martyn wright Posted July 7, 2023 Report Share Posted July 7, 2023 Hi! Any Ideas why this is happening? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted July 7, 2023 Report Share Posted July 7, 2023 A lot of current going through; are you using a lot of electrical components at the same time? I'm no electrician but something is building up resistance so heat is the by-product; cleaning the terminals may help, but switching to a modern fusebox with more fuses and therefore less draw on each circuit may help; similarly fitting relays for the headlamps also reduces the strain on the wiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted July 7, 2023 Report Share Posted July 7, 2023 Yup, what Colin said. Here's a link to what to do. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagger Posted July 7, 2023 Report Share Posted July 7, 2023 Fuses do run hot. That is the objective. They melt when the current is too high. Also, the original clips get weak and dirty, increasing resistance. The original max load was about 25 amps. The wattage ill be about 20 x 20 x resistance. If the resistance is only 0.1 ohms this equates to 400 x 0.1 = 40 watts. You would not want to hold an illuminated 40w bulb. Replacing with blade fuses is a good idea, even if you only replace with the few originally used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted July 7, 2023 Report Share Posted July 7, 2023 I also got one of these from China, now £13, you couldn't buy the relays for that over here! Get the current going through relays. H4 Headlight Headlamp Light Bulb Relay Wiring Harness Socket Plug Wire Kit | eBay Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted July 7, 2023 Report Share Posted July 7, 2023 1 hour ago, dougbgt6 said: I also got one of these from China And he doesn't post to Northern Ireland???? When I try to pronounce that it sounds like a local on Buckfast... 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagger Posted July 7, 2023 Report Share Posted July 7, 2023 Even if you use realys you should protect your wiring with fuses. Uprate the wire gauge to say 40 amps and use 30 amp fuses, That reduces the series resistance and will reduce any heating to about 20% of what it was. I once did all of this on a 6v VW beetle when a mate uprated his headlamps. He was getting a mere 3v at the bulbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Clark Posted July 7, 2023 Report Share Posted July 7, 2023 (edited) While it's a good idea to upgrade to a modern blade fuse box, there is an easier starting point. Try cleaning all the connectors, the spade terminals where wires link in and out of the box plus the spring blades that hold the fuses. Bend the spring blades inwards slightly if necessary so they hold the fuses tight. Then fit new fuses and try again. Nigel Edited July 7, 2023 by Nigel Clark 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagger Posted July 7, 2023 Report Share Posted July 7, 2023 4 hours ago, Nigel Clark said: While it's a good idea to upgrade to a modern blade fuse box, there is an easier starting point. Try cleaning all the connectors, the spade terminals where wires link in and out of the box plus the spring blades that hold the fuses. Bend the spring blades inwards slightly if necessary so they hold the fuses tight. Then fit new fuses and try again. Nigel That is exactly what I did to mine Nigel. However, the original finish on the terminals has deteriorated and soon develops verdigri. It is ver easy to make connections up to use blade fuses as the originals fit the Lucar blades. Some of those old style cylindrical fuses have poor connections at their ends internally. As an Electrical Engineer, I spent quite some time measuring low resistance in Earth Bonding. Corrosion was a very common problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted July 8, 2023 Report Share Posted July 8, 2023 If the Vitesse fuse box is similar to the GT6/Spitfire the top and bottom connectors at each end of the fuse are only connected to each other by the end of the fuse. Without the fuse you have four connectors unattached to each other. This leads to interesting faults where only 3 make contact. Another Triumph of engineering design and another reason to relace it. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted July 8, 2023 Report Share Posted July 8, 2023 (edited) I replaced the Mk2 Vitesse 2/35A glass fuse holder with a new Lucas unit 20 years ago because the original fuse box clips even when cleaned used to quickly loose tension. After fitting several accessories over the years which I wired through an extra 6 blade small fuse box a couple of years ago, last year I finally wired two 6 blade fused box's one each Battery and the other Ignition each having their own buss bar, the work was simple the only wire extensions necessary were the 3 original battery purple fused outlets a 2in wire extension was required to connect to the existing loom. The dual box's are mounted in the same position as the original Lucas fuse box behind where the battery was,n advantage is if a fuse blows a LED lights up so easy identification is seen. My battery is in the boot/trunk. Edited July 8, 2023 by Peter Truman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagger Posted July 8, 2023 Report Share Posted July 8, 2023 4 hours ago, dougbgt6 said: If the Vitesse fuse box is similar to the GT6/Spitfire the top and bottom connectors at each end of the fuse are only connected to each other by the end of the fuse. Without the fuse you have four connectors unattached to each other. This leads to interesting faults where only 3 make contact. Another Triumph of engineering design and another reason to relace it. Doug Yes, and mounting it in the engine bay behind a battery producing corrosive fumes was no help whatsoever. