Are my switches bad
#1
11-05-2008, 07:59 PM
#2
11-06-2008, 12:56 AM
Post Fiend
Hi Pappy,
It's a little too late to get into possibilities tonight, but I wanted to write quick note to let you know I saw your post, write a response to bump it back to the top, and we can get into it tomorrow.
In a nutshell, if everything was working fine before, I doubt it's the switches. Water can elliminate grounds and create/complete shorts and that's probably where the problem lies.
If you can collect and get back to me on the post with some additional info, I'll be back to help tomorrow.
First, 53 F-100 right? Original 6 volt or 12 volt conversion? All stock switches and wiper motor? I forget if the wiper motor is under the dash or on the engine compartment firewall? Also, please make a couple specific notes (no need to post this stuff) about what lights are coming on and going off - running, parking, headlights, brake lights? At the same times or independently? Lastly is the truck rewired or is the original cloth backed wire in it.
Talk to yo tomorrow!
Julie
It's a little too late to get into possibilities tonight, but I wanted to write quick note to let you know I saw your post, write a response to bump it back to the top, and we can get into it tomorrow.
In a nutshell, if everything was working fine before, I doubt it's the switches. Water can elliminate grounds and create/complete shorts and that's probably where the problem lies.
If you can collect and get back to me on the post with some additional info, I'll be back to help tomorrow.
First, 53 F-100 right? Original 6 volt or 12 volt conversion? All stock switches and wiper motor? I forget if the wiper motor is under the dash or on the engine compartment firewall? Also, please make a couple specific notes (no need to post this stuff) about what lights are coming on and going off - running, parking, headlights, brake lights? At the same times or independently? Lastly is the truck rewired or is the original cloth backed wire in it.
Talk to yo tomorrow!
Julie
#4
11-06-2008, 11:15 AM
Hey Julie, yes it is a 53 and the wiper motor has been switched to 12 volt electric. It is under the dash. It was switched to 12 volt by someone already when I purchased the truck. I do not see any cloth covered wiring but some of it looks old and brittle. I plan to rewire in the summer. Just trying to get by till then. The only lights that go out is the dash lights. I can wiggle the **** and turn it and get them to come back on. I am assuming the switches were switched out for 12 volt when it was converted.
#5
11-06-2008, 12:10 PM
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11-06-2008, 12:51 PM
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#9
11-07-2008, 01:27 PM
Post Fiend
OK, Wow, see what happens if I go out and work for a day! It's nice to be loved.
These sound like seperate problems, headlight switch first: the headlight switch works by pulling the **** which moves a contact slide inside the switch. It's a simple contact switch and the only thing that is impacted by conversion from 6 to 12 volt is the rheostat that dims the instrument lights...Light just won't dim, they go off at the end of the turn.
Let me post a picture of the switch and please disregard the other items on the slide:
Ok! As you can see there are two places where power comes into the switch. You can also see that there is a bridge from the "Running Lights" post to the rheostat that dims the instrument lights. That's a hard shunt type of bridge installed at the factory.
If your interior lights flicker when you move the **** then you have an intermittent contact somewhere on that circuit. That means that 1) you have a loose wire on one of the power inputs; 2) you have a loose wire on the other side of the rheostat that actually goes up to the instrument lights; 3) the contact tit inside the switch on the slide is worn either at the running lights post or the power feed post; and/or 4) the actual post that the wire is clamp screwed onto is loose in it's mounting on the "Bakelite" top of the switch.
So, unless you know how to take these apart and fix that stuff you have two alternatives. First, check that your wire hook ups are secure at the "power in" points, and the instrument lights out post. Be sure to check where the wires connect to the connectors too. If they are clean and tight, you need a new switch. Get a switch for a 56 as it is has the 12 volt rheostat for the instrument lights, and your original F1 ****/shaft will fit in it (keeping your dash look original.
Now, Wipers!
You can't convert a 6 volt motor to 12 volt (well you can but it's not easy so for the sake of this discussion lets say you can't). So, your previous owner (cringe!!!!!
) either had to install a 12 volt motor on the wipers, or he had to install a device to reduce the voltage to 6 volts. That would be done with something called a Vol-ta-drop. Here's a picture of one:
Now this is where this gets a little stick because I don't know how your wipers are wired (I know how they are supposed to be wired , but...). There is a "Parking Motor" in the wiper motor that allows it to continue to run after you turn the switch to the "off" position. All it is is a metal rotating cam that has it's lobe at the position where the wipers need to stop, and it breaks contact to interupt the flow of electricity through the motor. When your switch is on it provides power all the time through another contact point. Normally, there are three wires going from the switch to the wiper motor: 1) low speed; 2) high speed; and 3) park power. A couple things can be happening here. 1) the contacts for the switch have worn (or burned) to the point where they are always making contact; or 2) the eccentricity of the parking motor cam is not breaking contact. This usually happens if it is worn; it is damaged or bent; OR THE MOTOR IS GETTING TOO HOT BECAUSE OF A VOLTAGE CONVERSION and the mounts for the points are stretching to perminent contact.
