'Hot' as in 'hot when the ignition is on', so it can activate the high-beams, whether they're in running light or high-beam mode.

Neither of the two shops in my area had a DPDT relay, so I'm sourcing it from the 'net. Will be getting capacitors to get rid of my radio noise at the same time, for good measure.

 

I would take the actual power for the lights directly from the battery, and take the ignition power to trigger the relay from the "IGN" tap on the fuse block.

DPDT relays are absurdly common.
It is shocking that nobody has them over there.
But the web has everything...

- Eric

 

After not being able to buy a flasher that worked, I'm not surprised. Will just have to live with it.

True, the IGN would be easier. Tapping power from the battery was the plan, yes.

 

Not too much of a pain - you can just use a large ring terminal on the clamp screw - or don't they have those over there?

- Eric

 

Haw haw, we DO have those.

They DID have kind of relay that moves ONE current from one lead to another, but not the double kind. I could have used two of those, but I'm not in THAT much of a hurry.

 

Exactly. a DPDT relay is essentially the same as two SPDT relays.
Whatever works...

- Eric

 

You got it.

 

What type of rear defogger? If it was the defog on glass, there's a wire going through the firewall close to where the old regulator is mounted, that goes to a relay bolted to the firewall. That wire likely carries the current you need and already has a fuse built in. Does this help?

 

It WAS indeed the defog on glass. Unless you have a good way of fixing that particular feature when the glass guy has cut off the attaching end(s)?

 

I could have pulled the whole rear defog on glass harness for you 3 weeks ago!! 71 CS with the same option. I actually helped the guy who wanted the glass take it out......Maybe I am reading this wrong - did he cut off the braided contacts that are attached to the glass itself or just cut the wiring to the back?

 

You're not sending a rear windshield to Denmark just so I can have rear defog. The thought is nice, though, thank you.

He cut whatever the wire attaches to, and if it has a ground strap, he cut that as well. All I have left is the glass with the copper(?) wires on it, and a big fat wire running from the dash to it.

 

Naw, but if I can score another rear harness for that glass, you can have it for the cost at the bone yard + shipping.

There are 2 connectors that attach to those glass wires. The 'big fat wire' running from the dash - is it purple by any chance? If I find another car with the RDOG, I'll just take the entire harness. It takes some time to get out because I need to remove the front/rear seats to get at it. It runs up by the fuse box and then across to the switch next to the fan speed on the dash. It's a good bit of exercise getting all that, but it really helps a guy learn about the way the cars were initially built.

Ok, enough hijack - back to your lights issues.

 

You can hijack all you want - it's MY thread, and I brought up the subject. It's okay. :P

Your offer is very generous, but don't start breaking your back before I've tried to mend my own.

Yup, fat purple wire. I disconnected it at both ends and let it stay under the carpet. What does the second connector on the glass connect to - ground?

Thanks.

 

The fat purple wire attaches to a harness that splits into 2 contacts for the glass and completes the circuit by running through the grid? I think you're right that one side of the wire harness grounds onto the parcel shelf.

 

Wonderful, then I just need to find a way to fix the contacts. I think I saw a fix kit with conductive glue and little copper strips once.

 

Yes, they exist. I've never used one, but I have used the kit to restore a scratched-through element line, and it worked great.

- Eric

 

Then that's on the schedule. Which corners are the connectors normally in?

 

They are below the trim panel covers in the corner of the parcel shelf. If you look in the trunk you should see the wires. They have a heavy black protective cover over the actual wiring.

 

And the purple connects in the passenger side corner, meaning it has to pass across the trunk, yes? I think I remember.

Thanks.

 

You remember correctly! That purple wire BTW is VERY well fastened and covered with heavy tape along the floor pans on the drivers side. When it gets to the fuse box area it is also tucked along the top right of the fuse box and then joins the harness that goes to the switch on your heater plate. The relay and fuse for this accessory are in the engine compartment instead of inside the car like for convenience if your car is AC equipped. If you have AC you will also have a jumper from the RDOG relay connection to the AC relay (I think it's the high speed fan relay but not sure). Non AC cars just have a pigtail that will not be used and likely is taped over to the wiring close to the RDOG relay.

 

I don't have AC in this car - it was broken, so I opted for normal air instead.

I unplugged the purple wire right around the fuse box. I'll have to look up under the dash for the wire that runs to the heater/defog controls. Wiring it up like in the wiring diagram is the most safe, I think. Should have the fuse housing somewhere as well, or an aftermarket one that'll do just as well.

 

The fuse housing should still be in the engine compartment hooked up to the relay wiring. Looks like a small 2 piece bulb. Same concept as the oil pressure sending jumper lead on rallye pac gage.

 

I can't say I can imagine a two piece bulb, but I have a twist-lock (called a bayonet lock IIRC) black plastic housing that will hold a standard fuse, which I could easily plug into the regulator plug. The regulator is gone, I'm running an internally regulated alternator.

 

From the 72 Assembly Manual - circled locations are the in line fuse 'bulbs' I was referring to. Any type of in line fuse holder will work just fine though. You obviously don't have to worry about the fuse to the VR.

 

I'm not sure I have the Defogger Relay though. Must investigate.

