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Re: [spitfire-enthusiast] SPITFIRE: Normal dash light behaviours

To: spitfire-enthusiast@makelist.com, spitfires@Autox.Team.Net, triumphs@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: [spitfire-enthusiast] SPITFIRE: Normal dash light behaviours
From: DANMAS@aol.com
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 16:52:57 EDT
In a message dated 98-08-24 14:21:42 EDT, vmichael@tibco.com writes:

> My green flasher indicator light only flashes when my hazard lights are
>  on. I sensed from the handbook the indicator is also for the turn
>  signals. I like the idea, since on short turns the auto turn signal
>  deactivator doesn't always kick in and outside noise makes it difficult
>  to hear the clicking when they're on. I don't want to be viewed like the
>  blue-hair (no offense, my blue-hairs are making their appearences ;)
>  driver who leaves their signal on while not intending a turn.

Vic,

What year/commission # is your car? According to the information I have, from
the introduction of the hazard flasher to Comm # FM 60000, Triumph used a turn
signal flasher for the turn signals, and a hazard flasher for the hazard
circuit. Each circuit had its own light. From FM 60001, they "cheapened up" a
bit, and used a single hazard flasher for both functions, and the same bulb
worked for both. Not a good idea, but I guess it saved a couple of bucks, at a
time when Triumph needed to save wherever possible.

This change was made when they changed the hazard switch from a rocker switch
to a pull switch.

In the early design, the indicator lights were connected directly to the
TS/Hazard lights themselves. In the later design, the single indicator was
driven by a separate contact in the flasher - one output contact drove the
lights and another output contact drove the indicater. IOW, the separate
flashers were "two terminal" devices, while the latter was a "three terminal"
device.

With the earlier design, the hazard indicator would flash as long as at least
one bulb still worked. Neither the TS indicator, nor either of the lights,
would flash unless both bulbs on that side were working. With the later
design, the indicator will flash as long as at least one lamp is working, 1 of
2 for the TS and 1 of 4 for the hazards.

>  The other light in question is the vertical text lamp reading "HAZARD".
>  It's on solid all the time. My guess is, it should flash but *shrug* -
>  this is just a guess.

I've looked over all the schematics for this, and find no reference to a
separate light for the hazard indicator you describe (it is not unusual for
the schematics to not accurately depict the real thing), although there is an
unidentified bulb fed from the dimmer which could be it. Look to see what
color the wire is to this lamp. If it is green, it was intended to be on all
the time. If it is red/white, it was intended to be on with the parking/head
lights, and controlled by the dimmer rheostat. If it is red, it was meant to
be on with the parking/head lights, but not dimmable.

If it's piece of lamp cord, ............?

On the later TR6s that used the pull type switch, there is a lamp inside the
handle of the switch. I can't tell from the schematic if it flashes or burns
steady when the flasher is on. This lamp does not appear on the Spitfire
diagrams.

Hopr this is a little help.

Dan Masters,
Alcoa, TN

'71 TR6---------3000mile/year driver, fully restored
'71 TR6---------undergoing full restoration and Ford 5.0 V8 insertion - see:
                    http://www.sky.net/~boballen/mg/Masters/
'74 MGBGT---3000mile/year driver, original condition - slated for a V8 soon
'68 MGBGT---organ donor for the '74

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