The good news is, I messed around with the wiring and found the that was keeping my headlights from working! Bad news is, now that they work, the power wire the comes out of the switch and goes to the light gets EXTREMELY hot. Like fire hazard hot. Is that normal??? What would cause that and how can I fix that? Thanks.
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Matt,
First of all, I hope you disconnect the battery right away.
When you have a hot wire regardless what system it is coming from, means a short. In a short period of time, a fire can start with toxic smoke and your car can be pile of burning sheet metal.
Don't do anything more on your car until you get a shop manual and can trace the wiring from the power source at the battery to the switch. This is for your own good. Some where along tracing the wiring according to the diagram you may have a short that is causing the problem with the switch. Do you have a voltmeter to test the circuit? -
I do have a volt meter, I’ll start going over the system tomorrow. I didn’t disconnect the battery because it only gets hot when the headlight switch is turned on, and when I’m pressing on a certain spot on the switch (the switch is pretty shot, I’m ordering a replacement). A friend told me it could be bad grounds? It only gets hot when I jiggle the switch around and the lights themselves come on.Originally posted by 6hk71400 View PostMatt,
First of all, I hope you disconnect the battery right away. When you have a hot wire regardless what system it is coming from, means a short. In a short period of time, a fire can start with toxic smoke and your car can be pile of burning sheet metal.
Don't do anything more on your car until you get a shop manual and can trace the wiring from the power source at the battery to the switch. This is for your own good. Some where along tracing the wiring according to the diagram you may have a short that is causing the problem with the switch. Do you have a voltmeter to test the circuit?Comment
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It sounds like you have a loose or corroded connection either in the switch itself or the connection going to the switch. I doubt that you have a ground problem but it wouldn't hurt to clean them up anyway. You didn't say what year your car is but the newest Studebaker is approaching 60 years old so connections and the contacts inside of switches do get corroded and worn causing a resistance which causes things to get hot. The switch and its connections may get a bit warm but too hot to touch is not good. Also check the dimmer switch as they have caused problems too. Are the headlights bright when they are working or are they dim which would either indicate a short in the wiring or like I said corroded or loose connections. BudComment
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…and yes, PLEASE immediately disconnect the battery.Comment
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Agree with Bud's analysis. In older cars, all the power to the headlights went thru the headlight switch, and over the years the contacts will degrade. That's why even back in the forties you could get headlight relays so only the power to 'switch' the relay would go thru the headlight switch and dimmer switch. They were advertised to brighten up your headlights. In recent decades, headlight relays have been recommended when higher power-draw halogen headlights are installed in older vehicles. Now, with the LED headlights for vintage cars coming onto the market, it's not so much of an issue anymore.Paul
Winston-Salem, NC
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As stated by Paul in post # 6, I have always utilized good quality relays produced by good companies such as Marchal or Hella from Europe. This was partially mandated due to the fact I was using extremely high output bulbs in order to achieve the highest amount of illumination possible (I was in sales doing a lot of travelling at night) in order to identify and avoid animals. One of these is my 60 year old GT Hawk so I know it works.
Here is a 40 amp unit:- Home
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Bill
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It’s a 1953 Champion. I don’t think the dimmer switch is the problem because when I pressed it it does switch from low beams to high beams so it’s still working 🤷♂️Originally posted by Bud View PostComment
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The 70 year old cloth wrapped wiring may be part of the problem too.Comment
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Headlight relays are a good idea as they will take the load off of the headlight switch, dimmer switch and associated wiring. I have relays in both my 62 GT and 63 Avanti and the relays have not only made the headlights brighter, but the tail and instrument lights are brighter due to the load of the headlights being taken off of the headlight switch. I don't believe you can get Bosch style relays in 6 volts, but a search of EBAY will usually turn up an NORS 6 volt dual relay meant for headlights. BudComment
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How would one wire the relay into the system?Originally posted by Bud View PostComment
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This should help. https://www.danielsternlighting.com/...ys/relays.html
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The ONE thing that we do know for sure, regardless of Why, is that you have WAY too high Resistance in the headlight Circuit !
That is why you have been told that Poor connections, undersize wires, a poor, high resistance Headlight Switch, wrong Headlights etc. are the likely cause.
One simple test for the Low beam Circuit and Dimmer Switch, is try in on High Beam a couple minutes and see it the wire changes Temp.StudeRich
Second Generation Stude Driver,
Proud '54 Starliner Owner
SDC Member Since 1967Comment
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Wiring a relay into the headlight system is easy. You need one wire going directly to the battery. The main lead on the starter solenoid id a good spot to get that and then the two wires going to the low and high beams are disconnected from the headlights and connected to two terminals on the relays and the other two terminals get connected to the low and high beams on the headlights. The terminals on the relay will be marked so you shouldn't have a problem. There should be fuses inside of the relay so you don't need to worry about that. BudComment
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So if the Load is now coming from the Battery, that will save the headlight Switch and it's circuit from being overloaded, BUT, I would NOT like the Ammeter to be out of the Circuit, because it will no longer read the Headlight Discharge.
StudeRich
Second Generation Stude Driver,
Proud '54 Starliner Owner
SDC Member Since 1967Comment
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Disconnect the battery. Replace the wire-I like to go one size larger as car companies use the minimum so to replace a no. 18 wire go 16. Try to avoid Al wire-- use Cu if at all possible. Try to use the correct color too so you do not confuse the next owner. Clean up all connections as resistance= heat. Like Rich says wire it up correctly.Comment
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