Heater Motor Switches and Wiper Switches are the two things that are generally intollerant of 6 to 12 volt conversions. Chances are the switch is still the 6 volt model.
In your case, and this is just speculation - not being there. I would venture to say try a new switch first. Get an El Cheepo at Kragen and see if it continues to do this. If that fixes it you can get a 12 volt dash correct switch from the politically correct parts places. If it doesn't then chances are you are going to have to replace your wiper motor. And I recommend Newport Engineering for that. It might be something to consider anyway. It's about a $250 expense unless you want delay wipers (like I have) then you will have to buy a delay switch for about $75-$80. But, it will work right.
New Port Engineering - Home of the Clean Wipe Wiper-Drive
I'll bop on over to the your heater post now and look at that.
Good luck, and feel free to ask if you need more help!
J!
Newport
These sound like seperate problems, headlight switch first: the headlight switch works by pulling the **** which moves a contact slide inside the switch. It's a simple contact switch and the only thing that is impacted by conversion from 6 to 12 volt is the rheostat that dims the instrument lights...Light just won't dim, they go off at the end of the turn.
Let me post a picture of the switch and please disregard the other items on the slide:
Ok! As you can see there are two places where power comes into the switch. You can also see that there is a bridge from the "Running Lights" post to the rheostat that dims the instrument lights. That's a hard shunt type of bridge installed at the factory.
If your interior lights flicker when you move the **** then you have an intermittent contact somewhere on that circuit. That means that 1) you have a loose wire on one of the power inputs; 2) you have a loose wire on the other side of the rheostat that actually goes up to the instrument lights; 3) the contact tit inside the switch on the slide is worn either at the running lights post or the power feed post; and/or 4) the actual post that the wire is clamp screwed onto is loose in it's mounting on the "Bakelite" top of the switch.
So, unless you know how to take these apart and fix that stuff you have two alternatives. First, check that your wire hook ups are secure at the "power in" points, and the instrument lights out post. Be sure to check where the wires connect to the connectors too. If they are clean and tight, you need a new switch. Get a switch for a 56 as it is has the 12 volt rheostat for the instrument lights, and your original F1 ****/shaft will fit in it (keeping your dash look original.
Now, Wipers!
You can't convert a 6 volt motor to 12 volt (well you can but it's not easy so for the sake of this discussion lets say you can't). So, your previous owner (cringe!!!!!
) either had to install a 12 volt motor on the wipers, or he had to install a device to reduce the voltage to 6 volts. That would be done with something called a Vol-ta-drop. Here's a picture of one:Now this is where this gets a little stick because I don't know how your wipers are wired (I know how they are supposed to be wired , but...). There is a "Parking Motor" in the wiper motor that allows it to continue to run after you turn the switch to the "off" position. All it is is a metal rotating cam that has it's lobe at the position where the wipers need to stop, and it breaks contact to interupt the flow of electricity through the motor. When your switch is on it provides power all the time through another contact point. Normally, there are three wires going from the switch to the wiper motor: 1) low speed; 2) high speed; and 3) park power. A couple things can be happening here. 1) the contacts for the switch have worn (or burned) to the point where they are always making contact; or 2) the eccentricity of the parking motor cam is not breaking contact. This usually happens if it is worn; it is damaged or bent; OR THE MOTOR IS GETTING TOO HOT BECAUSE OF A VOLTAGE CONVERSION and the mounts for the points are stretching to perminent contact.
Heater Motor Switches and Wiper Switches are the two things that are generally intollerant of 6 to 12 volt conversions. Chances are the switch is still the 6 volt model.
In your case, and this is just speculation - not being there. I would venture to say try a new switch first. Get an El Cheepo at Kragen and see if it continues to do this. If that fixes it you can get a 12 volt dash correct switch from the politically correct parts places. If it doesn't then chances are you are going to have to replace your wiper motor. And I recommend Newport Engineering for that. It might be something to consider anyway. It's about a $250 expense unless you want delay wipers (like I have) then you will have to buy a delay switch for about $75-$80. But, it will work right.
New Port Engineering - Home of the Clean Wipe Wiper-Drive
I'll bop on over to the your heater post now and look at that.
Good luck, and feel free to ask if you need more help!
J!
Newport
