Re: [T3] Explain this! (electrical question)

[Per Lindgren <lindgre@online.no>]

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Daniel Baum wrote:

> This reminds me of another question that I have been meaning to ask:
>
> When you turn on the ignition, how many of the warning lights are supposed
> to come on? At the moment only the generator and oil lights come on. The
> other lights are now wired up (except the blue main beam light) and I was
> expecting them to come on as well, like on all of the other cars that I have
> driven.
The oil and generator lights are grounded when the engine is not 
running. This makes them light up when the ignition is on. The high beam 
and turn signal indicators are not grounded, so they will not come on. 
The high beam indicator also has a regular negative ground, and get's it 
positive power directly from the bulb (well, actually the fuse).

Since you mention newer cars, they may have some sort of timer relay 
causing all idiot lights to come on for a few seconds when you turn on 
the ignition. The main reason for this feature is to see that all bulbs 
are working properly.

> The green light lights up when I pull the headlight switch out one stage and
> then turns off when I pull it out again. The indicator lights work (both
> together) when I turn on the indicators or the hazard warning lights.
>
> Is this right?
Yes, that is the way it is supposed to be. There is a connection on the 
headlight switch marked 57 (DIN numbers). 57 is only has power in the 
parking light position, some European markets (France and Italy, I 
believe) has/had to ahve the parking light indicator on the dashboard as 
a part of their light regulations. When you pull the head light 
switchout to #2 position, 57 goes out again, making your parking light 
indicator go out.

If you have a spare light switch you can see how this happens with a 
multimeter between connectors 30 (battery), 57 (parking indicator), 58 
(parking lights), 58a (instrument lights) and 56 (head lights). 
measuring the resistance, you can see how the resistance increases as 
you turn the instrument lights down, causing the bulbs to get less voltage.

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