Amazon: Amp light coming on when it shouldn't...

[Ron Kwas]

Tom;

"Electrical Joint Compound" tells me very little real info to make a decision with...please provide an engineering data sheet or link to one...I'll have a look at it, and let you know! Where did you find it?

Derek; $40 for 8oz. is a typical price here too, but I just got three of those containers surplus to an electrical contractor on the popular on-line auction site for $30...I expect those should last me for a loooong time...considering I repackage the stuff also into blobs of about 5mL or 1/6 Fluid oz. and send it out with kits...that's easily enough for more than a dozen push-on connectors...maybe you should lay in a stock and repackage it for the locals...packaged into a mini ziplock bag, it could simply be posted in an envelope!

Cheers

[Derek UK]

For Ron.

http://bicon-uk.com/BICON-Compounds-...t_Compound.pdf

[Ron Kwas]

Derek;

You've found it! ...this clearly the product which I highly recommend for superior long-term protection of any electrical connection on any vintage vehicle ...on the second page it even states the name: Penetrox

---------------------
I think the stuff is great...I do however take some exception to the phrase: "enhance connections in electrical joints" because this phrase is misleading...it was likely written by a "marketing specialist", because it suggests material can somehow and immediately improve a connection upon application...this is just plain incorrect....no material applied to a joint, including Penetrox, can do this, only increasing the cross-sectional area of the conductive contacts of an electrical joint can enhance or improve it immediately! If I was to write something like that into a report at work, it would get flagged and corrected by the first guy proof-reading! What applying the ACZP on a new, clean and tight connection does do, is keep it that way (as new) over time by chemically neutralizing any (microscopic existing) corrosion by preferential galvanic reaction of the zinc particles (sacrificial anode action), preventing new corrosion by the same mechanism, and protecting joint from new contamination by encapsulating it...that phrase should not be used as it stands...more correctly it should read: "provide long-term protection for electrical connections".

Cheers from Connecticut!

[Derek UK]

Thanks, but the honour goes to Tom for finding it. Certainly a useful, smaller sized and cheaper product although I haven't checked it on an oz for oz basis.
You can also buy it in a 3kg bucket!!!!
http://bicon-uk.com/BICON-Compounds-...t_Compound.pdf

[222s]

AARRRGGGHHHHHH!!!

Having thought that this was ok (it started working properly again by itself), as of this evening, it's back..... It was ok when I left work, and then suddenly the light stayed on when restarting after filling up with petrol.

The brushes look ok to me - only slightly shorter than the new replacement ones that I bought when this problem initially reared its head, but how can I tell for sure if it's them? I would have fitted the new ones, but it wasn't until removing the brush holder this evening that I realised they were soldered on, and I don't have a soldering iron.

The green book lists a length of 8 mm for the brushes - is that the height at the highest, or lowest point (the contact face is curved)? Didn't have calipers to hand, but pretty sure they were long enough. However it makes no mention of brushes in the trouble shooting info.

[222s]

Fitted new brushes this evening (proper measurement of the old ones showed them to be 0.5mm under the minimum), but it's still not working. I've checked the brushes & holder with a test lamp, and that appears ok, so presumably not an issue with my soldering. However on initial startup with the new brushes fitted, when the engine was revved, the lamp did flicker a bit (as opposed to being on full). Also, the new brushes are showing only a small area of contact wear. Does this mean that new brushes need bedding in?

In the meantime, the battery is now on charge overnight, so I can still drive to work tomorrow!

[Burdekin]

Paul, do all your electrics work?

Also try disconnecting wire to amp light as you could be getting an earthing problem. If it stays on then you're earthing somewhere.

I'm no auto electrician so hope not telling you how to suck eggs.

[222s]

I haven't noticed anything not working (except the reverse lights but that's because the switch on the gearbox is shot). All lights, including interior, stereo, heater fan were definitely working since the problem started.

[Burdekin]

No worries, thought it may have been a fuse, worth checking all the other fuses are okay.

Posted this before: Also try disconnecting wire to amp light as you could be getting an earthing problem. If it stays on then you're earthing somewhere.

[222s]

I've unplugged the wire from the brush holder, and that kills the amp light - presumably that also eliminates an earth?