Problem w/ headlights - electrical
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
From: Maple Grove MN
Problem w/ headlights - electrical
Hi,
Just bought this '69 vert and headlights quit on the way home. the interior lights (and headlights) just flash every 10 seconds. Battery died as well. Is my alternator shot, or something else?
Every helpful piece of information is greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
pete
Just bought this '69 vert and headlights quit on the way home. the interior lights (and headlights) just flash every 10 seconds. Battery died as well. Is my alternator shot, or something else?
Every helpful piece of information is greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
pete
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by VettePekka
Hi,
Just bought this '69 vert and headlights quit on the way home. the interior lights (and headlights) just flash every 10 seconds. Battery died as well. Is my alternator shot, or something else?
Every helpful piece of information is greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
pete
Just bought this '69 vert and headlights quit on the way home. the interior lights (and headlights) just flash every 10 seconds. Battery died as well. Is my alternator shot, or something else?
Every helpful piece of information is greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
pete
Sounds like a symptom of several things. First check the battery, for 12V and check the connections. Make sure they are solid and free from corrosion.
Then, if the car runs, get it to an Oreilly where they can test both the battery and alternator under a load. That's the best way to know if either is the problem.
Sometimes an alternator can have a diminished ability to charge or keep up. If the battery is dead, your alt me not be able to supply your electrical system with it's demands being that your lights were on and draining the battery.
Also, check you coil for 12V, and make sure it's grounded properly.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 473
Likes: 6
From: New Port Richey FL
I just replaced my alternator this weekend. Hooked up a volt meter to the battery to determine the problem. First problem was a dead battery. It read 2.3 volts. Took the battery back to Advance and they charged it back up while I ate wings and drank beer. With a freshly charged battery I hooked up the voltmeter again and ran the car and had 12 volts, turned on the headlights and then the brights and watched the meter drop into the 11's and continue falling. Got a rebuilt alternator from NAPA and now have 14volts. If you don't have a volt meter, you can do it the bubba way and start the car and disconnect the battery. If the engine dies, you need an alternator.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by Green73
If the engine dies, you need an alternator.
I think that is true of an older Vette, but some cars will automatically kill themselves if the battery is disconnected. Should work in this case though.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,752
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Originally Posted by SIXFOOTER
If they only flash every few minutes or so it sounds like a circuit breaker is popping and resetting. Is that whats going on?
Check the headlamp wiring for a short. The headlamp switch has an internal circuit breaker.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Originally Posted by VettePekka
...Any additional good tips and tricks?...
Careful.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
All true. Best way to troubleshoot this is unplug the headlights and interior light timer, then turn on the lights and check for voltage at the headlight harness. If it works at that point put the circuit back together one piece at a time.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 10,861
Likes: 713
From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida
Originally Posted by big_G
Check the headlamp wiring for a short. The headlamp switch has an internal circuit breaker.It's not "fused", so you won't lose your lights completely. The breaker heats up....breaks the circuit .....it cools down.....completes the circuit.
That's why the lights flash. The breaker is within the HL switch. Chuck
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by Chuck Gongloff
Yep, the headlight switch has a thermal circuit breaker. You have a short circuit in the HL circuit.
It's not "fused", so you won't lose your lights completely. The breaker heats up....breaks the circuit .....it cools down.....completes the circuit.
That's why the lights flash. The breaker is within the HL switch. Chuck
It's not "fused", so you won't lose your lights completely. The breaker heats up....breaks the circuit .....it cools down.....completes the circuit.
That's why the lights flash. The breaker is within the HL switch. Chuck
That I didn't know. Good job bud...schooled a few minds with that one.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by VettePekka
Thank y'all for your help. The culprit ended up being a broken wire, melted wires, short and bad ground connections.
No flames, which is a good thing.
Cheers,
pete
No flames, which is a good thing.
Cheers,
pete
Glad you figured it out. See us whenever you need more help. Latah.