Electrical: Headlight switch positions

[LeoH]

The headlight switch on my 1960 Lark Six Deluxe was wired a certain way, and I don't think it should operate as it does. I do plan to go through the wiring diagram and spaghetti trace the wires to identify which one goes where, but right now when I pull out once, the headlights, front parking lights, ignition and lighter light come on, two, taillights, three, instrument lights come on.

I don't have the 1960 owners manual, just the 59-64 Lark shop manuals on CD, so it tells me how to take out the switch, but not what the switch positions are supposed to operate.

Can I assume that the first position should be parking lights, instrument lights, ignition and lighter light, two, taillight, three, headlight? Are the 59-63 headlight switches wired to operate the same for each position? I do not have a rheostat on the headlight switch in this car.

[LeoH]

I have replaced the switch in this car recently, after purchasing it in April and it started tripping the breaker in it when the headlights were on 'too' long. An hour, maybe? The replacement switch has not done this, but I'm curious if the way my switch has its wires positioned that that might have caused the original switch to kick off the lights after the headlights were on 'too' long?
I did take the original switch out, and completely apart, cleaned, sanded and brightened up any conductive metal in the switch when I put it back together, but that worked for maybe a few weeks and then it started blowing lights again, causing me to get a replacement.
I just wondered if there might be a connection[sic] between the wire placement and the breaker tripping?

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

It's time to replace the breaker.

[StudeRich]

Only '59 to '62 Larks have push-pull Switches and all are different and possibly even Deluxe and Regal differ.

The way I read your post you are saying there are THREE "On" positions on your replacement Switch. I think I recall that you DID get a Stude. Switch from S.I. right?

If this is all true, then it should be:
1. Parking and Tail Lights
2. Headlights and Tail Lights
3. Headlights, Tail Lights and Dash Lights

Someone (you) has connected the Parking Lights to a Dash Lights Terminal so they light like a New Car, both Hd. & Pk. together which is Wrong and cool, but may be overloading the Breaker, it will need a 30 Amp. instead of the 20 Amp. stock breaker.

The simple way to solve this once and for all, is to use your Test Light probe to test all Terminals with the "Batt." wire connected to note which do what in which position.

Then you can make it work correctly as I noted so that you can chose to run with Dash Lights or not.

[brian6373]

If your car has the duel headlight option, it might overload the breaker in the high beam position anyway. I installed a relay so that the high current no longer goes through the headlight switch.

[Warren Webb]

If your car has the duel headlight option, it might overload the breaker in the high beam position anyway. I installed a relay so that the high current no longer goes through the headlight switch.

His car is a 1960 which dual headlamps were not available. 1961 had the dual headlamp system standard on Regal models & optional on deluxe. My 60 Lark & both my Champs have only 2 positions in the headlamp switch. First being for the parking lamps with tail lamps & the second for headlamps & tail lamps.

[pinehurstbob]

Studerich has got it right. The switch in my 60 was working intermittently so I made the mistake of buying a NOS 59 switch which would not fasten to the wire harness without modifications. Found the correct NOS switch for a 60 and it works as described in post 4. I do not think there are 2 switches for 60. My car is a Regal and the replacement NOS switch works fine. Hope this helps.
Bob

[doug]

Do you have correct headlight bulbs or haligens? (however they are spelled)

[WinM1895]

Studerich has got it right. The switch in my 60 was working intermittently so I made the mistake of buying a NOS 59 switch which would not fasten to the wire harness without modifications. Found the correct NOS switch for a 60 and it works as described in post 4. I do not think there are 2 switches for 60. My car is a Regal and the replacement NOS switch works fine.

1549564 .. Headlamp Switch: 1960 Lark.

[LeoH]

Only '59 to '62 Larks have push-pull Switches and all are different and possibly even Deluxe and Regal differ.
The way I read your post you are saying there are THREE "On" positions on your replacement Switch. I think I recall that you DID get a Stude. Switch from S.I. right?

Yes and no. There was a 3 position switch in the car and the replacement switch I got, looks the same and is also a 3 position switch but I got it from a common Stude parts supplier, not SI.

