The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Generator Light

Good Morning to All , this weekend I found the reason my generator light was not working correctly. It appears that the lamp holder is shot. This is an ungrounded two wire black plastic lamp socket that fits into a 5/8" hole. After checking catalogs, and spending time with Napa counterman it now appears that I am going to have to try and modify something. We were unable to find anything that may work. Any ideas? I am also placing request in swap meet to see if any one has available. Thanks Roy

That generator light bulb definitely must be isolated from ground. If you can't find the right socket and don't want to modify the instrument cluster housing then you may want to consider a bright white LED. Radio Shack sells these things and I can give you a number if you can't find it. The LED will need to be wired in series with a dropping resistor, say 680 ohms. LED's must also be wired with the right polarity. You can then put this LED into the "tube" that likely exists and hold it in place, maybe with a dab of glue from a hot glue gun. May take a little effort to replace but the LED will likely last a LOT longer than a regular bulb.

SoTxBoTi,
Many thanks, I will visit the local radio shack for requird parts. If I hook the unit up out of polarity will it damage it or just not work?

56, an LED is just a diode that emits light when current flows through it. If you hook it up backwards, nothing will happen. I use a number of these LED's in my custom instrument clusters...turn signal direction, hi beam, alternator, brake warning light. The ones I use have chrome bezels because they are on the outside. You don't have to worry about that though if you are sticking the LED behind your instrument face. You will be surprised how much light some of these LED's can generate.

Update, after much searching I found the lamp socket required. American Autowire has it, Part #500128.