Electric failure

[Polse7317]

I had a strange lighting failure : when i switched the side lights on i had the right turn bulbs front and rear which are also switched on but with a very low light....( led bulbs for the turn bulbs)....!
I thought there must be some current flowing to the earth. I opened the right headlight....and began to search where was the issue. Finaly i founded that the problem came from the 5 bullet connector which didn't insulate each wire
I replaced with 4 single connectors and everything was functionnal .
I am quite disapointed by that kind of failure... the connector was a new one and i don't understand how the current can "leak " through the rubber ?




Does someone had that kind of failure ?

[gtjoey]

One the repro parts are crap
Two the original from the factory was ……
Find an original or make up a new connector with modern materials
I hate to say it but the more I replace the less issues I have
Also Double ground everything
It works!
Good luck
Gtjoey1314

[mgcjag]

Hi Yves......are all 5 connectors common........i know that you can get 2,3,& 4 way common bullet connectors where all are connected. .......have you just been supplied with the wrong part a 5 way common?......Steve

[Polse7317]

Hi Steve , it's a separate 5 bullet connector . It's the rubber casing which keep the 5 female insulated.
It's quite strange: the Ohms measure decrease when i pull out the metal female . I tried with only 2 metal sleeve in the rubber.

[mgcjag]

Very strange......what happens with no connectors and your meter probes inside the rubber?....Steve

[Polse7317]

No Ohm !
Here are the photos:
1 without any metal, then with two metal sleeve 1/4 inserted, and completely !!!

[rswaffie]

Electrical gremlins can be frustrating at the best of times, but adding potentially faulty new parts into the mix just makes diagnosis even harder.
Have you contacted the supplier with your findings? Any supplier worth their salt should take a look at their product and check it out. It may a faulty batch from their manufacturer. If they don’t, then I would look elsewhere.

Also, I found that using led bulbs can also throw in a few issues (all of which can be resolved) so if your problems persist, contact Gil at Better Car Lighting - he’ll sort you out.

[mgcjag]

Hi Yves...there must be something conductive in the rubber so as you push the metal sleeves down you see a contact.....i would cut open the rubber just to see whats going on....Steve

[Polse7317]

Steve that's exactly what i thought...! For my knowledge , rubber is a complete insulate stuff.
I have already tested the rubber after a close look inside to verify if there was not a metal part somewhere..
Eye and electrical tests are negative!

[gtjoey]

Polse , lets take this slow......
LEDs are great but are very sensitive to resistance.
1. Your car is a 1963? as per your avatar?
Are you still POSITIVE GROUND?
2. Your rubber insulator is an ISOLATOR.
3.My first post explains my feelings about repro parts but.....
4. The center should be your ground.
If your ground is not connected solid all your problems will persist.
connect each wire to the correct wire with SEPERATE bullet connectors.
Then you will know in a second if its the ground or the isolator.
Make sense?
Again if your POSITIVE GROUND you have to reverse every thing.
There are SPECIAL LED units for POSITUVE GROUND ONLY.
Now if everything was working before you switched the 5 way connector then you know its the new one or the connection.
AGAIN, BAD CONNECTIONOR GROUND ON LED WILL SHUT DOWN THE SYSTEM.
Good luck!
GTJOEY1314

[mgcjag]

Joey....have you not read all the above posts.....Yves fixed his problems and had all his lamps working in his first post........the rest of the posts are to try to find out whats wrong with the 5 way connector.....Steve

[Polse7317]

Joey, i know about bad earth connections..... ( ask me why ) i have redundant earth in the bonnet , knowing the led bulb "sensitivity" ! each side of the bonnet and also by the main bonnet plug.
The only problem here is that the rubber , that rubber connector is not insulating when some metal is in...!
but without the female metal bullet plug it is insulated !
The subject here is to know if someone had the same issue , so he has the solution:
As you say i have now 4 separate bullets
Yves
PS: i have Negative earth

[gtjoey]

Oh….So I was right
The repro is crap

[Heuer]

Rubber will be conductive if sufficient carbon is added to the mix. Almost all rubber contains carbon but for applications requiring insulation the amount is tiny. Looks like whoever made that rubber connector did not specify or enquire how much carbon was added! Return it or try another source of supply.

Interesting observation though and one worth bearing on mind given it could cause a fire.

[Series1 Stu]

I agree with David, carbon black is likely the problem. Probably another example of a lack of understanding of such matters on the part of the supplier.

An easy fix would be to put some heat shrink sleeving over each female connector before slipping them back in to the rubber block.

Regards