Ron Hood scribed:>
> 2) Is it typical for cars using Lucas electrics to "melt down"
> various (expensive) components?
> I've had to replace the dimmer switch because the high-beam
> contacts got so hot that they softened the body of the switch
> and recessed themselves to the point of inoperability. During
> the replacement I found that the wires feeding the switch had
> also melted, but not to where I couldn't reuse them.
Well I'm glad someone else had some questions about that. I had a
similar thing happen to my light switch on my '77 MGB. Although it did
not do a coplete meltdown. I just took some freon and cleaned it up real
well put it all back together and it has not given me any problems
since. What I'm thinking is that because we drive our cars with the top
down most of the time, that we subject our electricals to more dust and
dirt than most cars receive, that and the electricals are sealed less
than desirable. So the extra dirt and what-not causes that resistance to
increase in the contacts which would cause an even greater amount of
current to flow through the wires and switches.
Just a theory, not fact, I'm by no means an expert on these things. The
above was just one of my experiences, so your mileage may vary.
Bruce...
"I value little my own opinions, but value just as little those of others."
-- Montaigne
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