The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay fuse box

ok I'll start by saying I dont know crap about electrical. But my problem is I have now power at my fuse box, no headlights, tail lights, wipers, etc. My starter switch works but that because I wired another way. Any suggestions on where i should start would be great. Thanks

Get a test light & a wireing diagram & start traceing. You will know a lot after you get through. You might mention the model truck you have.

Depending on the truck you have - but - most likely your headlights and tail lights don't go through the fuse panel but come right off the light switch. Headlights go through the dimmer switch first. The wipers need to have the key turned on, then look for the fuse and test with a test light. Like Wrenchbender says, get a test light, and a wiring diagram. Connect one side of the light to a good ground and touch the probe to the spot you want to test for battery. If the light lights, it's there.

My truck is a 64 C10, I'll give it a try, but my problem is the wiring on this truck is a mess, the previous owner pretty much went crazy under the dash, it doesnt even have the high beam switch, and the high beam indicator shows its on. But I'll give it a try. Im hoping its just the power to the box, because I had no power to the starter switch from the box, so we'll see. But right now Im doing one thing at a time, I just got done putting my Hurst ratchet shifter in, but tomorow I will attack the the electrical.

One thing I was taught years ago and it applies to lots of other things besides electrical is think of your current like water flowing through a hose. It has to start and end somewhere and you just have to follow the flow starting at the source. I know sometimes that is easier said than done, but it has saved me from being stuck troubleshooting more than once.

if your wiring is all tore up, you should be able to find a decent harness in a wrecking yard, they are not that hard to get out.... putting it back is another story..

You do know that the dimmer switch is on the floor, right?

As a follow up, I would assume I had power from the light switch to the dimmer and that the dimmer switch is operational, or the high beam indicator wouldn't be on. That would mean that your headlight problem was in the wires between the dimmer and the lights and any connectors or a poor ground from the battery to the frame and body or a poor ground in the headlight buckets. You apparently have a good ground to the engine ot the starter wouldn't work. Don't attack the wiring, use some finesse.

Yeah I know the starter switch is on the floor, but its not there at all. And my starter switch has nothing to do with the fuse box, because I re routed it so I may move the truck. Right now the head lights, tail lights, turn signals, dash lights, wipers, horn and dome light dont work. My motor sergant is going to give me a hand so hopefully I can get it figured out. I wish the wiring was like my 65 Impala, it would be so much easier. oh well. thanks for the help though.

Not the starter switch. The DIMMER SWITCH is on the floor to the left of the clutch.

Yeah no dimmer switch, the previous owner did alot of crazy things. but ill figure out, i just got be patient with it, which is hard for me. thanks though

You mentioned on another post that it had a more modern steering collumn, maybe the dimmer switch is the turn indicator stalk.