Lucas control box problem?

[Bill Wright]

Be interesting to see how well charged you are. You do mean a run don't you?

Bill

[Bill Wright]

Angle grinder

Bill

[Harry Bloomfield]

Graeme wrote on 01/05/2018 :

They usually can be pulled out via the face.

[Harry Bloomfield]

A very low wattage 12v bulb, such as a 2.2watt warning light bulb, can be connected between the battery and a removed battery cable (in series) to show any discharge when parked. If it lights, something is trying to draw current.

[Graeme]

If I ran 20 miles I would be well beyond recharging!

[Graeme]

In message , Harry Bloomfield writes

Excellent idea, and I do have a good supply of low wattage 12v MES bulbs, as used in older cars and 'wireless' illuminated dials.

Occurred to me last night that I should remove the translucent cover from the interior light, which I said was off - it could be glowing slightly.

[Adrian Brentnall]

Don't suppose one of your newly-working door-switches could be 'leaky'? (as in presenting a small resistance even when in the 'off' position)

Accumulated crud, damp, etc would cause that. Removing the bulb from the interior light and leaving the car overnight would confirm this.

I ran a Moggy Traveller for a few years. Lovely little car, not a lot to go wrong - 'twas the soggy, salt-laden, West Cork atmosphere that finally did for the woodwork....

[Graeme]

In message , Adrian Brentnall writes

Well, that is certainly my suspicion.

Yesterday, I disconnected the interior light feed at the fuse box, which will have the same result, I hope.

Yes. My Traveller had the wood renewed about 30 years ago, and I keep it covered when not in use, and use is limited to dry days only. The wood is still hard, but a lot of varnish has flaked off and needs redoing.

[Adrian Brentnall]

It's likely....

Should do. If I remember rightly it goes '12v - fuse - bulb - door-switch - chassis' It's possible that the wiring could be chafed somewhere between bulb and chassis - but I'd imagine that you're more likely to get a low resistance 'short' in the physical switch, with accumulated damp & grot.

Mine was a daily driver. If it had been limited to dry days only then it wouldn't have seen much mileage...

  The

That's a worthwhile job. Once the damp gets in you're in trouble. I bought my Mog (sight unseen) from the crowd in Bristol. They'd bought it in from somebody who'd restored it. They did their 'Gold' service before delivering it - it arrived with an MOT, one tyre showing the wire reinforcement, what turned out to be a defective (new) condensor which produced a random misfire under load, a whole heap of other minor (?Minor ) niggles - and, best of all, they'd replaced the petrol feed pipe with non-petrol-safe heater hose - which dissolved in about 6 months... Exhaust also fell off about 2 months in.

I wasn't impressed with their service - but loved the car... Eventually sold it on to somebody who had the time to renew the woodwork and keep it under cover - sad to see it go, but I needed transport, not a hobby

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It's a total fallacy you can use the average classic car as everyday transport as easily as a modern one. They all require far more regular attention. And that is going to be expensive, if not a DIY labour of love.

The was a fashion for Moggies round here a few years ago. About half a dozen nearby. For perhaps a year or so, then they all moved on. I only talked to one of the owners. Her car has been bought as updated for modern use - later lead free engine with alternator, and disc brakes with servo etc. But obviously not the car for life she thought he was buying.

[Brian Gaff]

is this the point where somebody wheels out the old joke about the girl running for a buss? Brian

[Adrian Brentnall]

As I say - it was the woodwork that killed it.

There's a few of the Moggie vans and Saloons around here - and they're daily drivers...

I used it for daily transport and trading at two markets a week - great fun and very practical...

Only drawback was the number of people who turned up, usually as I was trying to pack up at the end of the day, and insisted on telling me how their uncle/aunt had one / how they're made from wood, you know, or how they were conceived in the back of one. All very interesting, but not when you're trying to get off home!

[Graeme]

In message , Adrian Brentnall writes

Agreed! The Traveller is a great talking point, and initiates many a conversation with strangers.

Mine was my only vehicle for several years, and was certainly practical although, as Dave said, did require more attention than a modern car. Same applies now, in use as a fun car only. Our modern car, I open the bonnet and shut it again, in horror, never doing much more than checking the washer bottle level.

[newshound]

+1. A mate of mine had a similar problem once, it turned out to be that the radio was drawing power even when switched off (and the light went out properly).

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Not unusual for a radio to draw some current when switched off. Station memory, etc.

You need to check how much current is being drawn from the battery with everything off. On a basic Morris Minor, probably zero is correct. But on most modern cars something like 40mA or so is normal.

[Graeme]

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

No radio fitted and yes, the current draw should be zero with everything off. Car untouched since a 20+ mile run on Tuesday afternoon, when I disconnected the interior light, so I'll try the starter later this morning. With a little luck, battery will still be fully charged, having convinced myself that current is leaking through one (or both) of the courtesy light switches.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Those switches tend to be a pretty basic design with widely spaced contacts when open. If they are reasonably clean, I'd be surprised if they could 'leak'.

But no point in guessing. A decent DVM will measure any quiescent current flow accurately.

BTW, one of those battery disconnect devices is very useful when working on car electrics. It fits between a battery post and cable (normally in the ground lead), so easy to fit. Has a wheel you unscrew by hand to disconnect the battery. Also makes measuring that current easy.

[tabbypurr]

lights were not working

Luxury! My last history piece had a twin fuseholder, but they weren't conne cted.

NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

The two fuse system was very common on older simple cars with Lucas electrics up until the 60s or so.

One fuse each for ignition controlled 'accessories' and always live ones. With provision for two spare fuses in the unit. Take one of those spares and push it between the two fuses - it fitted nicely - and on comes the ignition, with no key. Push or pull the starter switch or relay and the engine starts and you're off. ;-)

[Graeme]

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

I didn't know that! Will try :-)

In the meantime, back to square one. Yesterday, I removed the battery and trickle charged overnight. Put it in the car this morning, and tried an ammeter and a bulb between the battery terminal and earth strap. Nothing. Tried again with door open (and therefore courtesy light) and the ammeter twitched just enough to show current flowing. Shut the door again, and no twitching, so it isn't the courtesy light switches, or, presumably, anything else causing a short. Tried the same test using a small 12v bulb, as mentioned by Harry. With the door open, the test bulb lit, but not with the door closed, proving (?) that, with the ignition off and nothing else on, no current is flowing.

The battery takes a charge, but it must be the battery not holding a charge. New battery time :-(