driving last night (thankfully i drive mainly well lit streets), my headlights cut out momentarily. it was just a second or so before they came back on, but it was a little disturbing. this morning they aren't working at all. does this sound like some dodgy wiring, or is it something a bit more serious?

What model car? - I'd be looking at the headlight switch - especially if your headlights aren't powered through a relay.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

yep I'd be checking if you have a relay so the smoke does not get let out of your loom. But I would have a gues at you Switch also. Did your dash lights go out also?

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

dash and tail lights are fine.

check blue wire from light switch to high beam dip switch then Blue/Red wire & Blue/white also from thier. I'd say you have a short in any of these three wires. Cleck and clean all these connects while you at it and if not installed put a relay in

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

I'd spray some CRC contact cleaner or RP7 into the front of the headlight switch first. That fixed my 39 year old switch...

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Problems like this usually occur after the fitting of H4 lights without relays.

dumb question no 1 ( sorry for the hijack.)

What does a relay do? Why does one fit them? my new loom has no relays and the person that made it said that these would not be needed. Should I believe him?
D

A relay is a fancy switch.
It is a switch that is turned on by another switch.
When you fit a relay it is the relay that turns on your headlights, your light switch turns on the relay.

This means that there is only a small amount of current running through the headlight switch.

ahh...

Sorry about the dumb questions. Wiring scares me. I might want to fit a relay then.
I shall do some internet research.
Thanks again.
D

http://www.ado13.com/techs/relay.htm

and a bit more info

http://www.r1200gs.info/howto/relay.html

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

Start here. This is good explanation of relays.

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/faq-emp ... re-up.html

be very very careful. my partner was driving the old rover and things cut out and then came back on. He thought nothing of it. Then it happened again.

Then there was the fire.

A relay is a good way to eliminate a voltage drop or poor connection issue with your switch. Very easy to hook up. I generally wired up headlights with one relay per lamp if you want say 100 watt globes or driving lights. If you want to use the 55watt globes and I also recommend the plus 50% 55 watt globes then one relay is fine. I'll explain what you need to do if you want to give it a go.
You will need a "normally open" relay, meaning the switch inside is always open. A 5 pin relay has both, but you only need a 4 pin.

Pin 30 is constant battery power
Pin 87 is the terminal for your lights. If you want to hook up your high beams to the same relay then you can use pin 87a. This will cut power to 87 on low beam, and turn on high beam through 87a (only on 5 pin relay)
You can always bypass a relay by jumpin pin 30 and pin 87. This is most handy to work out current with a multimeter, such as fuel pumps etc
Pin 85 is earth
Pin 86 is connected to your headlight switch

I would recommend a 20 amp relay for 55 watt globes and a 40 for higher wattage.

I hope I haven't confused you
Damo

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1978 Leyland Mini 998LS All Original *Sally*
2002 Mini Cooper *Coopa*

I like the New Era headlamp relay, it comes with 2 blade fuses (30A) built in.
Dead easy to install, I just cut the blue/white and blue/red wires near the fusebox, patch it in, run a 4mm² cable from the starter cable terminal, and an earth to body.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.