 

If you don't have the relay, I have 2 or 3

 

I'll check and see - otherwise I'd be interested in one. Do you have a lot of small things for these cars? I have a long list if you can pick parts off cars easily. :P

 

Send me a list (PM) and I'll see if I can help. These cars don't come up for grabs all that often at the local bone yard. I was lucky to find 2 71 CS's there a month ago. Got some good stuff including a full dash pad and dash insert (blue) along with some other small stuff. I check the bone yard web listing regularly to see if there's anything worth going for. I have fun doing this as it helps me learn more about disassembly and assembly of these cars, so I only ask for the value of the part that I paid.

 

That's very nice, thank you. I'll list things, double-check, and send you a message.

 

I'm shopping for DPDT relays - I want (2 * 55W) / 14V = 7.8A or above capacity, right?

 

I'd be looking for something around 10A.

Remember that the pull-in coil has to be 12VDC.

I can look some up when I get home tonight if you'd like.
In terms of US suppliers, I like Mouser and Digikey.

- Eric

 

I found one with three circuits, 12V pull-in, 10A. A whooping $9 over here.

Now, if I'm picking out capacitors to eat up the radio noise, and my .5µF ones aren't making a difference, how big do they need to be? Might've been 5µF, I don't remember.

 

You shouldn't have any noise from these, and if you do, what's a tiny click when you turn on the lights?

$9 sounds just fine.

- Eric

 

The noise is not related to the relays - it's interference from my ignition system. It makes noise only when the car is running, varies with load (braking and stopping is worst, accelerating has only very little static), persists if the alternator is attached or not, and it also interferes with radios close to the car. The radio plays flawlessly when the car is off, both radio and CDs.

As mentioned, this is a catch-all thread for my small problems.

 

I would consider distributor or spark plug wire noise.
Do you have a suppression condenser on your coil?

Are you running solid core wires or resistor wires?
Are you running resistor plugs?

- Eric

 

HEI and accompanying (resistor?) wires. Platinum Bosch plugs. No condenser on the coil as far as I can see - there isn't one unless it's built into the HEI.

 

Running lights installed and working. The 'hot at run' wire I used to activate the relay feeding them is the generator idiot light lead - made a T. Is there a better solution?

As a test, I put two condensers in a row on the ground lead off the radio, each 2.2 µF, which cut down on the radio noise, without eliminating it. Bigger condenser, condensers other places? The CSM states that there should be a shield over the dist rotor, a condenser on the coil, blower lead, and steering wheel column. I only have the one on the column.

 

The HEI has some kind of built-in RF filter, but I'm not sure exactly what kind.

I believe that all Bosch Platin plugs are resistor type, and the HEI wires are very likely to be resistor wires, so that pretty much takes care of the ignition system itself.

Finding RF interference can be a real bear sometimes, and if you look at some cars, you will notice that they have wires running across hood hinges and body panels, to prevent anything from being electrically distinct and creating an antenna effect.



The HEI, as I said, shouldn't need a coil condenser, and the HEI rotor shouldn't need a shield.
If you don't have an RF condenser on the blower, you may get whining static when the blower is on, but you may not.

I believe that the value of the RF filters is supposed to be 1µF, but I could be mistaken. In your case, you put two capacitors in series, in which the final capacitance is half of their value, so you had 1.2µF. If you had connected them in parallel, you would have had 4.4µF.

Filters on the input lead of the radio will suppress interference in the power line, but will not suppress interference transmitted as radio waves through the air - to do that, you need the condensers on the power lines of the affected components (such as blower motor and alternator).
You can test your alternator by running the engine without the fan belt and seeing if the noise goes away.

Specific RF filter condensers should be available from automotive outlets, and regular electronics capacitors (electrolytics are always good) from electronic suppliers.

Here's a good discussion about RF interference on boats.

The words Capacitor and Condenser really mean the same thing, but one tends to be used in automotive applications and the other in electronic applications.



I don't know whether using that lead as a power source will affect the action of the light. I would have just run a wire through the firewall to the IGN post on the fusebox, or connected to the HEI (+), or connected to the green wire that powers the TCS, but if it works, it works.

Glad the lights work! I'd love to see a picture.

- Eric

 

Hmm, fair enough. I can certainly try installing the capacitors parallel instead. I already tested the alternator, made no difference to the noise. I even tested with a hand-held radio in the engine bay, that had interference too, when the car was running. Could it be spark plug wires touching each other/the firewall/dipstick/engine/other wires?

The radio noise lessened when I installed a tach that leeches power off both the 'tach' and 'bat' posts on the distributor, and the noise changes whenever I fiddle with my spark plug wires - and as mentioned, it differs with the load of the engine.

Well, the gen light wire WORKS, when I turn ON the car. The lights don't come on until the alternator is spinning. o.O I think I'll move it to another post, so I don't have to worry about it flickering or anything.

Pictures upcoming!

 

Running lights:
D29Vk52.jpg


Running lights and parking lights, in this case 30W bulbs in the low beam lamp.:
0aawQl7.jpg


Running lights and low beams:
S0byUlp.jpg


High beams and parking lights:
62gWDtp.jpg


Blinker and low beams:
J6OjVaX.jpg