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Re:SPITFIRE: Normal dash light behaviours

To: DANMAS@aol.com
Subject: Re:SPITFIRE: Normal dash light behaviours
From: "Victor B. Michael" <vmichael@tibco.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 22:08:37 -0500
Dan and other responders,

My Spit is a 1977, fm62959u. Your information seems consistent. It
dawned on me while reading your response that my front park lights are
not installed (is this illegal, btw?) This also corresponds to the
handbook. It's used as an indication that a directional bulb is faulty.

Is there any way to bypass this besides installing the lamps, since I
don't have them yet?

As for the "hazard" light, it is dimmable and switched by the main light
switch. This is consistent with other 77 owners - thanks to those who
checked.

I will also check for the adjustment of the deactivator in the steering
column (thanks for that tip!)

Thanks to all who responded!
(it's okay, I can't read those incorrect schematics anyway)

Vic M.

P.S. Your "lamp cord" pun is not far from the truth... The PO had wired
the radio's memory wire (always hot) directly to the battery with - you
guessed it - a lamp cord! I was able to find a constant current inder
the dash and eliminated another hot air leak in the cock pit.


DANMAS@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 98-08-24 14:21:42 EDT, vmichael@tibco.com writes:
> 
> > My green flasher indicator light only flashes when my hazard lights are
> >  on. I sensed from the handbook the indicator is also for the turn
> >  signals. I like the idea, since on short turns the auto turn signal
> >  deactivator doesn't always kick in and outside noise makes it difficult
> >  to hear the clicking when they're on. I don't want to be viewed like the
> >  blue-hair (no offense, my blue-hairs are making their appearences ;)
> >  driver who leaves their signal on while not intending a turn.
> 
> Vic,
> 
> What year/commission # is your car? According to the information I have, from
> the introduction of the hazard flasher to Comm # FM 60000, Triumph used a turn
> signal flasher for the turn signals, and a hazard flasher for the hazard
> circuit. Each circuit had its own light. From FM 60001, they "cheapened up" a
> bit, and used a single hazard flasher for both functions, and the same bulb
> worked for both. Not a good idea, but I guess it saved a couple of bucks, at a
> time when Triumph needed to save wherever possible.
> 
> This change was made when they changed the hazard switch from a rocker switch
> to a pull switch.
> 
> In the early design, the indicator lights were connected directly to the
> TS/Hazard lights themselves. In the later design, the single indicator was
> driven by a separate contact in the flasher - one output contact drove the
> lights and another output contact drove the indicater. IOW, the separate
> flashers were "two terminal" devices, while the latter was a "three terminal"
> device.
> 
> With the earlier design, the hazard indicator would flash as long as at least
> one bulb still worked. Neither the TS indicator, nor either of the lights,
> would flash unless both bulbs on that side were working. With the later
> design, the indicator will flash as long as at least one lamp is working, 1 of
> 2 for the TS and 1 of 4 for the hazards.
> 
> >  The other light in question is the vertical text lamp reading "HAZARD".
> >  It's on solid all the time. My guess is, it should flash but *shrug* -
> >  this is just a guess.
> 
> I've looked over all the schematics for this, and find no reference to a
> separate light for the hazard indicator you describe (it is not unusual for
> the schematics to not accurately depict the real thing), although there is an
> unidentified bulb fed from the dimmer which could be it. Look to see what
> color the wire is to this lamp. If it is green, it was intended to be on all
> the time. If it is red/white, it was intended to be on with the parking/head
> lights, and controlled by the dimmer rheostat. If it is red, it was meant to
> be on with the parking/head lights, but not dimmable.
> 
> If it's piece of lamp cord, ............?
> 
> On the later TR6s that used the pull type switch, there is a lamp inside the
> handle of the switch. I can't tell from the schematic if it flashes or burns
> steady when the flasher is on. This lamp does not appear on the Spitfire
> diagrams.
> 
> Hopr this is a little help.
> 
> Dan Masters,
> Alcoa, TN
> 
> '71 TR6---------3000mile/year driver, fully restored
> '71 TR6---------undergoing full restoration and Ford 5.0 V8 insertion - see:
>                     http://www.sky.net/~boballen/mg/Masters/
> '74 MGBGT---3000mile/year driver, original condition - slated for a V8 soon
> '68 MGBGT---organ donor for the '74

-- 
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Victor Michael                     |           vmichael@tibco.com
Systems Engineer                   |         Voice (312) 214-2327
TIBCO Finance Technology Inc.      |         Pager (800) 759-8888
CTS, Chicago                       |                 Pin# 1583904
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'77 Spitfire                    http://www.enteract.com/~vmichael
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