Antonnick Posted September 24 Share Posted September 24 It is a problem I quite like to be able to solve. Last Thursday I went in the late afternoon to our favourite Italian Restaurant in my Herald 13/60 and had to drive home in the dark - only about 10km. Interestingly, every time I used the main beam, the instrument lighting for the auxiliary gauge went out, (i.e. the fuel and temp gauge) so to0 the direction indicator warning light. On dipped beam and side lights the gauge was lit again! None of the other gauges are affected by this. How strange! I will have a think on what might be happening. It is probably an earth connection but is there a different one from dip to main beam!! I thought it rather funny. ( in the sense , it made me smile) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted September 24 Share Posted September 24 Rather than an earth fault I wonder if you have a high resistance connection or contact somewhere. Were the main beam lights as bright as normal? Its possible that with the higher current draw the voltage to the other bulbs drops so low they go out.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonnick Posted September 25 Author Share Posted September 25 Yes, the Main beam were bright - cannot really say as usual as have not used them for months! I do have additional electrics fitted and LEDs ( not however to the headlights) including emergency flasher, which since fitting the LEDs to the indicators, does not work. I am trying to assertain why only the auxiliary gauge and its warning lights and not the speedo, oil pressure, ammeter and clock gauges.???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted September 25 Share Posted September 25 oh dear non standard electrics do complicate things😒 What is the auxiliary gauge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonnick Posted September 25 Author Share Posted September 25 That is what I call the standard gauge which incorporates the fuel, temp, main beam warning and indicator warning. None of these work when full beam is on. I will check to see if the same non illumination of the indicator happens when the column switch is on main beam but the lights are not switched on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris2 Posted September 25 Share Posted September 25 Hi When led are fitted to indictor they use lower amps the relay do not work right . Try fitting the right size bulbs on indicators the relay will work right Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2vitesses Posted September 25 Share Posted September 25 The lighting switch also turns off the instrument lights, I wonder if the switch is OK. My one plays up if not used for a while, if I cycle the switch a few times it clears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonnick Posted September 25 Author Share Posted September 25 @ chris2 - I have a new relay which matches the LEDs for the indicators. @ mk2vitesses - the lighting switch in its full position does of course operate the instrument lights and they do indeed all work satisfactory , except when the main beam is on! I have not had a look today but I am tending to check the auxiliary gauge itself...somehow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonnick Posted October 1 Author Share Posted October 1 Have done some checks and the logic still is baffling. By dipped and park lights everything working normally. All instruments lit. On main beam , all instruments except the auxiliary (i.e. the gauge for fuel and temp indicators) are lit. At the same time, the indicator warning light is permanently lit and the main beam warning is not. For info, a similar result when the headlamp flasher is used whether the dipped lights are switched on or not but strangely (if the phenomena is not strange enough) not only the indicator warning light illuminates but also the instrument light of the aux gauge only. I do not see, when looking at the wiring diagramme , how they are connected? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted October 1 Share Posted October 1 17 minutes ago, Antonnick said: Have done some checks and the logic still is baffling. By dipped and park lights everything working normally. All instruments lit. On main beam , all instruments except the auxiliary (i.e. the gauge for fuel and temp indicators) are lit. At the same time, the indicator warning light is permanently lit and the main beam warning is not. For info, a similar result when the headlamp flasher is used whether the dipped lights are switched on or not but strangely (if the phenomena is not strange enough) not only the indicator warning light illuminates but also the instrument light of the aux gauge only. I do not see, when looking at the wiring diagramme , how they are connected? This sort of black magic is usually dopwn to poor earthing. I would check the earths on all the gauges, not easy but a good wiggle and tighten up may be enough to fix it, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonnick Posted October 1 Author Share Posted October 1 This was also my thinking. However, the same earth connections work for the dipped and parked lights which have no detrimental affects on the aux gauge lighting and indicator warning light. And again, why only the aux gauge being affected? As there is seemingly no direkt wiring connection between lights and indicators, I am now thinking that a short is occuring at perhaps, the main beam lights themselves which then finds its way back to the indicator relay and warning light. The next thing I am going to try is to disconnect the headlights and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonnick Posted October 1 Author Share Posted October 1 Tried disconnecting the headlamps and no change. Nothing for it, removed the aux gauge which is a real pain to do getting a hand behind to remove the knurled nuts holding it in place and worse still, having to put it back. But as a last resort - I found an earth cable had come off and that was the root cause. Now fixed although I have lost one of the knurled nuts somewhere. So, my surmise was correct and Clive's also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted October 1 Share Posted October 1 Great. And I think I can explain it! The instrument and indicator repeater lights's current could flow through them and, because the aux gauge had no earth, then go back through the main beam pilot bulb to connect to the main beam circuit and earth through the main filaments which wouldnt illuminate as not enough current flow. Then when main beam was powered up that earth route was obviously lost and the aux gauge bulbs would go out... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonnick Posted October 1 Author Share Posted October 1 By the way, these knurled nuts - are they a BA size? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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