If this is all true, then it should be:
1. Parking and Tail Lights
2. Headlights and Tail Lights
3. Headlights, Tail Lights and Dash Lights

Interesting, that the parking lights were only intended to come on at the first position. That makes sense then that having them on constantly might cause an overload.

Someone (you) has connected the Parking Lights to a Dash Lights Terminal so they light like a New Car, both Hd. & Pk. together which is Wrong and cool, but may be overloading the Breaker, it will need a 30 Amp. instead of the 20 Amp. stock breaker.

Well yeah, (Me) did it because (Me) replaced the wires as they were originally installed by a P.O. and given the condition of the exposed terminal blades, if one did not know how they were supposed to be attached, one would have assumed that they were to be attached as they were.

The simple way to solve this once and for all, is to use your Test Light probe to test all Terminals with the "Batt." wire connected to note which do what in which position. Then you can make it work correctly as I noted so that you can chose to run with Dash Lights or not.

Hmm, I guess the glass half-full way to look at this is I may have ended up buying a switch when I didn't need it and now I have a spare. I do plan to use the original switch by looking at it and as I pull out the knob, see which blades need to be used at the different positions. The new switch is the #1549564.

[LeoH]

Someone (you) has connected the Parking Lights to a Dash Lights Terminal so they light like a New Car, both Hd. & Pk. together which is Wrong and cool, but may be overloading the Breaker, it will need a 30 Amp. instead of the 20 Amp. stock breaker.

Hmm, I took the original switch apart when it first started blowing, but I'll be darned if I saw anything inside the switch body that was rebuildable, or that was burnt or smoked or warped as if it was electrically overloaded, much less anything that was say, 20amp, but could be replaced by a larger piece. Unless that wide brass piece on the slide comes in a thicker version making it a 30 amp?

For now, when it warms up this weekend, Lola needs a bath and while she's outside getting her skin warmed up, I will try to rearrange the wiring positions. I fell off a ladder recently and I'm doing better, but I'm not sure I'm ready to put myself in a Stude dash instrument work body position just yet.

[StudeRich]

/Cut/Interesting, that the parking lights were only intended to come on at the first position. That makes sense then that having them on constantly might cause an overload./Cut/

They do include Tail Lights on for safety. You do know that no one ever even heard of having Both Parking Lights AND Headlights on at once, until when? 1980 maybe?

I am a little surprised that you are surprised by it!

Nowadays I guess it is considered a Safety Item, so you have backup marker lighting when your short lived, expensive, little "Gas" bulbs in the Headlight covers blow out.

[LeoH]

Do you have correct headlight bulbs or haligens? (however they are spelled)

Well, they aren't halogens, that's for sure. It certainly won't hurt to see if they're the ones that are supposed to be in there. I'm pretty sure they are correct, but it doesn't hurt to double check.

[LeoH]

They do include Tail Lights on for safety. You do know that no one ever even heard of having Both Parking Lights AND Headlights on at once, until when? 1980 maybe?

I am a little surprised that you are surprised by it!

I'm trying to think about that and let's see, I had a 67 Bug, after my Lark, and then a 76 Pacer...I don't remember wondering about it back then, but yeah, I did assume that the first position was instrument, parking and running lights and second position was headlights. I think I am only used to 2 position switches and not 3 stops. Regardless, the positions aren't correct now and I'm glad to know there's a likely fix to preventing the lights from blowing out again; if not just the feeling of calm from knowing the lights operate as they were intended. Ohhmmmmm.

Nowadays I guess it is considered a Safety Item, so you have backup marker lighting when your short lived, expensive, little "Gas" bulbs in the Headlight covers blow out.

There was an article in the paper recently about the sticker shock people are getting when their gadgety mirrors get whacked or their bulbs are damaged. They also mentioned the new LED bulbs as hundreds of dollars and a high end Ford truck mirror potentially running you over a grand for a replacement!

[LeoH]

it should be:
1. Parking and Tail Lights
2. Headlights and Tail Lights
3. Headlights, Tail Lights and Dash Lights

Looking at these positions, I think I'd rather have the dash lights on on all 3 positions than the parking lights. I should be able to make that happen, that shouldn't blow the headlights if the original intent was to have the headlights and dash lights on at the same time. First thing though is to get my back in a condition where it'll allow me to play chimpanzee with my hands over my head fiddling with the light switch wires.