The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Original H/L switch

hey guys
i haven't been on for awhile but i have a question about the original H/L switch on 3100's

this has now happened 2 to 3 times where the entire lighting system has shut down. the only common denominator to my truck is the H/L switch. no fuse was blown, the H/L's work off two relays thru the foot switch. the tail lamps work thru a separate fuse. everything works thru the original switch. after she got home using the fog lights, which run thru a relay and a new CH separate switch, i walked out and saw no lights and so off to the shop to grab my VOM. when I got back to the truck the H/L's worked. this tells me something inside the switch got hot and ? shorted ? or the ? paper insulation ..... if there is anything like that inside got funky and shorted and ALL shut down.
I'm more interested in reliability than originality.


but
The original H/L switch I believe is failing.

question
Is it rebuildable?
Are the repops any good? but i probably won't get one
or
a Cole-Hersee switch? . I'm leaning towards the CH switch for reliability for Caroline's safety.

http://www.colehersee.com/
products>
switches >
Head Lamp Rotary & Fuel Tank

part #
71016-01 has an 11 ohm rheostat dimmer
71042 has an 7.0 ohm rheostat dimmer
7178 has an 3.75 ohm rheostat dimmer

Which ohm rheostat works for our trucks???

thanks guys

I don't know what truck you have, but on the Task Force headlight switches there is a metallic contact/point type arrangement that acts as a fuse. After "cool-down," the contacts "make" again and everything works as before. Sometimes the contact points get corroded and just need to be burnished. Sometimes they get distorted over time and you can re-bend them. For peace-of-mind a new one may be best, but I did have a new fail on me once.

As Don mentioned Jim, the original HL switch has a bi-metal contact on top that will open if to much current is being drawn. If you have poor grouinds, that is, to much resistance or if you have added something like extra lights or halogin you may be triping the contact. If the come back on after a few minutes then that's a good indication that's where your problem lies.
The original switch has brass contacts inside and they also get burned. To open them up and remake the contacts is very labor intensive. The good repop switch is almost an exact copy of the original switch and they are only about forty bucks. http://www.classicparts.com/1947-54-Headlamp-Switch-Original-Type-6-Volt/productinfo/53-111A/ Stay away from the cheaper ones they look like they are made from old beer cans.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

donsz that is the first thing i said in my thread also at the bottom where my name is it says 51 3104
''I don't know what truck you have'' it's a 3100

my original switch operates a simple relay. that relay operates a foot switch hi and low. the high voltage from the relays operates the headlamps. no high voltage runs thru the H/L switch, there all run thru relays. one for high beams and one for low beams. the rear light are for the most part led's. as you can tell this setup is very non stock.

i have burnished my exterior contact on the H/L switch some 2 months ago when this first happened. it didn't look bent to me then. this same setup has been working since i built this truck from the ground up 2 yrs ago. ALL grounds are solid, i have more grounds on this truck than you can shake a stick at! i'm a communications tech.
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=0732700-R1-034-15A.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=4495365-R1-016-6A_1.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=4472530-R1-027-12.jpg

my typical ground set up ALL over this truck
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=2650080-R2-028-12A.jpg
i know to stay away from the cheap ones denny

what about my question
what ohm rheostat do these trucks need to operate???

In that case I'd guess that the contacts are worn on the inside of the switch Jim. The contacts are like the head of a rivet, the sweged end is what you see out side fastening the terminal strips to the phenolic board. Then there is a slider once the grease has dried up both of them start to wear.
I would direct you to my old Webshots album but I don't remember how to get there. I had pictures of the whole rebuilding process of the stock AD light switches.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Is this it?
click

Good Luck

thanks Denny, i remember that link as well as some others. GREAT WORK as usual.
i had thought either you or Stu would have answered my querie

btw
where is the Stu?

i think i have a link saved to your site but it will take me some time to remember how.
hey, whats ya know, Denny: GV had a link. I don't think it's the complete one denny had when he rebuilt his and took shots and a how to DIY

now what you can do Den is add this link to your profile at the bottom
like i did w/ ''lucinda bolt''

http://rides.webshots.com/album/555161678EhIoCb
http://rides.webshots.com/album/555161678EhIoCb?start=84
http://community.webshots.com/user/dgraham12

thanks dad

BUT NOBODY has answered my original question

What OHM RHEOSTAT ????

That's it Gus, lost my confuser a years or so back and during the rebuild I just decided it was time to get away from all that advertising and went to the pbase album. I wish I could transfer all those hundreds of pics over to pbase but I have no idea how to do it and to locate and reload them all would be a monumental undertaking. God knows I have enough projects going.
Yeah, I book marked them Jim, lost my old favorites folder also during the crash, I'm real bad about back up. I can't help you out with the question, once you drift away from the stock stuff it gets to be like a ball of string that's unraveled. There are just to many variables for me when you start hot rodding.
Thanks Dad,
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Classic Parts of America aka CHEVY DUTY sent a defective H/L switch.
hummmmmmm

they will re send a new one but the hassle is a hassle

after i installed it...... it did NOT WORK. I then did a simple continuity check x2, with my VOM and confirmed that the switch did NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY i called CPofA. then I went back outside to unwire / rewire my old switch the NEW switch CAME COMPLETELY APART. the top plate lifted off exposing the guts and three small springs, the four fold over tabs are thin and apparently not bent over properely and this is their expensive switch @ $45.00.
first photo shows the swap, everything is going just fine. HEY it's a brand new part, i should not have to double check it @ 45bucks. i took the first to place in my photobucket site.
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=IMG_0715.jpg
second and rest of the photos show removal and when i got to the second screw removal the whole thing fell apart in my hands. :mad:
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=IMG_0716.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=IMG_0719.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=IMG_0720.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=IMG_0721.jpg
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=IMG_0722.jpg :mad:

HAS anyone else had a defective expensive 47-54 12V stock replacement H/L switch from these folks??

BE CAREFUL :mad: :mad:

i believe I'm going to buy a Cole Hersee H/L switch

jim