I'm in the process of putting my 1973 911 back together after a complete tear-down and bare-metal respray. I was getting pretty close to done I thought until I had a major setback today. I installed a battery last weekend and I got the blower fan running properly, the windshield wipers working, the interior and glove box working, and the radio. This weekend was to be the exterior lighting, and gauge lighting. I had some success with the exterior lights, but couldn't get the gauge lights working. I found a yellow wire that according to the diagram in the Haynes manual was supposed to connect to the light switch instead of the turn signal switch (marked with yellow circles in the pic below). Connected this and the gauge lights came on.
Then the smoke started. Cut the ignition and pulled the battery cable, then hit it with a blast of CO2 for good measure. A black and blue wire going into the switch melted completely, and then found another black and blue wire behind the gauges melted. Traced it's termination to light in the speedometer.
The light fitting and the bulb were both scorched, although it's hard to see in the pic above. I had installed all LED lighting I had gotten from a vendor on this board, though right now I can't recall who. I'm wondering if a flaw in the LED could have been the cause, or if there's something else. Anyone ever had problems with LEDs causing shorts? Oh yeah, and not a single fuse blew.
Of course I'm also concerned about all the other wiring. Every other wire that had been in contact with the melted wires has some scorching, and possibly melted insulation and exposed wires. Dang. I'll clearly have to replace the illumination wiring loop, and hopefully can find the connecter that goes into the light switch. Anyone know if there's something like clear liquid electrical tape I can 'paint' on the other wires?