killed my free spotlight?

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billy

Motor mouth ratchet jaw!
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
3,935
Location
helifino USA
I got my in like new condition vintage light from a member here
And was all excited to install it.
I unplugged the mount that had been filled with silicone to keep water out
Installed new wire in the light itself
Put the light in and touched the single wire to the battery
I turned the switch and got a spark at the battery but light won't work
Of course I didn't think to install an inline fuse or check if it is a 6volt light.
Wondering if I need a new bulb and a better ground
With a fuse this time
 
If you have an ohm meter check for the power wire being grounded to the body of light and vehicle. It is easier to do this with the bulb out. If you don't have an ohm meter, with the bulb out of the spot light, you can use a test light by hooking the lead to the positive of the battery and the probe to the spot light wire. If it lights,the wire is shorted to ground. You can test the bulb by useing a jumper wire to the body of the bulb to the battery and the lead contact to the other post on the battery.
 
Even if it's a 6 volt bulb it should work on 12 volts. Might not work long but it should work. I have some 6 volt bulbs in my dash lights, they are brighter than the 12 volt ones. I figured they would blow, but so far they haven't.
 
Wasn't paying attentio fully. If it sparked after filping switch, you may be shorted to ground after the switch.

i have never looked inside one of these before
i connected it just for a moment and melted my jumper wire:eek:
so i took it apart again and there is a small spot that i thought was rust but now i think it might be dried up non conductive material for the switch nub to rest on when its turned off
so i put some liquid electric tape on that spot
put a new fuse in and flipped the switch a few times
i still dont know if the bulb is good
but ill find out
 
i have never looked inside one of these before
i connected it just for a moment and melted my jumper wire:eek:
so i took it apart again and there is a small spot that i thought was rust but now i think it might be dried up non conductive material for the switch nub to rest on when its turned off
so i put some liquid electric tape on that spot
put a new fuse in and flipped the switch a few times
i still dont know if the bulb is good
but ill find out

You can easily figure out if the power is getting to the socket with a test light, billy.
 
I am going to have to climb up on the roof again (7 1/2 feet) and uninstall and tear it down to see what is going on.
The bulb is 6-8volts
 
It's a guide brand light and they are not as common so I can not find information on how exactly the switch works
It's much different than the unity
 
They should be case grounded and the switch is just for the power circuit to the bulb. They come apart fairly easily. the lamp end is basically just like a headlight in it's configuration. The rod or pivot part there is just a set screw near the handle and it should slide off. The wire going up to the light inside might have chafed through and grounded out.
 
still cant get this cotton pickin light to work
rewired
rebuilt switch
new 12v bulb
bench tested
installed
no workee:confused:
there is no obvious way to open up the gearing
ill try prying,pulling,hammering etc
 
IIRC, there is a setscrew holding it together. And I think a brush that rides on a track on the gears, maybe two brushes, been a long time since I've been into one. I bet your brushes are corroded, or the track is.
 
IIRC, there is a setscrew holding it together. And I think a brush that rides on a track on the gears, maybe two brushes, been a long time since I've been into one. I bet your brushes are corroded, or the track is.

this one is different on the inside than anything i could find online
never did get it completely apart
finally i blasted the inside of that rod thingy with brake cleaner through a lubrication hole on the side
then blasted it with compressed air until dry
then used electrical safe spray lube
IT WORKS![cl
 

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