Minor electrical issues
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Ellsworth AFB South Dakota
Minor electrical issues
Continuing on with my inspections of my new (old) Vette I have noticed some small electrical issues.
1. No power from cigarette lighter
2. High position on the fan doesn't work
3. Clock doesn't move
4. AC Compressor won't kick on
Are these things controlled by fuses or just old 35 year old wiring that needs replaced? I assume the compressor could just be dead and the lighter could need a new receptacle.
1. No power from cigarette lighter
2. High position on the fan doesn't work
3. Clock doesn't move
4. AC Compressor won't kick on
Are these things controlled by fuses or just old 35 year old wiring that needs replaced? I assume the compressor could just be dead and the lighter could need a new receptacle.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Fuse or lighter element. Might be console ground.
Blower motor resistor under the hood; possibly a bad fan switch
Fuse; dirty clock; dead clock; poor ground.
AC control switch.
...High position on the fan doesn't work...
...Clock doesn't move...
...AC Compressor won't kick on...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,804
Likes: 4
From: Standing still with all my might Texas
Cruise-In X Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
1. No power from cigarette lighter
2. High position on the fan doesn't work
3. Clock doesn't move
4. AC Compressor won't kick on
I'm not sure on a 76. but some A/C systems have a pressure switch that prevents the compressor clutch from engaging if the system pressure is too low. It has to be bypassed when charging a system that has been opened.
It could also be the switch in the console, a bad ground from the compressor clutch, or a bad compressor clutch.
The first thing I would do it run a 12V test wire to the compressor clutch to make sure it will engage (you can attach to the horn relay to get 12V+). If the clutch doesn't engage check the ground. If the ground is good the clutch is probably bad. If the clutch does engage then you need to start backtracking that circuit to find the problem.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,172
Likes: 4,250
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi r,
The clocks had an odd movement in them. There is a contact in them that is sort of like a set of points. As time went by these 'points' often stuck together and the clock stopped.
You can check to see what's wrong with yours and have it repaired, buy a new quartz movement for it, or buy a new clock.
I had the clock in my 71 repaired and it's worked fine for about 5 years now.
Regards,
Alan
The clocks had an odd movement in them. There is a contact in them that is sort of like a set of points. As time went by these 'points' often stuck together and the clock stopped.
You can check to see what's wrong with yours and have it repaired, buy a new quartz movement for it, or buy a new clock.
I had the clock in my 71 repaired and it's worked fine for about 5 years now.
Regards,
Alan
