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annoying problem - interior light door switches not working
https://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=40656		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Brown Clubman [ Tue Apr 01, 2008 3:23 pm ]
Post subject:  annoying problem - interior light door switches not working
Time for another ausmini "can you fix it?" challenge.

I'd like to get the interior door light switches working on my ealry clubby (little round type switch).

Challenge 1. How the F_ _ _ do you get this switch off? Unlike the later clubby's this one does not have a screw holding it in place so I'm guessing you have to "leverage" it out?

Challenge 2. How to fix? Has anyone here fixed thier's?

Note: The interior light does currently work when operated at the light switch.

Many thanks.

I'm sure, as always, the members here will rise to the challenge(s) and provide many solutions to this problem that many others must face.

Cheers,
BC :)
Author:  Mick [ Tue Apr 01, 2008 3:36 pm ]
Post subject: 
This one should be an easy fix. The switches will prise out from their holes as they are only held in there by spring tabs.

The switches ground the light bulb when the door is opened, hence turning the light on. Often if there is not a very good contact to the metal frame of the car then no current will flow and therefore the light won't turn on. Paint can cause this if it has been painted recently. Clean the metal around the hole to ensure a good contact. Make sure the switch is firmly held in place as well.

My first stop however would be to check that the wires are secure in the light holder.

Pull the switch out and using a piece of spare copper wire ground the end of the purple wire to the frame of the car. This should turn the light on.
If it does not, then you will need to follow the wire back to find where the break is. It will probably be in the light holder. The wire from the driver's side door travels across the dashboard just in front of the lower dashrail if you were wondering where it dissapears to.
Author:  Mort Subite [ Tue Apr 01, 2008 3:53 pm ]
Post subject: 
Ive replaced both door switches in my '65 Deluxe (one was bent in half!).

It has the small alloy switches with LINREAD stamped on them that sounds like the same units they used until the later screw in type.

The switches have an elbow inside the A pillar where the earthing wire is bullet connected and its all inside the A pillar. Be carefull removing the switch and make sure you dont pull the wire out of the elbow as if you loose it inside the A pillar you will have a hard time trying to get it out again via the small hole - done it before with bent paperclips - but avoid loosing the wire inside - life is easier that way :lol: .

I got NOS handbreak switches from a mini spares place (apparently they are parts for a warning switch on Cooper/1275LS handbreak levers...!?) All I needed to do was swap over the existing elbows as the new switch units had a striaght through connection that wont fit inside the A pillar. It was very easy with a pair of pliers and a bench vice and a small hammer to reshape any distortion in the curled over elbow flange.

I was after a totaly original look and doing this cost me the grand total of $10 ($5 per switch).


All these little things seem to me like a great excuse for a Technical Day somewhere.......
Author:  Morris 1100 [ Tue Apr 01, 2008 5:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
Often if you pull the plunger and give it a wiggle it will clean the contact and the light will come on. As long as it actually connected to the light. :D
Author:  Brown Clubman [ Tue Apr 01, 2008 7:16 pm ]
Post subject: 
THanks for the help guys.

Morris 1100 wrote:
Often if you pull the plunger and give it a wiggle it will clean the contact and the light will come on. As long as it actually connected to the light. :D


Tried this already with no success Morrie.

Cheers,
BC :)
Author:  Brown Clubman [ Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
OK. So I removed and cleaned the door switches to within an inch of their lives but still no light.

The light operates fine when switched on normally.

Both door switch bullet plugs/elbows appear in good condition so I'm a little baffled.

How are the door switches wired? Are the two joined or does each go back to the main light switch loom?

This is starting to piss me off. I don't really feel like pulling everything off the dash chase but if I have to ..... :roll: suppose I will.

Haven't tried the copper wire trick yet though.
Author:  EST-071 [ Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
They both join up just behind the bottom dash rail next to passenger door and then run to the light, they are both on the earth circuit so try and earth them out to the body. If the light does not work after earthing the wire then there is a broken wire between the door switch and the light.
Cheers Pete
Author:  Mick [ Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:49 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yeah, now it's time to look closely inside the interior light.

One side of the bulb has 12 volts on it, the other has the return to ground. Here it has two paths, one goes to ground via the local switch, the other goes to ground via the door switches. Make sure they are nicely connected and clean.

A multimeter (less than 30 bucks from virtually anywhere) makes this job a lot easier, and is useful for a million other tasks as well.
Author:  Brown Clubman [ Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
Mick wrote:
Yeah, now it's time to look closely inside the interior light.

One side of the bulb has 12 volts on it, the other has the return to ground. Here it has two paths, one goes to ground via the local switch, the other goes to ground via the door switches. Make sure they are nicely connected and clean.

A multimeter (less than 30 bucks from virtually anywhere) makes this job a lot easier, and is useful for a million other tasks as well.


Sounds good. Will try both suggestions next weekend.

BTW - I have a multimeter but...... what do I do with it? :oops:

one black wire with prong, one red. LOT'S of options on the dial. Have seen people use them but wouldn't know where to start :? Would love to know how to use it. Can't be that difficult.
Author:  Mick [ Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
Nah not that difficult, but plenty of opportunity to hurt yourself on higher voltages until you learn how to use one. Car electrics are a great place to work it out with little chance of doing any harm to anyone except the multimeter..


Ohms will be signified with the symbol "Ω" on the dial, and is used for testing for continuity and resistance. Good for testing if a wire is connected at both ends. Can't be used for wires where there is any voltage at the time of testing, they must be electrically dead.

DC volts is signified with something that looks like an equals "=" symbol. Not to be confused with AC at all as the measurement won't work.

Each multimeter is different, particularly as they get better than 15 years old. I wouldn't recommend using any multimeter that cannot be proven to be in a working state. Old ones have a nasty habit of killing the user if you were to say have set it to Amps, and then test across a 415 volt bus bar.
Mucking around with 12 volts won't cause any problems, it's too small a voltage to cause any problems. Look out for causing dead shorts however.
Author:  drmini in aust [ Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:06 am ]
Post subject: 
I found even when those old switches are cleaned they are pitted and unreliable.
Note the std Clubby ones are too long for a roundy and need to be cut & bent to fit without shorting out...
I fitted a pair of the Rover courtesy switches to mine, they have a copper strip to earth them under the screw. Good switch.
I got them from Karcraft.
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