The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Headlight Switch - Which One?

I’m restoring a 1954 3100, sort of a basket case for a customer. I am converting from 6V to 12V and want to replace the headlight switch. Vendors list two switches, one with a fuse and one without a fuse. Any advice on which one to use or which is best? I will be installing a new harness as well.
Thanks! Phil

Is something wrong with the switch that was in there, Phil? If it is original it will be infinitely better than the offshore (think of the country famous for beef chow mein) switches. I wrote a tutorial on repairing those some time ago. Here's a link to it: https://tinyurl.com/y6f3lbgs

Jon, thanks for the reply and the link. It’s not my truck, it’s my customers, so I have never operated it. I hat a box of parts to work on and move to the next box. As I said I am converting from the original 6v to a 12v system so that is the primary reason I wanted to replace the switch. The switch is also very Rusty and consequently does not operate smooth. I presume the smoothness could be corrected with your repair procedure but will the internal resistor work with a 12v system?
Thanks.
Phil

It's not feasible to rebuild a rusty switch for a customer and stand behind your 'rebuild" if you are not experienced. Buy the original 12V or 6V version of the original switch, put his original knob and shaft in it and install it.
Don't worry about a fuse. Some switches have a resetting thermal overload bimetal strip and/or you or your harness can fuse the necessary circuits. The original 54 had two fuses on a fuse holder, one for tail lights, one for brake lights.

What harness are you going to use? Did you get my private message?

The switch won't care between 12v and 6v, Phil. Original switches are no longer available and this is the only one made in the USA of which I'm aware:
https://americanautowire.com/products/headlight-switch-01995096

If you end up buying a new one, please don't throw the old one away, but contact me with a PM. I rebuild all the ones I can find.

Option, let Jon rebuild it for you. No one better.

I don't see why vendors are selling a 6V and 12V version of the same switch. Don't think anyone would build two seperate switches when one would due for both voltages/amps. I think their supplier is duping them. The only vendor who says anything about what makes them different is J. Carter who says 6V "terminals" and 12V "terminals". I think his staff is making that up. The "terminals" would not be voltage or amperage specific. The only thing I can think of is the rheostat wire size but manufacturers would build with one size wire. It's a bogus sales gimmic and our vendors are unaware. I realize the 6V bulbs draw more amps, so build one switch for 6V and call it 6v or 12V. The "terminals" are the screws, the contacts are inside and plenty big. The switch "wiring" is all copper strips. Hi beam draw would be at about 100 Watts/17 Amps @6V. Add a few amps for tail stop turn. Some vendors do sell one switch as 6V or 12V.

The rheostat only sees dash/dome bulb amps.

The 30's and 40's switches had a glass fuse on top.

Thank you both for your knowledge & wisdom! It’s quite obvious you both know more on this subject than I do. That AAW switch looks nothing like the original Jon, and I wonder if the original stick would work? It’s crazy that the aftermarket makes, or at least markets four “different” switches if they are in essence the same. I think I am going to take a crack at rebuilding the original switch. Heck I rebuilt the thermostatic switch for the heater and that was way more complicated that this looks, and that works! Thanks again for your help!
Phil

Give it a shot, Phil! That's the spirit. If you hit any potholes, you can contact me here with a PM or at [email protected]
As I said, the original switches are no longer made so it becomes a hit/miss affair...although the guys at AAW are happy to help and may have answers to any questions.
Best regards,
Jon

Jon, I rebuilt the switch per your link, however, the spring with the caps seems to have too much tension on it and is curved when placed back in its original position. When reassembled the switch does not want to easily slide. I got it to slide forward once but now it dies or want to slide to the rear. I was wondering if it is possible to remove some of the spring tension by removing a coil or two. Have you encountered this?

No, Phil...I never have had that happen and sorry to hear it happened to you. I'm trying to think what might have changed to cause that but I'm not coming up with anything in my mind. Your bakelite piece sits right on the bottom of the switch with the detent rod sitting in the little cutout for it, the springs sit inside that and contactor and fiberglass pieces sit on top of that, yes?

Jon
I contacted you prior concerning other issues so I have another question.
There is no info on where the headlight wires connect to on a aftermarket headlight switch. Can you provide info.
Also concerned about the fuse setup.
Thanks

Well, let's take a look and compare the one you have with the original switch hookup. Where the fuse is (there wasn't a fuse with the original switch) is going to be hot all the time...that's so your dome light and brake lights will work even if your ignition is off. I'm not really a fan of having a fuse on the switch...too difficult to get to if something happens. At the back side, your ammeter will connect to any of the 3 holes there. Working counterclockwise, your parking lights will connect to the next one and the one to the right of that will be your tail lights. The one to the right of that goes to your dimmer switch and then working around the last one (counterclockwise and sitting at an angle on top) is your dash lights and the ignition light). Hope this is helpful.