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Headlights wont turn off! Hellpp

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Newkie

Newkie

Jedi Trainee
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To make a long story short, I had a <span style="font-weight: bold">short</span> when re-installing my lights after a paint job. I melted one of the front side light wires when I put connected the wires wrong initially, and at the same time, saw smoke coming out of the steering column.
Anyways, I thought everything was fine other than the one side light not working.
I can only get the lights to go out if I unplug the wires. I noticed it wouldnt go from high beam to low at first, so I kept them on high beam when I needed lights. Yesterday, I drove it and realized the lights werent going out when I turned them off and the horn wasnt working. I know I had the lights hooked up properly up until yesterday. I figure the short was the problem for the high and low beam situation. Any suggestions? I do have a voltage meter, even though not real confident with my skills when using it.
I see a little bit of melt on the back of the headlight swith by the way.
Like I said, I could go on and on.
Thanks

Newkie
 
Need to disconnect the battery, and get under the dash and look at all the wiring. Make sure none of it is melted together. Could just be the switch, but I've seen melted wiring and it ain't pretty. Mostly because of the fact that there are live wires even with the car turned off. Could start a fire if it's shorted bad. And then when that's fixed, look for the diagram to add a couple of relays to the lighting circuit. It takes all the heavy current load off of the switch.
 
I could'nt find any wire melted under the dash except for one of the connector sleeve on one of the wires going to the switch. I hope its just the switch. That might account for at least why the lights wont turn off. I might try to figure out if its bad or not with my non- electrical expertise...

Newkie
 
Not likely the switch. just unplug it and see if the lights go out. I think you will be removing the tape that holds the wires together and hunting for the melted wires. I hope its the switch but would guess not. Bob
 
Also put a kill switch in the main ground line from the battery to the chassis. The headlights work even with the key off and with the problem you just had i would do the kill switch first. ALL my MG's have kill switches because they have generators and voltage regulators. If one of the circuits in the voltage regulator of a early car stay closed the wiring harness will start to melt very fast and could burn your house down. Gotta love those MG's! Bob
 
Look to the dimmer switch in that cowl, too!! I'm bettin' there's melted wires in there.
 
I melted 2 headlight switches in my car before I got one big enough to handle the load. PO switch was one of those cheap toggles that come with cheap fog-lights at wal-mart. Drove home one night while holding a tootpick into the hole left behind by the melted toggle. Went in search of a new switch the next day. I've got the relays to do a better setup, just haven't gotten around to it yet.
 
DrEntropy said:
Look to the dimmer switch in that cowl, too!! I'm bettin' there's melted wires in there.
Click to expand...

Dimmer switch seems to be alright. It does dim, but I havent actually looked at the wires behind the dash going to it. I have noticed the high beam light on the dash stays on, and actually fluctuates in light intensity when I honk the horn(probably just because of the draw in electricity). The switch for the headlights work for the rear tail lights though. I must have this thing wired wrong, thats all I can think of now. I do have the diagram, and everything seems right, and the lights all worked until today. The lights do go to high beam and low beam with the light switch, not the turn signal lever.
I will give it a few more tries, plus use your suggestions. After that, I will take it over to John Twist and let him work his $$magic$$

Newkie
 
Newkie said:
To make a long story short, I had a <span style="font-weight: bold">short</span> when re-installing my lights after a paint job. I melted one of the front side light wires when I put connected the wires wrong initially, and at the same time, saw smoke coming out of the steering column.
Anyways, I thought everything was fine other than the one side light not working.
I can only get the lights to go out if I unplug the wires. I noticed it wouldnt go from high beam to low at first, so I kept them on high beam when I needed lights. Yesterday, I drove it and realized the lights werent going out when I turned them off and the horn wasnt working. I know I had the lights hooked up properly up until yesterday. I figure the short was the problem for the high and low beam situation. Any suggestions? I do have a voltage meter, even though not real confident with my skills when using it.
I see a little bit of melt on the back of the headlight swith by the way.
Like I said, I could go on and on.
Thanks

Newkie
Click to expand...

What's the model year of your car? What color was the melted wire? Due to a short in the blue wire circuit, another B owner burned up two headlight switches. He fixed the short and his third switch is just fine.
 
My Midget started doing the same kind of thing this morning.
My problem seems to be in the dimmer switch area, but the lights were staying on bright with the headlight switch off when I would move the dimmer switch to Bright. Very disconcerting. I hadn't driven the car in over a week, which is odd for my Midget (I usually drive it every day).
I fiddled with the dimmer switch until things started working right - would a couple shots of contact cleaner in there do any harm?
 
Its a 73B roadster.
At the moment, something is pulling the current out of the car. The High Beam light indicator stays on, and my battery is drained in no time?

Newkie
 
Are the headlights on?
 
RickB said:
Are the headlights on?
Click to expand...
No. All the wires to the lights are disconnected, and the wires to the headlight switch are unplugged.
I am almost thinking its the horn, because when I honk the horn, the high beam indicator fluctuates in intensity.

Newkie
 
Dr e was on target . unplug the signal switch which also has the horn wires in the same loom and see what happens. Never let the smoke out of the harness! Its a very important part of the function. bob
 
By all means keep the magic smoke in compressed form, it does a much better job that way.

My problem is definitely in the bright/dim part of the dimmer switch.
It is designed to put the lights on bright by pulling the handle back, that part has become very sensitive for some reason and wants to engage, of course it is always hot so it will turn the bright lights on whether the car is running or not.
That may be why some have posed that your problem may lie there.
 
ah HA! That's your problem, Rick! You said your problem is with the bright/dim part of the switch.

Obviously, you have a counterfeit switch.

Genuine Lucas switches sre Three (3) position:

Dim

Flicker

Off


OK, I'll go away now.

Colin
 
Forgot to mention, I get plenty of good old NOS LUCAS flickering & wisps of smoke that emanate from the switch itself!

Other drivers would most likely be annoyed by my lights except that when they come on bright they really are only almost noticeably ON!!!
 
I used to drive with the high beams on all the time. Not a single flash from other cars.
 
My dazzle beam used to be out on the left...

And my dipped beam was out on the right...

Didn't drive much at night but I always wondered what the reaction was from oncoming drivers before it was fixed
grin.gif


Like 2 motorbikes messing around :devilgrin:
 
You're eeevile.


...I like it!



Newkie, what I was saying: I am of the opinion the column switch/wiring harness has suffer'd some damage.
 
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