Been fiddling with a mates wiring this week and to follow the circuits I pulled his headlight switch apart.
Is the set of contacts inside the switch that is direct battery power to headlights some sort of circuit breaker?
LC/J headlight switch.
Started by
rodomo
, Jun 29 2018 11:37 PM
7 replies to this topic
#1
rodomo
-
- Members
-
- 17,997 posts
To advertise here, call 13TORANA
- Name:R - O - B Dammit!
- Location:Way out west of Melbourne Awstraylya
- Joined: 10-December 05
Posted 29 June 2018 - 11:37 PM
#2
S pack
-
- Members
-
- 15,536 posts
Scrivet Counter
- Name:Dave
- Location:Luggage Point
- Car:73 LJ
- Joined: 25-January 10
Posted 30 June 2018 - 12:04 AM
Been fiddling with a mates wiring this week and to follow the circuits I pulled his headlight switch apart.
Is the set of contacts inside the switch that is direct battery power to headlights some sort of circuit breaker?
Yes.
#3
rodomo
-
- Members
-
- 17,997 posts
To advertise here, call 13TORANA
- Name:R - O - B Dammit!
- Location:Way out west of Melbourne Awstraylya
- Joined: 10-December 05
Posted 30 June 2018 - 12:13 AM
Thank you, that's what I thought. I've had 2 apart. Takes a bit to get your head around how everything works
#4
S pack
-
- Members
-
- 15,536 posts
Scrivet Counter
- Name:Dave
- Location:Luggage Point
- Car:73 LJ
- Joined: 25-January 10
Posted 30 June 2018 - 07:33 AM
Rob, I believe it to be a thermal type circuit breaker. If the bi-metallic strip overheats it deflects and momentarily opens up the contacts.
#5
caterham2
-
- Members
-
- 348 posts
Forum Fan
- Location:Mansfield North East Victoria not the other one in QLD
- Car:Ford Focus RS AWD Gone over to the dark side .. Mercedes-Benz SLK350 Ford Cortina 2 door MK1 Twin Cam
- Joined: 02-February 10
Posted 30 June 2018 - 11:41 PM
Hazy recollections from owners handbooks on various Holden cars through the years is that the headlights are not on a normal fuse, but through a circuit breaker that will cause the headlights to flash on and off if there is a problem in circuit rather than go "pfft" and leave you without lights abruptly. A very early safety initiative by the General
#6
rodomo
-
- Members
-
- 17,997 posts
To advertise here, call 13TORANA
- Name:R - O - B Dammit!
- Location:Way out west of Melbourne Awstraylya
- Joined: 10-December 05
Posted 30 June 2018 - 11:42 PM
This is the key being headlights. I'd imagine a momentary dimming rather than an on/off situation like a circuit breaker. Circuit breakers need time to cool down to reconnect. Not ideal with failing headlights?momentarily opens up the contacts.
#7
Rockoz
-
- Members
-
- 3,961 posts
Lotsa Posts!
- Name:Rob
- Location:Cowra NSW
- Joined: 21-September 08
Posted 01 July 2018 - 01:47 PM
This is the key being headlights. I'd imagine a momentary dimming rather than an on/off situation like a circuit breaker. Circuit breakers need time to cool down to reconnect. Not ideal with failing headlights?
It is a circuit breaker.
It shuts the power off to the headlights completely.
It will reconnect after a second or so.
The idea being you have already slowed down from no lights, and you will get a bit of light momentarily to help you find somewhere safe.
Have had it happen.
Only does it when you have a short in the system.
Will usually not trip again if you change beams.
Very rare to have a short on the circuits of both beams.
#8
Liz Clare
View Garage
-
- Members
-
- 679 posts
Forum Fixture
- Location:Newcastle
- Car:LJ GTR XU1 and LX SS
- Joined: 18-March 17
View Garage
Posted 01 March 2019 - 12:46 PM
It is a circuit breaker.
It shuts the power off to the headlights completely.
It will reconnect after a second or so.
The idea being you have already slowed down from no lights, and you will get a bit of light momentarily to help you find somewhere safe.
Have had it happen.
Only does it when you have a short in the system.
Will usually not trip again if you change beams.
Very rare to have a short on the circuits of both beams.
I think this exact thing happened to me yesterday morning...unusually dim lights then Bam! nothing...except a very hot connector on the back of the fuse panel :(
It's been a stressful time trying to get the LJ ready for the Phillip Island trip, just about ready to scream hysterically..a sparky mate is going to have a look for me tomorrow. At least this thread gave me some idea as to what has gone wrong.
Cheers,
Liz 
0 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users
