| fortyford | -- 08-13-2020 @ 9:04 AM |
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Is there a way to test the circuit breaker?As probably y'all have read my posting on the Ford Barn about my dim headlight problem.For reasons I have narrowed it down to the breaker I THINK.I have 6 volts on both post with nothing on and when I turn lights on I have 6 volts on one post and 4.74 on the other post.I this normal?Sorry about my topic spelled wrong! This message was edited by fortyford on 8-14-20 @ 5:44 AM
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| trjford8 | -- 08-13-2020 @ 2:15 PM |
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If you have 6 volts at each end with nothing on and then 4.74 when the headlights turned on I think you have a problem other than the circuit breaker. Just to be clear we are talking about the small metal box that has a series of holes in it that's mounted on the firewall above the steering column. Make sure all the connections to the breaker and to the lights are clean and make good contact. Tug on the wires and make sure the end connectors are securing the wires. If you have any broken insulation on the wires look at the wiring and see if you see corrosion. The old copper wire should look just like copper and not appear to be black. If black appearing you have a lot of resistance in the system which results in low voltage and warm to hot wires. Resistance equals heat.
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| fortyford | -- 08-14-2020 @ 5:42 AM |
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Can the breaker be removed and cleaned or serviced or does it have to be replaced?
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| TomO | -- 08-14-2020 @ 7:24 AM |
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To be sure, do a voltage drop test, connect the COM lead of your meter to the NEG battery post and the + lead to the output of the circuit breaker and turn on the lights. Normally the volt meter will read 0.1 volts or less. If it reads more, like the 1.24 volts that you posted, move the + lead to the input side and read the meter, it should read less than 01.V. If it does the circuit breaker is bad. The method of voltage reading that you are useing does not take into consideration of all of the circuit resistance, like a voltage drop test does. I have never tried to take apart the circuit breaker to see if I could clean the contacts, as it has never been a problem on my car. Tom
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| fortyford | -- 08-14-2020 @ 7:43 AM |
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Tom,I am using a digital meter.Does this matter?I guess I will have to make up a long lead wire to do this.Long way from battery to breaker,if I am understanding this correctly? This message was edited by fortyford on 8-14-20 @ 7:51 AM
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| TomO | -- 08-14-2020 @ 8:23 AM |
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A digital meter is the best way to do this measurement. I have an older meter and the leads are 4ft long, so I can rest the meter on the glove box door and still reach the battery and the circuit breaker. Tom
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| fortyford | -- 08-14-2020 @ 1:13 PM |
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Tom,with lights on I have 1.20 on one side and .05 on other post.
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| TomO | -- 08-15-2020 @ 7:17 AM |
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It looks like your circuit breaker is bad. The .05 is a good reading. The 1.15 drop across the circuit breaker is excessive. I will look at my spare circuit breaker to see if there is an easy way to repair one and let you know what I think. Tom
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| 40 Coupe | -- 08-15-2020 @ 9:43 AM |
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With the dim lights on place a jumper across the two terminals of the circuit breaker. If the lights get bright, you may have a problem with dirty contacts. If the lights stay dim, look for your problem somewhere else.
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| TomO | -- 08-17-2020 @ 6:51 AM |
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I looked at my spare circuit breaker and it looks like you can drill the rivets that hold the cover on, clean the contacts and reinstall the cover with small screws. Before you do that, I noticed that the terminal posts have 2 nuts each and like the ignition resister, the bottom nuts can come loose when the upper nuts are removed, so I would remove the wires, loosen the lower nuts 1/2 turn and tighten them, replace the wires and tigh6ten the top nuts. Use a wrench with a short length as the nuts only need about 10in.lbs. to be tight. Tom
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| fortyford | -- 08-17-2020 @ 7:11 AM |
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Thanks Tom for your help.I am going to try what you suggested and see if this helps.If not I am just going to replace it.What would be the best way to clean the contacts? This message was edited by fortyford on 8-17-20 @ 7:14 AM
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| TomO | -- 08-18-2020 @ 6:55 AM |
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The contacts are silver plated, so the best way to clean them would be to use a piece of paper saturated with contact cleaner and draw it through the contacts a couple of times. An abrasive such as 1,000 grit paper will remove much of the plating. Tom
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| fortyford | -- 08-20-2020 @ 2:21 PM |
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I got the breaker out and I think it looks rough!I have a new one coming.Here is a photo of the old one.Tom,I will clean as you suggested and see what I have as voltage in and out. This message was edited by fortyford on 8-21-20 @ 4:54 AM
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| TomO | -- 08-21-2020 @ 8:25 AM |
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There is serious corrosion between the terminal nuts and the breaker that could have been the cause for your voltage drop. What are you replacing your circuit breaker with? Once you have the circuit breaker installed, do a quick check of all your bullet connectors by turning on the lights and feeling the connections. If you find any that are warm or hot, check to make sure that the bullets are fully seated in the connector. I would not remove the wiring cover from the firewall to check connections under there unless the voltage drop at the headlights is still high. Tom
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| fortyford | -- 08-21-2020 @ 8:51 AM |
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Tom it is a new one I got from Kube.A sevice replacement that should do the job. This message was edited by fortyford on 8-21-20 @ 8:54 AM
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| fortyford | -- 08-21-2020 @ 6:30 PM |
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My problem is solved.It was the circuit breaker.Tom I am still checking connections,I still have some that are very hot???
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| TomO | -- 08-22-2020 @ 7:57 AM |
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Glad that you now have bright lights and good voltage to the bulbs. Before you put your voltmeter away you should do the following ground circuit test. + lead of meter on POS battery post and the COM lead of the meter to the grounding pigtail in the head light bucket. Turn on the lights and read the meter. The reading should be 0.1V or less. If it is a greater reading, you have poor grounding connections most likely between the fenders and the body. Any connections that are hot should be serviced. If it is bullet connectors, make sure that the connectors are pushed all of the way into the tube. If they are nut and bolt connections like on your circuit breaker, remove the nuts and clean the corrosion away. You can also use a conductive grease , like CAIG Deoxit L260 c1, on all of the connections to help put the bullet connector together and protect the connections from corrosion. https://www.amazon.com/DeoxIT-Grease-L260Cp-copper-particles/dp/B002KAFCCE/ref=sr_1_22?dchild=1&keywords=conductive+grease+for+electrical+connections&qid=1598106218&sr=8-22 I would not disturb any connections that are not hot until you establish that every thing is working correctly, then you can do a few connections, that haven't been done, at a time and give them a good test before disturbing other connections. Good Luck Tom
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