! Wonder why Henry and his engineers choose to use the plug & socket approach 80 or so years ago.......suppose it was the best arrangement available for the least cost?

12-19-2010, 07:43 AM	#28
Pilotdave Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Grafton, MA Posts: 1,226	Re: grounds Interesting point about ease of installation on a moving assembly line...but note that they were using new original parts. In my case someone had replaced the wiring harness which included using the wrong style terminal ends. This bowed the contacts in both sockets, leading to pretty strange results. I could have replaced the terminal ends and the headlight wiring sets on both sides....or gone the route I took. Lacking access to NOS sockets, I was influenced by the catalog description of the headlight wiring sets which indicated that they were "foreign and fair quality." Another factor was that the terminal ends on the wiring harness were fine for use with the wire connectors which are a steel sleeve inside a rubber tube. I removed the innards of the original sockets, running the wires through same and providing the J slots to attach the conduit connectors - the result looks original from the outside even if internally modified! We had the A out last night running over some pretty lumpy roads and the lights worked flawlessly. My bet is that Henry's system works well if you have good quality parts that haven't been mistreated.....but not so well in other circumstances.

12-19-2010, 01:47 PM	#30
1931 flamingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: new britain,ct 06052 Posts: 9,390	Re: grounds Nobody questioned because sometimes people do "strange" things. I won't tell you what I thought when I first saw the post. Paul in CT

12-19-2010, 06:26 PM	#34
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: grounds Chris, i originally read into it that the whole post was a joke including having a ground problem. i guess i got a little perturbed because people were genuinely trying to help you and the whole thread was a scam. my mistake for not seeing past that on your original post that you did have a problem but were kidding about the wiring to the outside of the bucket. you have my public apologie for the way i overreacted. as for my comment on other posts you initiated were just as ridiculous i just threw that in there to vent some steam. thanks for the therapy session time to go throw some weights around. Mitch