First things first the cars lights were working before i started to day and now they are not...

last year due to my stupidity i put the wrong bulb into a rear light and caused a short circuit and a some melted wires.

the original wiring was like this (the coloured wires are for clarity only)



following the fire i bought a rotary switch and spent a long time trying to get it all the work. in the end i had the side lights on the rotary switch and the dipped beams on the light stalk. all worked well but the battery kept running down



today i tried to make the lights work from the rotary switch but the side lights work but the dipped beam and main beam do not.

I have used all the info on the switch diagrammes available here and i just dont know whats wrong

now i have a flat battery and i was using the tin top and jump leads to start and run the car for most of the time. the final connection was made after the tin top was disconnected. there was enough charge for the side lights but not enough to run the fuel pump in this case would there be enough power to light the dipped beam bulbs ?

what am i doing wrong?

ditch

[Edited on 21/4/12 by ditchlewis]

I suspect you have later sierra column switches. These do supply power to the side lights as a positive output. They earth the headlight relays. The chaos you are involved in with the rotary switch is supplying power to the earthing circuit. I'm glad you cut the 56/56 link between the column switches or you would have been in for more melted wires/fires. Why not go back to using the column switches and relays as ford intended.
Below is a fairly standard picture of how it is wired. Red all comes from the battery. Blues are all earthing wires. If you make the supply to the middle fuse (hte one that supplys the 86 terminals on the relays) ignition live rather than battery live as drawn then your headlights will only work when the ignition is on.
Do put fuses in! Then if you get a short there is a mild pop and the car does not go up in flames.

Nigel

Description

[Edited on 22/4/12 by Dusty]

many thanks, i had a sneeky suspision that that was the case and the 56 a black and brown cable was a switched earth.

just need to find a new set of stalks now.

any one know where i can source some.

ditch

ps during the last melt down the stalk fused on the lights off setting and the side light position did not work. but there appears to be a drain on the battery.


PPS just sourced a new set of stalks off ebay for £ 30 pounds. i know what im doing next weekend.
[Edited on 22/4/12 by ditchlewis]

[Edited on 22/4/12 by ditchlewis]

I used a Premier wiring loom on my build. It came with a really easy to follow guide. It gives the wire colours and switch terminals to wire to. If you are struggling I could copy it for you and post it to you. Henry.

the relays are wired wrong pin 30 is +12V. pin 87 is output, to in your case the main beams and pins 85 and 86 are the trigger wires...
take a look at this article it explains things.

http://www.godspeed.me/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1289