So, I'll get more information when I have a chance to check some things out, but I'm having issues with getting the right wires for the right jobs on this stuff. Right now I have a set of good brake lights going, and THAT'S IT. That's just enough to keep me from being pulled over as long as I use my hand signals appropriately (or never turn).
So, I have a wiring diagram, It gave me what I thought was solid information about what's what, but geesh, i'm running across other problems. Like I said, wait for another post tonight or tomorrow about what wires do what.
Right now, I should have (correct me if I'm wrong)
1. tail wire(s). Should these be low voltage?
2. Brake wire(s). one or two?
3. Left signal
4. Right signal
5. Backup signal
The problem is that there seem to be these two wires with duplicate functions, let me explain:
Wire 1: comes on with brake depression, ALSO comes on with headlights on. I think it was 12v either way. ( i think they come on with signals/hazards too)
Wire 2:comes on with brake depression, also comes on with headlights on. I think it was like 9v either way. (i think they come on with signals/hazards too)
If that #1 wire would only come on with brake depression then I'd be happy, it would bump the brake light up to 12v when depressed, which would be nice because it would mean night driving the tail would be dim with headlights on, then when I depressed the brake it would be brighter.
I've got the backup-lights wire marked, I've also got the signal wires marked.
More to come on exact wire colors and their functions as they ARE, then we can discuss what is out of spec, and/or solutions.
Wiring my signal/tail/brake lights
PS, there is one solution that I might need to just accept, and that would be having three lights on each side of the back. the two just look better though.
"Signal + Tail/brake" is what i want, but I might have to go with "signal + tail + brake"
If I have to do that then I'm switching to round LEDs because of size.
"Signal + Tail/brake" is what i want, but I might have to go with "signal + tail + brake"
If I have to do that then I'm switching to round LEDs because of size.
I'm not exactly clear on what you trying to do, but the lighting system doesn't use reduced voltage to differentiate between tail/stop lights. The difference is in the bulbs, and they all use 12 volts. It sounds like you've got feedback thru another circuit, either from a short or a bad ground in another light. When a light fixture has a bad ground, it uses the other filament in the bulb for a ground path and that voltage feeds back thru the circuit.
Try removing the front bulbs and see if you still get voltage in both circuits in the back
Try removing the front bulbs and see if you still get voltage in both circuits in the back
I live closer Mark, let me take a look......
Dan, I recently (last winter) nearly drove myself looney attempting to do the EXACT same thing you are attempting on a 1969 Triumph Spitfire.
STOP !! No looney jokes, please. You too, Denise.
for safety, disconnect the negative battery terminal as you work on the individual circuits. I know it is a PITA, but safe beats sorry. Did you clean all of the fuse connections, and replace every fuse with a fresh, new fuse of the correct rating?
DO NOT attempt to solve all of the circuits at the same time. Instead, remember that you have front/rear turnsignals and front/rear parking lights. You have rear only brakes and rear only reverse lights. you have front only head lights. Each circuit needs a clean ground. All lighting circuits on your vehicle consume 12 volts; if you test less than 12 volts, you prolly have a dirty connection somewhere in the circuit. If there is more than one bulb on a circuit...all bulbs in the circuit must be clean and not burned out in order for the circuit to work correctly.
Buy some new bulbs and replace those 28 year old things. the few dollars you spend on KNOWN new bulbs will be worth the time and effort to install them. Other than burned out bulbs, dirty ground connections are the next biggest culprit in a faulty light circuit.
buy an inexpensive multimeter at Radio Shack. It will be worth the money in the long run. You will need it for other projects on the Spider soon. You'll use the volt/DC setting for these tests. Substitute it for a test light. Any circuit that provides under 10 volts is suspect of a dirty connection, eventually worth tracking down. Of course, 12 volts would be ideal. But zero is a dead giveaway that you have issues.....
If you do not have a correct year, full, clear wiring diagram, take the time to get one.
pick one and only one circuit, and get it to function properly across the entire car before proceeding to the next circuit. Do not get discouraged if you find that your work on circuit #3 disturbs something you thought you had accomplished on circuit #1, retrace your steps to find the break in the circuit.
Wiring can be very stressful, if you let it. Tight, clean, solid connections using unquestionable wire will result in years of faithful service. Work slowly and deliberately at each corner of the car for each circuit.
I promise that inside a week you will get EVERY light circuit to function 100% properly without losing your temper if you approach it methodically, and slowly.
Dan, I recently (last winter) nearly drove myself looney attempting to do the EXACT same thing you are attempting on a 1969 Triumph Spitfire.
STOP !! No looney jokes, please. You too, Denise.
for safety, disconnect the negative battery terminal as you work on the individual circuits. I know it is a PITA, but safe beats sorry. Did you clean all of the fuse connections, and replace every fuse with a fresh, new fuse of the correct rating?
