In a message dated 97-07-14 21:49:42 EDT, rick@vir.com writes:
> I'm rewiring my TR6 and cant get the brake light to work correctly. When I
> plug them, they are always ON. I took off the switch and tested it: It's
> always on, and when I depress the button it's off... Is this correct?
> Shouldnt it be the other way around?
Rick:
That is correct - the switch should be on till the button is depressed. The
reason for this? The switch fits on the pedal box such that the switch is
operated when the pedal is fully released. With the pedal fully released, you
do not want the lights to be on. However, as soon as you depress the pedal
only a little bit, you want the lights on. You also want the lights on when
the pedal is depressed a lot.
If the switch closed when the button is depressed, the switch would have to
be mounted where the pedal would strike it when depressed. The only way you
could physically do this without restricting pedal travel would be to place
the switch at the end of the pedal travel. At that location, the switch would
only operate the lights at full travel, and not when you were lightly
pressing the pedal.
By using a normally closed (or normally on) switch, placed at the top of the
pedal travel, the switch is OFF only when the brake pedal is also FULLY OFF.
If the pedal is even slightly ON, so is the switch, and so are the lights.
If the lights come on as soon as you plug them in, then the switch is not
properly adjusted. To adjust, screw the switch IN toward the pedal till the
button is depressed, (with the pedal fully released) then tighten the nut to
lock the switch in place.
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
'68 MGBGT---organ donor for the '74
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