[Mgs] Electrical system questions

[Paul Hunt]

2.  The green/white will only be flashing if the lights are flashing.  Most 
people plump for a bad ground, but that is only one connection out of the 
many in the circuit, and this could still be a bad ground.  It depends what 
wattage your test-lamp bulb is as to whether it would start them flashing or 
not if the problem were a bad ground.  If you use a pukka test-lamp tool 
then it is highly unlikely to make any significant difference as their 
wattage is so low, you would have to use a 6W, 10W or higher.  It could be a 
bad connection in the turn switch, the connectors by the steering column, 
the bullet connectors by the fusebox, the bullet connectors by the lamps, 
the lamps in the lamp holders, the connection between the 'tin-plate' 
bulb-holder and the body of the lamp unit, or finally the connection between 
the lamp unit and the ground.  Fortunately (for testing)  the current drawn 
by the lamps is quite high which means that any bad connection causing the 
lamps to stop flashing one side will cause a noticeable difference in 
voltage between the sides.  If you bypass the flasher unit so that *both* 
sides flash but don't glow, then test with a volt-meter along the points I 
mention with respect to the same known good ground, look for any voltage 
differences between the sides that suddenly appear part-way through the 
circuit.  If you get right to the bulb connections without finding any, then 
test between the bulb-holder and body of the lamp unit and your known good 
ground, this time with the volt-meter sensitivity turned up (if it is an 
analogue meter).  The voltage now should be zero, and voltage shown is a bad 
connection, again compare the sides.  Chrome bumper cars didn't use ground 
wires for the lamp clusters but relied on their physical fixings to the 
wing.  The front is exposed to the elements, but even the rear can get 
problems.

PaulH.

----- Original Message ----- 
> 2) Right hand turn signal doesn't flash, it is steady on.  The left hand
> side flashes as it should.  When the hazards are turned on, both sides 
> flash
> as they should.