DO NOT attempt to solve all of the circuits at the same time. Instead, remember that you have front/rear turnsignals and front/rear parking lights. You have rear only brakes and rear only reverse lights. you have front only head lights. Each circuit needs a clean ground. All lighting circuits on your vehicle consume 12 volts; if you test less than 12 volts, you prolly have a dirty connection somewhere in the circuit. If there is more than one bulb on a circuit...all bulbs in the circuit must be clean and not burned out in order for the circuit to work correctly.
Buy some new bulbs and replace those 28 year old things. the few dollars you spend on KNOWN new bulbs will be worth the time and effort to install them. Other than burned out bulbs, dirty ground connections are the next biggest culprit in a faulty light circuit.
buy an inexpensive multimeter at Radio Shack. It will be worth the money in the long run. You will need it for other projects on the Spider soon. You'll use the volt/DC setting for these tests. Substitute it for a test light. Any circuit that provides under 10 volts is suspect of a dirty connection, eventually worth tracking down. Of course, 12 volts would be ideal. But zero is a dead giveaway that you have issues.....
If you do not have a correct year, full, clear wiring diagram, take the time to get one.
pick one and only one circuit, and get it to function properly across the entire car before proceeding to the next circuit. Do not get discouraged if you find that your work on circuit #3 disturbs something you thought you had accomplished on circuit #1, retrace your steps to find the break in the circuit.
Wiring can be very stressful, if you let it. Tight, clean, solid connections using unquestionable wire will result in years of faithful service. Work slowly and deliberately at each corner of the car for each circuit.
I promise that inside a week you will get EVERY light circuit to function 100% properly without losing your temper if you approach it methodically, and slowly.
I will get right on that, that's one thing i haven't replaced, they all looked good and I cleaned the connections, but I'll take your advice on this one.mbouse wrote:I live closer Mark, let me take a look......
Dan, I recently (last winter) nearly drove myself looney attempting to do the EXACT same thing you are attempting on a 1969 Triumph Spitfire.
STOP !! No looney jokes, please. You too, Denise.
for safety, disconnect the negative battery terminal as you work on the individual circuits. I know it is a PITA, but safe beats sorry. Did you clean all of the fuse connections, and replace every fuse with a fresh, new fuse of the correct rating?
I don't have any 28 year old bulbs. I have only NEW LEDs. The only exceptions to this are the side markers in the front and the back.DO NOT attempt to solve all of the circuits at the same time. Instead, remember that you have front/rear turnsignals and front/rear parking lights. You have rear only brakes and rear only reverse lights. you have front only head lights. Each circuit needs a clean ground. All lighting circuits on your vehicle consume 12 volts; if you test less than 12 volts, you prolly have a dirty connection somewhere in the circuit. If there is more than one bulb on a circuit...all bulbs in the circuit must be clean and not burned out in order for the circuit to work correctly.
Buy some new bulbs and replace those 28 year old things. the few dollars you spend on KNOWN new bulbs will be worth the time and effort to install them. Other than burned out bulbs, dirty ground connections are the next biggest culprit in a faulty light circuit.
I have a super suite digital multimeter/ohmeter that I got at wal-mart at the time I started needing to test my ignition parts.buy an inexpensive multimeter at Radio Shack. It will be worth the money in the long run. You will need it for other projects on the Spider soon. You'll use the volt/DC setting for these tests. Substitute it for a test light. Any circuit that provides under 10 volts is suspect of a dirty connection, eventually worth tracking down. Of course, 12 volts would be ideal. But zero is a dead giveaway that you have issues.....
I do have the wiring diagram, so i should be good to go there.If you do not have a correct year, full, clear wiring diagram, take the time to get one.
Let's hope you are right. But am I hearing this correctly...there are no low voltage connections, the tail-lights were accomplished with a separate bulb from the brake lights?pick one and only one circuit, and get it to function properly across the entire car before proceeding to the next circuit. Do not get discouraged if you find that your work on circuit #3 disturbs something you thought you had accomplished on circuit #1, retrace your steps to find the break in the circuit.
Wiring can be very stressful, if you let it. Tight, clean, solid connections using unquestionable wire will result in years of faithful service. Work slowly and deliberately at each corner of the car for each circuit.
I promise that inside a week you will get EVERY light circuit to function 100% properly without losing your temper if you approach it methodically, and slowly.
If by front TS/park lamps you mean the ones that were on my bumper (which is in Canada) and now they (the lamps) live somewhere in New Zealand or something, then I think they are ok. If you mean the side marker lights up on the fender then i'll have to get back to you, but I think they are fine too.So Cal Mark wrote:the front ts/park lamps. I'm trying to figure out why you're getting current in both rear circuits at the same time? It's hard to see from this distance though! Shocked
Thats right, Dan 12volts or nothin. Im partial to using a test light, or maybee a old socket and bulb for the testing. And for test purposes it does not matter what fuse is in it, just as long as it has good contact in the fuse box. It would have been easier to get it workin with the bulbs, then switch it over.