headlight switch wiring

[kenmataya]

yes, i will connect it to the white/red line that connects to the back of the ammeter - using this schematic

[SteveJ]

I hope you're planning on using something larger than 16 AWG unless you want to replace some fried wiring. I can't remember for sure, but that white/red is at least 12 gauge. Using 16AWG is about the same as putting in a fusible link. If you add up the loads coming off the switch, you will find that 16 AWG won't cut it.

[kenmataya]

sorry, i got 14GA, which is same diameter as the white/red line - 3.4mm

[EScanlon]

I would recommend you wait before you start making new connections even if they are to "replace" missing ones.

You may inadvertenly complicate the circuits and possibly cause another catastrophic failure later.

Many times the solution to this type of problem may be as simple as reviewing all the connections; correcting obvious mistakes, and simply cleaning both grounds and connections. Think of it this way, the car DID have operating headlights at some point, and from what you're posting this is a new problem and not a result of changes you've made to the car.

On the other hand, if the headlight outage IS as a result of some other modification recently (new radio, changed the combination switch, dropped the steering wheel and column and therefore disconnected it...) then THAT is where you want to start, by re-examining what you LAST did to the car.

FWIW

E

[kenmataya]

i had to replace the blinker side of the switch (A), it was mechanically sloppy, so i swapped it out with another (B - year unknown) which worked OK for a while then the left signal wouldn't work. pulled it and it turned out to be mechanically sloppy and i couldn't figure out a way to correct it. i took switch A and fixed it and now i'm in the process of putting it back in when all the problems began. and i just found a thick gauge hot wire (red/white) taped off in the wire bundle, but according to the schematic that should just lead to the headlights and shouldn't have any voltage.... and again i thank everyone for their help on this one, its very confusing.

A

B

[Mikes Z car]

I would be eternally grateful if someone who knows how to read those switch diagrams would write a tech article on how to read them. End of hijack.

[EScanlon]

Ahh... now we're getting someplace.

That Red/White wire is the "return" leg of the high beam circuit coming back from the headlights for the dimmer switch to in turn direct to ground. The Low beam

"returns" on the Red/Black wire.

Check what you have connected to the Hi/Lo beam switch and see if the R/W wire isn't attached.

E

[EScanlon]

Mike;

A real simple explanation of the Switch Boxes that you see in the schematics is tricky but here goes.

Look at the series of boxes like you would an Excel Spreadsheet.

The wires on the harness connect to the left side of the box. Each of the wires gets it's own row.

Each column depicts a switch position, i.e. when the switch is in that position which wires are connected to what wires. That's when you follow the dots (or circles) and the lines to whatever other dots are on the same line. No dot, the wire isn't in play at that switch position, whether the line goes through the box or not.

Now to translate that into "flow", you can get all esoteric or just think of the electrickery juice as flowing from the battery through the wires and then to ground. There is a "positive" and a "negative" side of the circuit, but I'll let others chime in.

So, in the example above, the battery sends the electrickery through the alternator, to the fuse box (but not through a fuse), to the H/L switch which when put into the second position (actuating the headlights) then returns it to the fuse box where it gets split into Left and Right circuits as it goes THROUGH the fuse box gaining a fuse for each of the L/R sides. Once through the fuse box, it goes to the H/L themselves and returns to the Dimmer Switch where it finally gets connected to ground.

Now I hope that all made sense. I didn't add the wire colors, but now that you have the description you should be able to add the colors.

HTH

E

[kenmataya]

well, there's also a red/black taped off in the bundle as well..... this going to take a bit of figuring.

[Mikes Z car]

EScanlon,

Thanks for the explanation.

Mike

[kenmataya]

escanlon, the red/white hot wire i mentioned is in addition to the red/white return from the highbeams ( that one is connected ). so i have a red/white 14GA hot wire that was not previously connected to anything. thing is i don't see any additional red/white wires anywhere in the schematic. ( there are at least a half dozen unconnected wires under my dash..... )

[SteveJ]

Can you trace the wires back to connectors and describe the connector (number of connection points, number of wires with colors, and location of the connector)? That could help us figure out your mystery wires.