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Aug 27, 2013 15:39:21 GMT
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This is for my van, its getting old but not quite retro, but I hope mods don't mind me asking in here as it would apply to any vehicle.
My van has just failed its mot on a few things, one of the failures was that both rear number plate lights are not working. I put a multimeter into the 2 blub holders with the lights and ignition on and they showed 10 volts. I went and bought a pair of bulbs, put them in but they did not work.. Again I tested the bulb holders and got a 10 volt reading. I went in the house and connected a small 7.2 volt model racing car battery to the bulbs and they lit up.
I am utterly confused here, I am getting a 10 volt reading from the connection where the bulb goes in, and I know the bulbs are working. Yet when I put the working bulbs into the holders nothing happens.
Has anyone got a clue as to what is going on?
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Aug 27, 2013 16:15:40 GMT
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Earth
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Aug 27, 2013 16:16:33 GMT
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10 volts suggests that connections are corroded, which is not allowing the full 12v through to the bulb, and more importantly any decent amount of current. it only takes a tiny trickle of current to allow a volt meter to read voltage, but it is probably not enough to light the bulbs.
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1986 Panda 4x4.
1990 Metro Sport.
1999 Ford Escort estate.
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taurus
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,084
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Aug 27, 2013 20:15:12 GMT
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10 volts suggests that connections are corroded, which is not allowing the full 12v through to the bulb, and more importantly any decent amount of current. it only takes a tiny trickle of current to allow a volt meter to read voltage, but it is probably not enough to light the bulbs. I had exactly this issue with our old caravan. The multimeter showed 12v at all the lights, but nothing worked. In the end it turned out to be the last few inches of the wire had corroded internally. |
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sparkyt
Posted a lot
selling stuff
Posts: 1,767
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Aug 27, 2013 20:43:29 GMT
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I'd be be happy to bet your earth is missing .. trace the loom to the lights does it have a joint just inside the body does the loom have one wire or two I'd the earth path the bolts for the lights .
Change your details to include your area then people like me who are local could come and have a good look while enjoying the beer you have offered in return
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as stated above, either corroded wire or earth.
Take a lamp with two cables on it (old indicator or something) and fit one end to the cable that shows voltage. Find a good clean earth on the car and connect the other end to that - if it lights up you have a bad earth, if it doesnt then you have a corroded connection or even cable in the live wire.
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Aug 28, 2013 17:27:28 GMT
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Cheers for all the advice everyone, its in the garage getting some new ball joiints fitted, when its back I will get to work and fix it, maybe just run some new wires.
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Aug 29, 2013 19:45:08 GMT
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Stil having problems. I pulled the n/s/r light cluster out and stipped the plywood and carpet from the inside of the door. I thought I would just cut out the wiring to the number plate lights and put some new wiring in, and if need be splice it into the wire that comes off the tail lights. Nice and simple to do, but when I went to find the live feed from the loom that goes into the cluster I could not find a live. I plugged the cluster back in and now there is no power to the tail light or indicator. I thought I had lost power to the whole left cluster but I selected reverse and the reverse light came on.
At the mot, it failed on the n/s/r bulb as the orange coating had came off the bulb. When I fitted the new bulb it would not work. I wiggled the bulb in the holder and wiggled the wiring where the loom plugs into the cluster and then the bulb started working again. But after taking the cluster out it would not work anymore.
Getting quite stressed with it now, I may have to resort to an auto electrician soon.
Sparkyt I am in Leeds, I will update my profile.
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sparkyt
Posted a lot
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Sorry bud I'm in Birmingham . Bit of a drive for me mate but it worth doing as we have A LOT of members ..
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sparkyt
Posted a lot
selling stuff
Posts: 1,767
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Sorry bud I'm in Birmingham . Bit of a drive for me mate but it worth doing as we have A LOT of members ..
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Aug 30, 2013 13:30:56 GMT
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Before ringing an auto electrian, I decided to have one more look, and I am glad I did. There were 2 yellow wires going to the 2 reg plate lamps, I tested them, and 1 was live, the other was dead. So I thought I wonder if its worth joining them together. I did and then the rear cluster came back to life. I soldered that together, wired my newly made reg plate wiring into and now my main lights come on and so do the reg plate lights. Further examination revealed the cause of the indicator going working the not working. The pin for the indicator connector on the cluster was slightly bent, so when the main loom plug went in, it was only just making contact with the pin. All sorted now, thanks for everyones advice. Just got to get my sills welded up tomorrow and then its all ready for the road.
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