Front side lamp/indicator units,how are they earthed?

[daverclasper]

Have removed mine to sort internal rust. No earth cable as such, so assume the earth is the two screws that fasten unit to body?.

Oh, this is a Vitesse

Thanks Dave 

[Pete Lewis]

yes   some later lamps have a earth fly lead

pete

[NonMember]

46 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

yes   some later lamps have a earth fly lead

I've replaced both sides on my Vitesse "to sort internal rust" and now have intermittent problems. I recommend adding an earth wire to the (inner) mounting point because the bonnet probably doesn't provide a good earth path, especially if it's been painted recently.

[daverclasper]

Thanks. I'm surprised they have been working fine for past 9 years, the fastenings are small stainless bolts and nuts, so no rust on them though, they are a fairly slack fit through the bonnet, which is where they earth, I assume.

Maybe not applicable to this?, though, could they have been earthed further upstream in that relevent section of the loom?, or does the earth have to be direct from the units (if you see what I mean?).  

[PeteH]

One of the frequent "anomalies" of vehicle wiring, is the need to earth a fitting in order for the circuit to be complete. The exceptions are usually "plastic" /(GRP) bodies where it is neccessary to incorporate an "Earth/Return" cable into the loom. AND THEN, one comes across instances where the supply is permanently live and the circuit completed by switching the Negative/to Earth!. Many Vehicle electrical issues can be down to bad earthing. I find more so since the introduction of "canbus" systems where the signals are so small.

Pete.

[Colin Lindsay]

1 hour ago, daverclasper said:

Thanks. I'm surprised they have been working fine for past 9 years, the fastenings are small stainless bolts and nuts, so no rust on them though, they are a fairly slack fit through the bonnet, which is where they earth, I assume.

Maybe not applicable to this?, though, could they have been earthed further upstream in that relevent section of the loom?, or does the earth have to be direct from the units (if you see what I mean?).  

I remember being told yonks ago that stainless was not a good conductor?

I've just spent the whole of last evening and most of today wiring headlamps and sidelights and, PO's previous bodges notwithstanding, I found a lot of the trouble I encountered was down to greasy or dirty bullet connectors. I washed each one in Servisol switch lubricant before fitting and they all worked in the end.