Hello,
For my early 1968 Corvette, I bought an electronic seat belt warning module to replace the old electro-mechanical relay.
I connected it following the Willcox module instruction.
When I start the car the light goes on as it should. When I press the button, the light goes off and stays off as it should.
However, when I have the wipers on and turn them off, the seat belt warning light comes back on. The light goes off when I press the seat belt button again. The light never comes on when I turn the wipers on. Only when I turn them off. During intermittent rain, that would be an issue.
This happen every time I turn the wipers off.
I believe I have good connection on the center gauge bezel. I have a capacitor/filter on the ammeter flat connector coming from the bottom screw of the clock, and I put an extra ground wire from the other clock screw to the ground connection on the screw of the wiper switch. When I remove this extra ground wire, the problem is still there.
On the Willcox schematic, the 3rd connection hole on the right of the ground hole is not connected to anything. Should it be?
Could the circuit board be defective?
Your advice is much appreciated.
Thank you.

 

Did you try calling Willcox?

 

Thank you for your reply.
Actually, I sent an email as Willcox say that they don't have a phone in their tech service department. My email was what I typed in my previous message and I had attached to it a picture of the diagram they have on their website.
The email I received from Willcox gave me 3 links which were not really related to my problem and I was asked to put the message/question on the Corvette forum.
Just in case the part I bought was defective, I ordered another one form another supplier (back up).
I hope Willcox or someone in the Corvette community will help me.
Electric problem are always complex to sort out...

 

Hi MelWff,
I responded to you message today, I am just wondering if you received it as I don't see it in the thread?

 

I see your 6:02 PM response in this thread.

 

Ok.
J-P

 

It sounds like you are loosing the circuit, its just a little electromagnetic switch. Either you have an intermittent power source or ground. I would run a seperate ground from the console up to the dash frame. And then look at how your power is supplied to that switch. It shouldnt loose the source when you shut down the wipers but the 68 wiper system is a ground switched system so it may be related to that.

 

Good morning Rescue Rogers,
Thank you for your suggestion. I will try that today and post the result.

 

hope its an easy fix

 

Hello Rescue Rogers,
I hope you had a good weekend. Here is what I did:
I disconnected the wiper switch from the console, I had the electrical connector on the switch, had the ground wire from the car connected to the switch ground plate with an alligator clip. I held the switch in the air, not touching the console, started the car, light went on, press the button, light went off, switch the wipers on, light stayed off, switch the wipers off, the light stayed off. Perfect, except the switch was not screwed on the console.
Did the same but with the switch screwed on the console. When I switched the wipers off, the seat belt warning light came on.
Since you suggested an intermittent ground, I ran a direct ground wire from the steering column support to the switch metal plate. The switch still screwed in place on the top console. No change. The light came on when I switched the wipers off.
I then checked the ground continuity from the steering column bracket (good ground), to the back of the instruments bezel, to the ground screw of the seat belt warning circuit, to the main console, to the top wiper switch console, and the wiper ground plate...I have full continuity through all those components. No issue there with ground.
As I said above, when the switch plate is not touching the console, and has a ground wire connected, it works perfectly. I also checked the wiper switch per Willcox video. No issue there either. I also checked the solid state board, no issue there either.
Willcox also responded Friday night saying what you said. Losing ground or losing power.
Next I think I will try to see if I lose power for a split second unless you suggest otherwise.
Thank you.

 

can you get some small o rings and cushion the switch so it isnt in direct contact with the console. Im thinking 2 things. Either the contact is creating the issue with some kind of ground or short, or the board is cracked and when its attached to the board the crack grows. Maybe the o rings will keep it insulated and straight

 

I will try that. Thank you. When the problem appeared I ordered another board. It will ship on the 15.

 

 

Yep! I should have some popcorn...I am totally frustrated with this issue. I tried more things today, like connecting the solid state switch outside of the console Wire to the + of the fuel gauge and a wire ground directly to the wiper switch screwed on the console...same...I turn the wipers off, the light comes back on...I checked the wiper switch again as per Willcox YouTube video, no issue!! all the components: Board and switch work perfect, expect when they are connected to the console...

