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Wonky High Beams
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SkyB
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Joined: June 12, 2018
Posts: 5
Location: PDX
SkyB is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 10:53 pm    Post subject: Wonky High Beams Reply with quote

I have an electrical gremlin and after lots of scratching my head I'm hoping someone here can help.

I have a 62 Buggy and the parts are all from all years. The steering column is an early to mid 70's I believe with crumple zone and high beam switch on the turn signal.

The problem is the high beams come on and off on their own every 5-30 seconds. People think I'm flashing my lights at them. Sometimes I can't even get the high beams to turn off. Now I've pulled the turn signal assembly apart several times and everything looks perfect. I have even stuck a piece of paper between the contacts of the high beam switch to no avail. I don't think it's in the actual switch. I changed out the relay as well. I'm not sure what else to do other than disconnect the high beams altogether. Something is causing the high beam relay to activate on it's own. Any ideas? Could there be a grounding issue somewhere?

I should mention everything was A-OK for 7 or 8 years of use.
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Dale M.
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Joined: April 12, 2006
Posts: 20360
Location: Just a tiny bit west of Yosemite Valley
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 6:23 am    Post subject: Re: Wonky High Beams Reply with quote

Umm.... My guess there is a short in wiring between switch a steering column and relay... Normally there is ground fed to switch then through switch to relay... Do you have old school relay or new aftermarket relay that allows you to "flash" headlights...

New aftermarket relay.. If you have flash relay and do not want to use flash feature 56 & 30 must be tied common and power (full time) to 30 is not connected..

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Old skool relay..

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


This schematic is how its wired on a 72 beetle... "J" being the high/low relay and "S" being terminal it is wired to on steering column....

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/bug_std_super_72.jpg

Simplified drawing is something like this, not to much to go wrong...

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.

"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...
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MrGoodtunes
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Joined: May 14, 2012
Posts: 848
Location: South Florida
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 10:22 am    Post subject: Re: Wonky High Beams Reply with quote

Most likely cause of your problem is that a certain wire is occasionally getting grounded. The suspected wire would be the one that connects between the S tab on Headlight Relay (in Dale M's 'simplified' schematic) at one end; and at the other end, the momentary contact switch on turnsignal lever. That wire may be rubbing on a grounded surface somewhere, to the extent that its insulation has been compromised, allowing the conductor inside to short out (i.e. make electrical contact with ground, similar to what the momentary contact button on turnsignal lever is supposed to do).
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