All headlights, taillights, parks and turn signals worked. Today, I was fiddling with the wiring under the dash (all new 12v conversion), and apparently, a bare wire touched something, I saw a flash towards the left side (away from the H/L switch) and now suddenly.....nothing. No lights at all! I pulled the H/L switch fuse (Painless fuse panel) and there's power to one side, fuse is not blown so there should be power to the other side but there's no power to the H/L switch or any of the 6 terminals. Is it possible the original '54 H/L switch shorted out? At this point it'd be easier to just order a new chinese repro switch from DC than to trace everything down. Thoughts?
Can you pull the switch out and remove the wires from the terminals. Then check continuity between the terminals for each light position. Sounds like you've already done this by checking for power at all the terminals. Did your headlight switch have a fuse on the back of it, mine didn't but I have seen pictures of some that did. You said you didn't have power to the switch from the panel, changed the fuse anyway just to see unless you have checked for continuity through the fuse.
No fuse on the back of switch. I do have power to one side of the H/L fuse in the fuse panel. I ran a jumper wire from the other side of that fuse to the #2 terminal on my H/L switch, thinking that would supply power. Turned the H/L's on (still no lights) and 20 seconds later I heard a sizzle then that 20a fuse blew. I wired the switch according to Shane Spencers post #525........ Projects - 54 Ford Customline daily driver | Page 18 | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com) When I ran the jumper wire, I just attached it to the #2 terminal that still had the original power wire connected. I probably have to pull the fuse panel and see exactly how it's wired from behind. Not a lot of fun as I'll have to remove the fender to access the nuts on the backside. I just set all my body gaps too! Bummer! All the terminated wires have since been capped off!
OK, pretty sure I've found the problem. Just my standard lack of attention to detail! Look closely at the pic above of my fuse panel. Notice the 20a fuse with the label 'headlight' above it. Now note the little arrow next to the word 'headlight' that points down to the empty fuse socket.............yep! Plugged in another 20a fuse and all is good.
The Jalopy Journal