 

very weird... can you connect it to the concole with its own ground?

 

I did. I also connected the ground of the board to the main console, the upper console, the back of the instrument bezel and to make sure, a direct ground to the instrument bezel. Ground everywhere I could think of...I wanted to put back the old board with the little solenoid, but it does not hold shut when the power is on and I push on the contact blade to artificially shut the light. I cannot use it. I had to go back to the solid state board. I also try to insulate the wiper switch from the console, like if I have up in the air, but as soon as the thread of the screw goes in the console through the wiper switch plate, it does not work. The light comes back on when I switch the wipers off...
Tomorrow, I will check again all my fuses, put a ground strap from the radio to the console, and see what happen. I have been starting the car son often to turn the wipers on that the battery is charging overnight...Also, now the ignition buzzer does not sound anymore...will see tomorrow...
I'll take any advice...my car is an early 68, built in October 1967. It has been in the family since 1973, but because of my job, I had to put it in storage (climate controlled though) from 2005 until 2019...not good...

 

No success today...the only component left on the center bezel are the fuel gauge, i need power to the circuit board, and the seat belt warning circuit board. I put a ground wire from there back of the center bezel to the main console and center console. Still same problem. The light comes back on when I switch the wipers off.
I am starting to believe that somehow, the power comes back to the seat belt circuit board when I turn the wipers off.
I have no idea where it could come from. Back from the wiper motor, the wiper relay, the horn relay, wiring??
Both relays are old, so I am going to order new ones. May be the contacts in the old ones is providing the return power to the board when I shut the wipers off...
Will see...

 

The board should always have power once the key is turned on. Pushing the button just releases the magnet that acts like a relay to light the light. Somehow there is a break in the flow of the elctrons, whether its positive or negative, but its resetting the electromagnet and completeing your circuit. It is a weird problem.

If you have some alligator clips try adding a light into the circuit on the supply power you are using and the ground so that it lights up when power is there and stays lit when you turn off the seatbelt warning light. Then if you loose power you can tell when the light goes off. If it stays on its the board some how, if it goes out you can move the ground to a different place and try a gain and move the power next. It will narrow down a power issue

 

Good morning Rescue Rogers,
Thank you for your suggestion.
I now totally agree with you with the first paragraph of you message and that something is resetting the electromagnet.
On the second paragraph:
I have alligator clips connected to both ends of wires, so it is easy to move the wires for testing.
The power supply I am using is the power + connector of the fuel gauge.
The ground I have been using was either the main console or a direct ground from the steering column bracket.
I have made a test lamp (light bulb in a light bulb support and to wires with alligators clips on the end). I will use that device to test.
Then I will follow your last sentence procedure.
I am adding pictures to show how I rigged up the ground on the console.
I will keep you posted.
Thanks again.


Cleaned the ground connection

Added ground wires to connect the gauge support to the main console and wiper switch

Gauge plate ground connection

For testing all instruments and lights have been disconnected except for the fuel gauge connector, as I need power for the seat belt circuit board. In my mind it narrows it down to the power supply and the board.

 

Update...
I followed Rescue Rogers's latest recommendations.
1- I put an external light bulb connected to my power source, the + of the fuel gauge.
2- I grounded it to the console from the steering column bracket.
3- I turned the ignition on, both lamps, the seat belt warning light on the board and the rigged up lamp, lit up. I pressed the button, the seat belt warning lamps shut down, but the other lamp stayed on...According to Rescue Rogers message, it looks like the board is bad...
4- As my testing light was connected, I also moved the ground to various places...the light stayed on...
5- Next I will test the same way except that I will change the power source, either direct from the clock + wire, or from the battery gauge or water temp gauge. Will see.
6- In any event, I ordered today new wiper and horn relays, which I should get by Saturday. This is precautionary as mine are 50 years old. I ordered a new board as well but it won't be shipped until the 15 April....


Ignition on, both lights on. Test light connected to + of fuel gauge and ground to steering column and later to the car black ground wire

Press the with button, light goes off, but test light stayed on

Wiper switch on

Wiper switch off, seatbelt light back on...
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