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TR6 Tachometer lighting

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FR Burkhart

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I can't get the two tachometer lights to work. Other dashboard lights (speedometer, gauges) work but I can't get the 2 on the tach to work. The sockets are a single wire and I can get the bulbs to light outside of the tach if I hold a ground to the bulb socket. Also on a voltmeter,I get 6+ volts when touching the center contact with the one point and ground with the other.

I have run a ground wire from the tach to a ground connection using one of the posts for attaching the tach. Is there a trick on how to ground the tach. It would be great to replace the sockets with a two wire connector but I can't locate any sockets that would work.

The tach is still in the dash so getting my hands around is a challenge but doable.

Suggestions, where to go. Thanks to all who have an idea that would get me some light on the tach.

Thank all,
Frank Burkhart
 
There should be a factory ground wire to the speedo and tach. Often the cheasy sockets do not get a good connection with the bulbs...or the led at the tip of the bulb wear and won't make a consistent connection with the brass blade.
 
CJD said:
There should be a factory ground wire to the speedo and tach. Often the cheasy sockets do not get a good connection with the bulbs...or the led at the tip of the bulb wear and won't make a consistent connection with the brass blade.
Click to expand...
No loose wire but maybe I can feel around where a wire was attached. A 2 wire connection would be so much easier but I can't find any sockets that would fit. Thank you for the information - I will crawl around tomorrow.
 
Have you tried setting your VOM to continuity and checking from a good ground source to the back of the tach case? That should tell you if the case is truly grounded.
 
Agreeing with CJD:
Those 2 shovel clamps holding the big gauges also provide a ground to the metal dash behind the wooden...make sure the ground eyelet is under one of the thumb screws for the shovel clamp
Shovel Clamp 001.JPG

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Great advice. I will check for continuity today. I did attach a wire to one of the shovel clamps with an additional nut. Obviously, didn't do something right. At least all the advice tells me that I need to correct the ground.

Thank you all.
 
Bottom line - it was a bad ground. I ran a new ground cable from one of the posts behind the shovel clamp, secured between 2 nuts. I wound up pulling the tach out to make sure all the connections were good and the lights worked.

Thank you all for the help and advice.
 
Thanks for the update. Glad you got it fixed.
 
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