Good coffee, good advice, and a fresh morning's perspective. Beautiful day
without snow, flies or rain in New Hampshire.
So, while my cheap multi-meter had been showing voltage out of the load side of
the switch, it apparently wasn't enough. I did see a drop from the power side
to the load side, but didn't know how much the switch might drain, though it
shouldn't have drained any.
Anyway, I just bypassed the switch altogether and had an abruptly healthy
circuit all the way back to the brake lights. This was a new switch installed
during the restoration, so am with you, Randall, and am going to rig a
mechanical switch to the pedal box.
Thanks for your help again. I think I started off owing you a coffee three
years ago. Two years ago, it was a box of Joe. What the heck have I run my
tab up to by now????
Oh, I know. A gallon of gasoline!
Terry
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Randall" <tr3driver@ca.rr.com>
>
> > Both brake lights and fuel gauge not working.
> >
> > Power to the brake switch.
>
> Assuming that's not a typo, it suggests the problem with the brake lights is
> not one of power not getting to the switch. Recheck using a helper to hold
> the pedal down, then check the load side of the switch. I had a lot of
> switches fail, before I converted to a mechanically operated switch mounted
> on the pedal box.
>
> > Wipers and Turn signals both
> > work, so the connections to the fuse must be okay.
>
> The later TR3s had all separate wires to the 'green' terminals of the fuse
> block, and all TR2-3 had a jumper between two terminals at the fuse block.
> So, the connections could be loose/broken, or the jumper loose/broken; and
> it would only affect some of the 'green circuit' items.
>
> > So question. While the schematic shows the circuits for the
> > fuel gauge and brake lights are separate, do they in reality
> > share a common green power line, and is that where I should
> > be seeking the open/short?
>
> Nope, those wires join only at the fuse block.
>
> > I could tear the wire harness apart to find out,
>
> Strictly a last resort. At the very least, I would verify that there is
> power in the wire (by piercing the insulation with a sharp probe) at one end
> and not at the other end; before tearing into the harness.
>
> Please note that Occam's Razor does NOT always apply ... sometimes there
> really are multiple problems that just happen to occur (or get noticed) at
> the same time.
>
> Randall
_______________________________________________
Support Team.Net http://www.team.net/donate.html
This list supported in part by the Vintage Triumph Register
http://www.vtr.org
Triumphs@autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/triumphs
http://www.team.net/archive
|