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted July 9, 2023 Report Share Posted July 9, 2023 Thread drift, but very apt... or hopefully not... what does it mean when this red light comes on, again? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martyn wright Posted July 9, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2023 Well! I now have the Dash out(Again) I have Full front lights including Side lights! I have rear lights but no Idicators front or rear! I also have No Wipers! Put a wire from Live to Wiper and it works! Checked Green and Green/Black wires down to the Wiper switch (poss switch isnt working? Earhing Black good! Tomorrow will be checking rest of wiring/switches/ earting to see if any breaks or bad connections! etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagger Posted July 10, 2023 Report Share Posted July 10, 2023 On 09/07/2023 at 12:59, martyn wright said: Well! I now have the Dash out(Again) I have Full front lights including Side lights! I have rear lights but no Idicators front or rear! I also have No Wipers! Put a wire from Live to Wiper and it works! Checked Green and Green/Black wires down to the Wiper switch (poss switch isnt working? Earhing Black good! Tomorrow will be checking rest of wiring/switches/ earting to see if any breaks or bad connections! etc etc You do know about the 'Other' fuse behind the glove box on some models. It is on the handbook diagram, Mk1 2 litre Vitesse on, but nowhere near the other fuses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted July 10, 2023 Report Share Posted July 10, 2023 I've just had a look at the workshop manual; brown lead fuse controls horn, courtesy lamp and headlamps; white lead fuse controls ancillary equipment and Instruments - that's all it says! The other red cabled in-line fuse under the dash controls headlamp flash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martyn wright Posted July 10, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2023 Well! Still have not found the problem so might have to get a Auto Electrician out altho I have just text Bernard Littlewood to see if he is able to pop up to see me? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted July 11, 2023 Report Share Posted July 11, 2023 13 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said: The other red cabled in-line fuse under the dash controls headlamp flash. In the Vitesse wiring diagram the in-line fuse does front parking, tail and number plate lights while flash has a separate feed from a main fuse👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martyn wright Posted July 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2023 Well! Found the problem! The main Fuse Box had a fault! Took it off and cleaned it put it back and found we had the wipers working and checked the Heater direct and it works so following it thro the wiring to the Switch! When weve done that its down to the Indicators? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martyn wright Posted August 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2023 Hi! Just an update on the Electrics! I still don't have the "Indicators" working and the "Brake Lights" come on and they are not even connected up to the foot brake?? Altho the sidelights are working front and rear! I changed the (New 2 years ago and never fitted) Flasher Unit? for another New one! I cant do anymore as I don't have the knowledge so I have a Auto Electrician coming over next week lol🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 19, 2023 Report Share Posted August 19, 2023 so the brake light switch is fully disconnected ??? wiring diagram has no means to work the stop lights as they are only fed from the pedal switch is the hot fuse box directing a live tail light feed to your stop lamps a lot of circuits run from the 4 greens is the wiper motor dumping a feed back try disconnecting it and check the stoplights are green /red switch to the bulb tail lights are just a straight red Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martyn wright Posted August 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2023 Hi Pete! The fuse box was shorting , so fitted a new one which is now fine! Both the brake and side lights come on together so have the both filiments on in the bulb? and the front and rear indicators are not working? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 20, 2023 Report Share Posted August 20, 2023 (edited) as the stop tail are a 5/21 w offset pin bayonet are you sure the bulbs are located correctly and the the contacts are in the right place for the right filament pete Edited August 20, 2023 by Pete Lewis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 20, 2023 Report Share Posted August 20, 2023 take care when buying twin filaments bulbs you need 380 not 566 as these have different offset pin/terminal positions so they wont work correctly on a triumph Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve P Posted August 20, 2023 Report Share Posted August 20, 2023 Sidelights and brake lights on together and no indicators is often a sympton of poor earthing on the back lights via the ring terminal to the body. S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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