The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Unknown connector

Fairly new to stovebolts and discovering new things everyday. I have an unidentified open connector on the driver side - bottom of the firewall coming out of the wiring harness. The strange thing is that as far as I know, all the electrical components are in working order. Any help would be appreciated.

Thinking brake switch?????

Hy Roadrunner, please remember to tell us what year and size of truck you are inquiring about and if it is stock or has been modified. Those facts will yield better quality answers to your questions, thank you.

Sorry - It is a stock 1946 1/2 ton. Just got it running after it sat in a barn for 35 years. Original brake switch wiring is intact. Could it be for the optional engine bay light?

My guess is that this is the connector for the horn wire, which comes out the bottom of the steering mast. My '37, with a quality reproduction harness has that same connector. Does your horn work?
Kent

It looks like one half of a fuse holder for a heater.

That's the connector for the horn, there would have been a wire coming out of the steering column with a light bulb type plug on it. I just ran into that myself replacing my wiring harness.

Oh - that is great - although I'll have to see if I can locate the other end. I am just about to put a horn that I purchased at a swap meet on it, and about to tackle the wiring. What is strange is that I am unable to locate the original "hot" wire from the ammeter for the horn...

Ok - found both wires for the horn. They were cut-off and taped with the wires going to the lights. I think the previous owner put a different horn system on at some time... Is it possible to buy the original connectors somewhere?

Agree.
Has bayonet receiver slots. Not a "connector" per se. It is one half of a fuse holder.

Carl and Bartamos, you guys made me go out in the rain (yes, it is raining in AZ) to take a picture to show you it IS a connector, not a fuse holder. This is my '37, showing the connector from the harness just forward of the firewall, attached to a yellow wire. The other side of the connector is attached to the black wire that is from the steering mast (horn wire). If you go back to Roadrunner's photo, it shows half of the connector, with yellow attached wire, coming from his harness.

Sure looks the same to me.

Kent

Following Tiny's suggestion, I found the connector in question;
https://www.store.ynzyesterdaysparts.com/gm-twist-lock-inline-connector.html

Roadrunner, get one of these connectors, connect the wire shown from your harness to the wire that comes out of the steering mast (seen in your photo), hook up the wires to your horn that you said were cut, and see if your horn works! That steering mast wire goes up the mast to the horn button where it grounds the circuit on the steering shaft.

Kent

Kent, you are all wet!!!!!!!!

But you have taught me something tonight. Great info. I was thinking that Carl was probably wrong but wanted to give him encouragement.

Yes, just got that big storm over my house.

Thanks for all the help - tested all the connections and the horn works!! Have an order for the connector in at YnZ! One final question - Is the hole that comes through the steering tube for the horn wire supposed to point upwards or down?

Good question, I don't really know. I have seen them up, down and sideways. I would suggest that down would be best, to keep water out.

Kent

My '48 Chevy has the same connector for the wire from the fuel tank to the gauge.

Sorry about that (the rain), Kent. Good find.
I should have known better than to attempt to expound on a topic concerning an era of vehicles of which I am unfamiliar.

I believe the first actual connector used by GM, with male a female contacts inside a plastic shell, was the Packard 56. Now Delphi Packard. Introduced in 1955.

The spring loaded, bayonet coupled, subject piece in the post was obviously a primitive try at something other than a terminal block. Not a good idea but interesting and original.