Targa overhead light short

[jlynch1960]

Looking for some help here.

PO disconnected the overhead (84 Targa) I thought because the rocker switch was toast (piece of cracked plastic). I installed a new switch and thought I had it wired properly - single brown (likely ground) on one end and the two loomed wires on the two spades on the other end - even if I had these backwards, it seemed logical it would just reverse the "door open" and "always on" positions. When I reconnected the battery, instantly got a short that smoked until I got the battery ground off again. Disconnected the light and taped up the wire ends. No more short.

Couple of questions-

Did I wire it incorrectly?

Assuming it had been disconnected because of a short, should I track these wires back to the clock relay to make sure the insulation isn't fried somewhere along the run? If that's the case, anyone know where they run after exiting from under the Targa bar padding.


Do I need to look at anything beyond the relay - if the relay still works and the alarms all function, any chance of damaged wiring past that point?


Anything else I might be missing.

The good news - the jolt to the relay caused my slow running clock to start keeping good time - go figure.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[steely]

No pic of the Targa cabin light, but they should be similar.
There should be some other threads on this.
Power should be on the right in this pic.

[Bob Kontak]

I have an 81 targa. My light has one live wire and two ground wires. One ground for the manual switch is attached to the targa top structure right above the light and the second travels to the door open switches.

The SC wiring diagram in the tech info center shows no clock relay. Just a fairly direct feed from the battery to the light through one fuse then the clock then the glove box light. It is hot all the time.

I am thinking the fuse should have blown but I am not an electrician. I would find the fuse and pull it and then check to see if there is still juice at the light. If there is juice there is something wrong in the wiring - not your connection of the light.

Since you have two non ground wires, one of the two probably travels to lights in the doors (assuming you have them). If you isolate the hot wire and only attach that one you can see if it still shorts. Maybe your problem is downstream of the overhead light in the door lights but I am struggling with any wires smoking at all.

[jlynch1960]

The overhead light looks a bit different. Two wires coming from one loom - I believe black and brown/white and then a separate brown wire. Here's a pic although it was kind of hard to get a good one.

On the light, there are two spades on the right side and a single one on the left, given how little scope there is on the right side wires, it only seems possible that they would connect to the spades on the right hand side of the light.

The Bentley wiring diagram for the warning system (970-85) shows bwn/wht leading to both the door switches and the interior light(s).

[Bob Kontak]

Looks just like mine. I think the brown wire entering the loom is for the ground at the door switches

[Bob Kontak]

Maybe yours is wired incorrectly and you are sending juice right to ground (if that is possible).

[Joe Bob]

Mine broke the ground and refused to click over w/o a lot of oomph as designed. I replaced it and the one of the door contacts. I was able to save the passenger side contact with lube.

The receptacle was old and brittle despite being younger than me. Parts are available from our host.

I had a long hard winter and fixing it was on my list. I put a meter on it and it was dead, dead, dead.....can't fix plastic. The meter confirmed what was door contact power, switched power and ground.....a Fluke is now my best friend.

[Bob Kontak]

Multi meter is a must have.

The door contacts are the ground that complete the circuit for when you open the door. The ground on the ceiling is for when you manually flip the toggle face of the light.

The juice is just waiting for a ground to light the bulb.

[Joe Bob]

Agreeing with Bob and an andendum.....

If it's a MANUAL three position receptacle....BOTH power leads are constant ans not switched thru the ignition. One lead will power the bulb when turned on by positioning the receptacle to position one.....position 2 will only work when one or more of the doors are open....assuming the ground contact in the door is working.

[Bob Kontak]

I am all ears but I think there is only one power lead and two grounds in my (81) three position switch.

In the coupe there is a second lead for feeding another light ( from looking at the elec diagram)

[Joe Bob]

My mistake....ONE power lead, TWO/THREE (dependent on the doors) grounds.....but constant power.

It's a funky switch. Power, power with a door and OFF. It would last longer w/o all the complications but Hans, back in the day approved it.....

[Bob Kontak]

Probably the same design from the 50's.

Which Hans?