Headlight Connundrum!

[Pilotdave]

I've run into an interesting situation with one of the headlights on our Tudor. We have parking lights, no cowl lights. I believe that we have an original light switch in good condition: no visible cracks, all contacts okay, no oil in the light switch. Left parking light won't light.

Here are the test results I am finding:

1. Trying to bring the left parking light back to life, I found that if the HEADLIGHT BULB is inserted in one orientation, IT comes on with the right parking light when I turn on parking lights.
2. If I rotate the left headlight bulb 180*, it works properly as a headlight and the left parking light doesn't work. The locking tabs on this bulb are at the same level - not offset.
3. I have checked the left parking light ground - it's good.
4. Left parking light works if I jump around the light switch.
5. I believe that I have continuity from what I believe is the parking light contact in the light switch to the hot side of the left parking light socket.

So....a couple of questions for you A electrical system wizards:

A. Does the behavior described in 1. and 2. make sense?

B. Should the headlight bulb locking tabs be offset?

C. Any suggestions for solving the parking light behavior described in 3.-5.?

Thanks for any ideas!

 

[CWPASADENA]

I've run into an interesting situation with one of the headlights on our Tudor. We have parking lights, no cowl lights. I believe that we have an original light switch in good condition: no visible cracks, all contacts okay, no oil in the light switch. Left parking light won't light.

Here are the test results I am finding:

1. Trying to bring the left parking light back to life, I found that if the HEADLIGHT BULB is inserted in one orientation, IT comes on with the right parking light when I turn on parking lights.
2. If I rotate the left headlight bulb 180*, it works properly as a headlight and the left parking light doesn't work. The locking tabs on this bulb are at the same level - not offset.
3. I have checked the left parking light ground - it's good.
4. Left parking light works if I jump around the light switch.
5. I believe that I have continuity from what I believe is the parking light contact in the light switch to the hot side of the left parking light socket.

So....a couple of questions for you A electrical system wizards:

A. Does the behavior described in 1. and 2. make sense?

B. Should the headlight bulb locking tabs be offset?

C. Any suggestions for solving the parking light behavior described in 3.-5.?

Thanks for any ideas!

IF YOU HAVE A GOOD GROUND, Check the orentation of the wires in the plug for that Headlight Shell. There is a small insulator that the wires from the chassis fit into that makes up part of the plug that plugs into the headlite shell. These wires can fit in any of three positions. If the person who assembled this plug got the wires in the wrong position, what you have will occure. No tools are required to take this "Plug" apart and re-orentate the wires. Also, the "Grove" in the insulatior may not be lined up properly with the "Tang" in the head light shell. This is not an uncommon situation. I think Les Anderews has this information in his manuals.

Let us know what you find out,

Chris

 

[Pilotdave]

Chris, I will check the wiring at the headlight shell. Thanks for the tip. Will let you know what I discover!

 

[Pilotdave]

Re: Headlight Connundrum - New Questions!

Update on my headlight issue:

Determined that the arrangement of the three wires in the headlight wire plug was incorrect. However, the socket into which the plug fits raises some new questions:

1. The socket indentation for the plug is different than I expected. Rather than a single indentation sized to fit the small groove in the plug, there are two rather small points that protrude into the socket and perhaps are meant to function as the indentation or indentations. Each is less than 1/16" across and the two are separated by about 3/16". Is this what I should have found, or am I looking at a deficient repro part?

2. The three contacts inside the socket are nearly touching when the springs are uncompressed. Two of the contacts do touch. With the springs compressed, there is some separation, but the contacts appear to be closer together than the brass ends on the wires in the socket. Am I imagining this, or, again, is this a deficient part?

A related third question:

3. I note in one catalog that the distance from the back of the headlight wire plug to the ends of the brass wire tips should be 11/16" to avoid bowing the socket springs. Mine are 13/16". Is this an issue that I should correct while I have the headlight pulled apart? The brass wire tips appear to be repros in that the ends are not flat.

 

[Pilotdave]

I'm trying to add a couple of pictures that might add to the description in my previous post. Quality isn't too high, but maybe these will help explain what I am seeing.
First, here is the headlight wire plug with its 3 wires:

The aftermarket wire tips are pretty easy to see; catalog photos suggest these should be flat and shorter.

Next is the headlight wire socket. You should be able to see the two dimples at 11:00 or so. I was expecting there to be an indent that would mesh with the plug groove - these dimples are as close as the socket gets to an indentation. The contacts are harder to see, but the bottom two are touching with the springs in the uncompressed position.

Thanks in advance for any advice that may be out there!

 

[CarlG]

I've read several places that the headlight wiring socket at the base of the bucket was NOT one of Henry's better ideas. Most of what I have seen (and on my own rig as well) is to eliminate the connector altogether and run your wires up into the bucket and make the connections there. Mine are done with the bullet connectors, but I've seen some that are even soldered.

 

[Pilotdave]

Carl, thanks for your suggestion. That would certainly be a solution! Before I go that route, I'd like to see if I can make Henry's idea work....though I can see several possible points of failure with it.