[Healeys] Master Switch

Michael Salter michaelsalter at gmail.com
Wed Mar 25 14:35:54 MDT 2020


My experience with the original Lucas Master switches has been a little
different.
Many years ago, after having a newly installed NOS switch fail on my own
car, I  discovered that it had failed because the ground cable running from
the switch to the frame was not properly installed.
The full starter current must pass through the switch then through the
cable to ground. When there is resistance in that cable current passes
through THE SPRING to then ground through the body of the switch and the
switch mounting bracket.
This high current rapidly overheats the spring and it looses tension
ruining the switch.
I have disassembled several of these switches to stretch the spring as
suggested but often found that the brass of the spring had been totally
annealed as a result of being overheated because of the current that had
passed through them.
For my own car (and several others since)  I made a new spring from copper
coated steel welding wire wich lasted until I sold the car many years
later.

M

On Thu, Mar 26, 2020, 9:00 AM John Spaur, <jmsdarch at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> In my experience with the switches they overheat and the spring collapses.
>
>
>
> Good to know you have the rivets.
>
>
>
> John
>
>
>
> *From:* David Nock [mailto:healeydoc at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Wednesday, March 25, 2020 7:57 AM
> *To:* John Spaur <jmsdarch at sbcglobal.net>; 'Healeys' <
> healeys at autox.team.net>
> *Subject:* Re: [Healeys] Master Switch
>
>
>
> The number one fault with both the original and the new switch is the
> spring inside looses its tension and you then loose the ground connection.
> We have sourced the correct rivets to restore your original battery switch.
>
>
>
> I have also had to take apart the new switches to make them work
> correctly. Simply drill out the rivets. Stretch out the new spring and
> install new rivets.
>
>
>
>
>
> David Nock
> healeydoc at sbcglobal.net
> 209 948 8767
> www.britishcarspecialists.com
>
> Help us have our Founder Norman Nock inducteed into the
> British Sportscar Hall of Fame, You can vote for your favorites
> by visiting the site at.
> www.britishsportscarhalloffame.org
>
>
>
> *From:* John Spaur
>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, March 24, 2020 9:53 PM
>
> *To:* 'Healeys'
>
> *Subject:* Re: [Healeys] Master Switch
>
>
>
> I have tried to post this to the list several times but it keeps bouncing.
>
>
>
> The internal part in the reproduction switches is plastic, not Bakelite.
> If your engine is hard to start and you crank it too long the plastic part
> melts and the switch is toast. I rebuilt one recently with the proper
> Bakelite part. However, they are not always interchangeable with the newer
> metal case because the metal case is slightly smaller.
>
>
>
> John
>
> ’62 BT7
>
> San Jose, CA
> ------------------------------
>
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