Another dash light thread *** HELP***
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 476
Likes: 1
From: Gilroy CA
Another dash light thread *** HELP***
I'm stumped and need help...
- All new wiring harrnesses (Engine/Dash/rear/windows)
- Radio redone by Jerry R
- Stock bulbs as called out by AIM
Now help me understand this... Blows the 4amp and I can't tell what is doing it.
Based on previous posts I was looking at the radio but after hooking up a multi meter it appears to only be pulling 1.4amps with the dash lights and radio playing... Nothing else effects the reading unless ofcourse I dimm the lights and then it drops below 1amp.
Any ideas? It's happened 2X now and after putting this car back together my patience is running thin
- All new wiring harrnesses (Engine/Dash/rear/windows)
- Radio redone by Jerry R
- Stock bulbs as called out by AIM
Now help me understand this... Blows the 4amp and I can't tell what is doing it.
Based on previous posts I was looking at the radio but after hooking up a multi meter it appears to only be pulling 1.4amps with the dash lights and radio playing... Nothing else effects the reading unless ofcourse I dimm the lights and then it drops below 1amp.
Any ideas? It's happened 2X now and after putting this car back together my patience is running thin
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,575
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
I'm guessing you are working on a 63-67?
Are you SURE you are only getting 1.4 amps at the Panel Lamps fuse with the dash lamps on? That seems very low.
Do you have factory A/C?
Have you seen my thread from he!! regarding dash lamps blowing the fuse?
Are you SURE you are only getting 1.4 amps at the Panel Lamps fuse with the dash lamps on? That seems very low.
Do you have factory A/C?
Have you seen my thread from he!! regarding dash lamps blowing the fuse?
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,575
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
It wasn't mine either, but the folks on the forum helped me figure out how to test and research my problem.
- Pull the fuse out of the Panel Lamps fuse location.
- Connect the multi-meter to each of the metal contacts where the fuse would have been. You are effectively putting the meter in place of the fuse.
- Set the meter to read Amps
- Turn the dash lamps on and see what you are getting. You should be getting something in the 3 amp range, if I remember correctly.
Under what circumstances have you blown the fuse? Each time you've turned the lamps on? Only 2 of the many times you've had them on? Were you driving the car when they went out? I'm thinking that if your fuse only blows sometimes, and only when you are driving the car, and if the multi-meter reads less than 4 Amps at the moment, then perhaps you have a wire that shorts only when you hit a bump.
Jeff
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 476
Likes: 1
From: Gilroy CA
Based on your response I went back out and made sure I had a good connection. With the lights on full as well as the radio measuring across the fuse I know show 4.5. I can dimm the lights down to get it under 4 but what gives? The light switch is also new but not NOS.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 476
Likes: 1
From: Gilroy CA
happens when I'm driving but just goes out as if it takes awhile to blow... one minute dash ligths next time I look down nothing with no reason for the loss of light. I will take the fuse out and measure across the contacts and see what the reading is...
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,575
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
I'm afraid that so far you are describing exactly the problem I had with my 65, and the solution was to go with dimmer bulbs AND a 5 amp fuse.
If your measurement with the fuse removed shows 4.5 Amps (by the way, with the engine running it will be higher than with the engine off) then you could just plug a 5 amp fuse in there and be done with it. Even LectricLimited told me I could go with a 5 amp fuse without risking the integrity of their harness when I was chasing my issue.
Edit: I see now you get a lower reading with the fuse removed. Is that with the car running?
If your measurement with the fuse removed shows 4.5 Amps (by the way, with the engine running it will be higher than with the engine off) then you could just plug a 5 amp fuse in there and be done with it. Even LectricLimited told me I could go with a 5 amp fuse without risking the integrity of their harness when I was chasing my issue.
Edit: I see now you get a lower reading with the fuse removed. Is that with the car running?
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 476
Likes: 1
From: Gilroy CA
Car was off...
running at idle is 4.3amps
I can get it to max out at 4.7amps under revs
radio is on....
Thanks for the comment about elec limited... Maybe a 5amp fuse is the way to go although it's frusterating to know everything is new and not working as orig designed...
Appreciate the help
running at idle is 4.3amps
I can get it to max out at 4.7amps under revs
radio is on....
Thanks for the comment about elec limited... Maybe a 5amp fuse is the way to go although it's frusterating to know everything is new and not working as orig designed...
Appreciate the help
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,575
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
Car was off...
running at idle is 4.3amps
I can get it to max out at 4.7amps under revs
radio is on....
Thanks for the comment about elec limited... Maybe a 5amp fuse is the way to go although it's frusterating to know everything is new and not working as orig designed...
Appreciate the help
running at idle is 4.3amps
I can get it to max out at 4.7amps under revs
radio is on....
Thanks for the comment about elec limited... Maybe a 5amp fuse is the way to go although it's frusterating to know everything is new and not working as orig designed...
Appreciate the help
Yes, LL tried to help me and even offerred to take my harness back and retest it, but during the conversations they also said a 5 Amp fuse would introduce no risk to the system. I also had to go with dimmer bulbs because my factory A/C car added another 0.66 Amps to the system just from the 2 bulbs at the A/C controls.
I was getting 5.2 Amps with the car running, and all dash lights on, with the stock bulb numbers. With lower rated bulbs in the main cluster (1895 bulbs @ 2 watts versus 1816 bulbs @ 3 watts) I got the system down to 4.3 amps, engine running.
Last edited by 62Jeff; Sep 11, 2011 at 05:55 PM.
