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Spitfire Mk3 Column Light Switch Connections


Jonah

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Morning 

after checking my steering column I need to reconnect my column light switch (didn’t think of taking a pic before I disconnected it)

there are four wires from the column switch

blue/white - brown - brown/red - blue

there are five wires from the loom

purple - brown/red - blue/red - blue/white - blue-white 

could anyone please tell me which wires to connect please

many thanks 

 

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For information I’ve used the triumph schematic and have connected 

purple to brown 

blue/ white x2 to blue/white

red/blue to red/blue

brown/red to brown/red

lights work fine on the switch but no flash, however the main beam warning light comes on when in the main beam position, so I was wondering if I’ve done something daft 

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Sounds ok, is there a fuse in the circuit? On Heralds the headlamp flash is the only fuse, not sure about Spitfires tho. When you tested it, were you on dip / sidelamps? It won't flash when full beam is on, as there's no way of telling... :)

 

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The fuse is ok. I tried the glad in dipped and lights off but no flash

i thought the purple wire was the non switched for the flash, but as I’ve got it connected it doesn’t work 

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Thanks Peter, I’m not sure if the Mk3 Spitfire originally had a flash function

i suppose it could be that the original  column switch which didn’t have flash has been replaced at some point with one with flash function, thus creating a red herring!

or it could just be my rubbish wiring!

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2 hours ago, Peter Truman said:

Our 66 Spit Mk2 doesn’t have flash by pulling the column light stalk forward but the 68 Vitesse Mk2 does?

It should have, the wiring is there with an inline fuse near the fusebox behind the parcel shelf. Likely the switch has been replaced with an early non flash herald one. Mine didn't have flash either when I first got it, urple wire was just unattached. Oh and it is definitely mentioned in the MK2 owners handbook

Edited by DanMi
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3 hours ago, Jonah said:

The fuse is ok. I tried the glad in dipped and lights off but no flash

i thought the purple wire was the non switched for the flash, but as I’ve got it connected it doesn’t work

The purple is the non-switched for the flash, it comes from the same fuse as the horns so test to see if they work. The main headlamps are not fused. I would test for 12v at the purple wire and the mk3 certainly did have the flash function

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attached is the Spit Mk3 Handbook which on pg 35 advises there is a headlamp flash function is sourced and protected by the bottom of 3 fuses in the fuse box ie a Battery supply always live. Pg 42 the wiring diagram shows the flash function being supplied from the LH battery fuse via a purple (P) wire to the brown (N) wire on the column light stalk to top rh terminal ie a direct battery supply for the flasher to the headlights only illuminating the dip and main beams simultaneously. 

Sorry about the quality of the print 

Spitfire Mk3 Handbook.pdf

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Its strange that your column switch has the brown N wire as, in the first diagram, this is only to supply the flash but then your missing the second blue/white UW wire. However as you can see in the second diagram sometimes the switch has an internal link and doesnt actually need both blue/whites....

image.png.afb11b1ed70e87ecf360932fca07b5a6.png                   image.png.b6b29b381936e00a099d8930087daefc.png

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13 minutes ago, DanMi said:

It should have, the wiring is there with an inline fuse near the fusebox behind the parcel shelf. Likely the switch has been replaced with an early non flash herald one. Mine didn't have flash either when I first got it, urple wire was just unattached. Oh and it is definitely mentioned in the MK2 owners handbook

Interesting my Mk2 Handbook pg44 wiring diagram doesn't have a separate purple wire for a flasher from the battery fuse in the fuse box (2 fuses only). attached is my Mk2 Handbook and there's no mention I can find re a headlamp flasher!

Our Mk2 is an Australian CKD Spit & there may be differences it could depend on what part was grabbed during assembly!!

  

Spitfire Mk2 Handbook.pdf

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Apologizes DanMi found a reference in the Mk2 Handbook " the horn and headlamp flasher circuits are protected by the "inline" fuse 3 located near the fuse box, so if I got the correct column switch voila I should have flashers??

We've had the Mk2 Spit 24 years after it was a total bare metal, chassis off rebuild and still learning 

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14 minutes ago, Peter Truman said:

Interesting my Mk2 Handbook pg44 wiring diagram doesn't have a separate purple wire for a flasher from the battery fuse in the fuse box (2 fuses only). attached is my Mk2 Handbook and there's no mention I can find re a headlamp flasher!

read P9 top right 3rd paragraph and p56 half way down refers to the inline fuse near the fusebox not in the fuseboxno3 p40. Plus it is on the wiring diagram though it has it as brown and brown/black with the fuse no 39 (maybe mk1 colours just not updated)

 

It is also wrong as there is another fuse by the starter solenoid for the horns so I guess they didn't include some updates from the mk1

Edited by DanMi
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I’m really stumped on this!

there is permanent 12v on the purple wire from the fuse and there’s 12v switched from the main light switch, dipped and headlights work and the dash warning light comes on when full beam is selected, but no flash 

Just in case I’m just losing it I’ve attached a photo of the temporary connections and one of the column switch, perhaps I’ve got the connections wrong 

IMG_3827.jpeg

IMG_3828.jpeg

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yes your switch has a link as in my second diagram so only one blue/white wire needed. Looks like the fault is in the switch itself as if the brown wire onto it is live then when the flash is operated that contact on the back of the switch in your photo closes and puts 12v onto the blue/white wire which as youve already proved does power the headlights....

You should be able to short the contact with something and see it work👍

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I'm trying to work out the colours in your photo but it looks from here like brown / red is to purple? I'm wondering about what happens if the two brown wires are reversed? (Not intending to test it here, have let the smoke out of too many looms in the past)

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Shorting across the flash contacts with the garage lights of occasionally produces a faint glimmer on the warning light

the warning light glows brightly when on full beam though 

Could this be a  poor connection in the column switch, is it worth dismantling it? 

I tried swapping over the brown leads but no lights worked

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This is getting difficult as 'swopping brown leads'? Theres only one brown coming from the column switch and this has to connect to purple of the wiring loom🤔

Looking at your photo of the rear of the column switch the blue/white terminal looks very close to the red/brown - theres no short here is there?

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If this isnt the case then maybe you have a high resistance in the flash supply (fuse - purple wire - brown wire) so 12v shows but as soon as you try to power all the main beam filaments it cant supply enough current. You could check this with a voltmeter on any blue/white wire to see what reading you get when flash is operated compared to just when on normal high beam....

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Testing the switch with a meter across brown/red to blue/red or to blue/white shows the switch working fine 

I’ve just noticed that the permanent 12v to the flash contact via the purple wire drops to zero when the flash is pulled 

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