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Old 02-24-2013, 06:03 PM   #1
verdirick
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Angry Wiring Question of the Century

I have just blown or burned out every light bulb including the coil in my 31 Tudor after installing a new wiring loom. Running signal lights in the cowl lights. Everything was working fine. Driving down the road, turned on the dash light and bang, engine backfired and died, main fuse blown and coil (12 volt with internal resister) was hot and all lights are blown. However the horn and the CB still work....???? Replaced bulbs and all are now working, but does anyone have any idea what could have caused everything including the coil to burn up...?? I have an alternator with halogen headlights and am set up with a negative ground on the battery. Does anyone out there have any ideas what else I should look for before I replace all the burned out lights...??
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Rick Jensen
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Old 02-24-2013, 06:11 PM   #2
marc hildebrant
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

Curious about the new wiring Loom. Was it made by yourself ? Purchased ?

I did not know that a commercial loom was available for non-standard Model A wiring.

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Old 02-24-2013, 06:19 PM   #3
Steve Wastler
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

It would seem as if your problem lies with the wiring of the dash light since it was the catalyst of your issue.
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Old 02-24-2013, 06:24 PM   #4
1931 flamingo
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

I would ck behind dash also. Do you have the fuse by the starter installed?? Where'd you get the harness??

Paul in CT
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Old 02-24-2013, 06:28 PM   #5
Kurt in NJ
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

Possibly--- the dash light has a short---when you turned it on it blew the main fuse ---this dissconnected the alternator from the battery, voltage went crazy, blew the bulbs ----

I once had one of those fuses on the starter switch, it developed a bad connection, blew the bulbs, fried the generator, took the fuse holder off, put the wiring back stock,fixed the generator---that was 40 years ago, no electrical problems since then, only modifications are diode cutout, and quartz halogen bulbs in original sockets

What modifications does your wiring have, did you use a stock harness, or do you have something made of tape and crimp connecters.
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Old 02-24-2013, 07:58 PM   #6
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Loose connection between the alternator and battery (or resistance in the fuse holder, if so equipped like Kurt said) would do exactly as you described.

However, the puzzling part if the dash light being the cause of the chain reaction. From the sound of it, I'm almost inclined to say a less than tight connection in or on the ammeter.

See the ammeter thread for how to solder the connections in the repro ammeters to reduce the internal resistance (and the chance of this happening).
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Old 02-24-2013, 09:12 PM   #7
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

Charging rate apparently went bezerck, most likely an intermittent/loose connection somewhere in the path of the main feed between the cutout & the end of the negative battery cable at the starter switch. Bill W. (Which includes up through the junction box, through the ammeter & back through the junction box, then to the starter switch)
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Old 02-24-2013, 09:36 PM   #8
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

I have a fuse block next to the starter switch. Loom came from Snyders. I'm pretty sure they are coming from Vintage Ford. Put in a new battery and have replaced all globes and everything is presently working. I have a feeling that the battery (8 years old) could have shorted out. No problem with the ammeter or wiring behind the dash. Who knows. Appreciate your help
Thanks
Rick
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Old 02-24-2013, 09:44 PM   #9
verdirick
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

You have a good thought. I just replaced an inline fuse with the fuse holder. I also replace the battery (8 years old) today and new bulbs. At this point Lizzy is running and lights are all working. Go figure. I'm going to look for gremlins. This car did the BC Canada tour with the MATC in September with no problems. Get her 1/2 mile from home and she falls apart....
Thanks for you help
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Old 02-24-2013, 09:56 PM   #10
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

I have never heard of battery shorting out. Please explain.
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Old 02-24-2013, 10:38 PM   #11
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

I think you have a bad dash light.
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Old 02-24-2013, 11:19 PM   #12
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

I second Kurt in NJ's appraisal.. If you run the lights, and then either pull the fuse or turn off your battery, the voltage surges (as the battery sort of works as a power buffer) and the lights do suffer.. I had the exact same issue as you.. had a dead short on the dash light.. blew out all fo the lights.. Since then, I have an ignition fuse as well as a circuit breaker for both the lights and horn.. Makes it simpler to isolate the electrical issues and to be able to limp home...
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Old 02-24-2013, 11:59 PM   #13
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I have never heard of battery shorting out. Please explain.
Al
Yo, Al, like when you do a heavy load test on a battery & one cells boils like a cauldron, it usually means a bad insulator plate between a positive + & a negative - plate & causes them to "short" out. Sometimes, a crack in the lead connectors between the cells can cause intermittent "opens." I've seen batteries sometimes do things that can't be figured out. I've had LUCAS+*$%^^@ batteries, that under load test, would reverse the polarity of 1 cell!! With that condition, the generator would NOT charge. Brits drink warm beer because LUCAS builds their refrigerators! The Dog just asked what's BEER?? Bill W.
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Old 02-25-2013, 11:29 AM   #14
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

What about the coil ???
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Old 02-25-2013, 05:47 PM   #15
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Thanks Bill !
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Old 02-26-2013, 01:35 AM   #16
verdirick
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

As soon as I changed out all bulbs and found everything working I tried starting the engine and to my surprise, it fired right off. IE the coil if fine (12 volt with internal resistor). Still looking for a short and cause of at the problem
Rick
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Old 02-26-2013, 09:22 AM   #17
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

You're likely not looking for a short, you'd be looking for a poor connection. It may be a tight mechanical connection, but with a poor electrical connection.
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Old 02-26-2013, 09:38 AM   #18
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

We have a member in our Model A club that had a very similar experience. It turned out that the voltage regulator was faulty and surged. This blew every light bulb and fuse in the car. I can't remember if the coil also died.
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Old 02-26-2013, 09:44 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft View Post
What about the coil ???
I'm still curious about that too. Did you just assume because it was hot that it was burned up? How hot? Just hot to touch, or charred, or what? Coils with electronic ignition can run pretty warm--do you have such (in which case, brace yourself for major tsk-tsk'ing)? Did you replace it?

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Old 02-26-2013, 09:51 AM   #20
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

From your first post, I too would be looking at the dash lite circuit.
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Old 02-26-2013, 08:09 PM   #21
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Default Re: Wiring Question of the Century

Those of you who are using the starter mounted fuse block - I recommend you take it off and check that ALL the rivets and fasteners are tight. We had one fall apart in our club. It caused an intermitant short in the ignition and raw fuel got pumped into the brand new stainless muffler. When the ignition came on for the last time the muffler blew up. As a result I took mine off and checked it and found 2 loose rivets barely holding it together. I replaced them with nyloc lock nuts. I have since decided to fuse my critical circuits elsewhere and took the fuse block off. Bill G
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Old 02-26-2013, 11:49 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON View Post
Yo, Al, like when you do a heavy load test on a battery & one cells boils like a cauldron, it usually means a bad insulator plate between a positive + & a negative - plate & causes them to "short" out. Sometimes, a crack in the lead connectors between the cells can cause intermittent "opens." I've seen batteries sometimes do things that can't be figured out. I've had LUCAS+*$%^^@ batteries, that under load test, would reverse the polarity of 1 cell!! With that condition, the generator would NOT charge. Brits drink warm beer because LUCAS builds their refrigerators! The Dog just asked what's BEER?? Bill W.

LUCAS The Prince of darkness
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