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Bret

Bret

Yoda
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Ok I’m a little miffed right now. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Earlier this month I broke down and ordered a new dash light dimmer (rheostat) switch from Victoria British. I’d tried a generic switch I found at work but it just didn’t look right. And for those of you that don’t know these little switches aren’t cheap with a slight price edge going to VB over Moss. But VB still charges about $70 a pop for these little goodies.

Anyway I finally had some free time to install the new switch. Placing it next to the old switch I compared the two by measured across the terminals with my trusty ohm meter. Well the old one at one end measured about 24ohms and 0.5ohms at the other. The new switch measured 10ohms at one end and worked its way down to about 0.5ohms and then opened up! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif AGGGG! The last 8th of the rheostats’ swing was open. I swear I could just spit tacks right now I’m so mad! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Now I got to go through all the trouble of returning the defective (translated as cheap) switch to VB and hope I get a full refund. And in case anybody asks – NO I will not be purchasing another one. I will try to find something else.
 
Brett - I have several used ones
 
*sigh* You already know MY opinion of Counterfeit Cottage Industry parts they're foisting off on us.

GRRRRR... Just more grist for th' mill.
 
Bret, I feel your pain. I went through the same song and dance with a turn signal / headlamp dip switch on one of my Midgets. Finally I adapted a NOS Lucas switch from a "B" and haven't had any trouble after five years or so. Imagine, Lucas for reliability!
I sincerely wish there was something that we, as owners and potential customers, could do to at least get the quality of these "knock offs" up to snuff. My gut feeling is that the volume suppliers just don't care enough to do it on their own.
Jeff
 
I wonder if it can be opened up and have a little electronic surgery done to it. Ohmmeter should peg out at the end of the turn!
 
I would like to suggest you try an electronics wholesaler. They have a ton of reastats and some are that small. You can get the ohms you need too. Radio Shack used to have that kind of thing but not now.
 
Hey Bret, Had the same problem with my '76B, I went to the local parts store and got a headlight dimmer for a Ford it cost $12.00 bucks, I tucked it up in the dash and it works fine. I always have my dash lights up all the way so it doesn't matter, all you have to do is find the hot and ground on the dimmer and it should work fine. Not pure but cheaper than the $75.00 for a new one! Good luck Mack /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
Thanks anyway Tony, I'll be returning the old unit on Monday.

But for now I cleaned up the old one a little & re-installed it. Seems to be a little brighter now after a good scrubbing with some contact cleaner.

Worst case I figure I'll go with a generic rheostat. The trick is to find one with a shaft that will allow me to keep the original dimmer knob. Either way I’ll save about $60 over the inferior unit I am returning.
 
I also had a disappointing experience wit MOSS recently(alothugh not the first time, and definatly not the last)...I ordered new door caps for my MGA(the wooden trim part that goes on top of the door) becasue my old ones needed recovering and turned out to be a little rotten....so I decided since I've already got them off nows the time to order new ones....Well when I got them they were completely wrong! The end that the metal curved peice fits to wasn't cut square, and the hole for the side curtain post wasn't centered properly.....I wound up fixing my old ones and using them, so now I've got an extra set of $25.00(x2) useless wooden sticks.
 
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