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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816   
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We all hear of the light switch in a Puma sometimes melting because of the power load it receives due to the main low/high beam being directly routed via the switch.
But how much power load is there really passing via this switch? Is it only the main front lights that are wired right through it, or also all the little dash lamps which when added all up, must also be some serious load (certainly in pre 2.2 Pumas where dash surely are not LED lamps yet), as well as the rear lights, the number plate lamp, the front parking lamps,...... ?? I know that with the SVX style front lights, only the aux driving lamps are not routed via the switch but via a separate relay. But don't know abt all the other little lamps that go on when turning on the lights. So how much amps really are channeled totally via that switch? Just the roughly 10 amps for the two main low/high beam lamps, or is it much more than that? You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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18th Nov 2012 4:26pm |
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| mobilecentre Member Since: 05 Mar 2012 Location: Evesham Posts: 645 
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IMHO it is the deisgn of the switch combined with the load that causes the problem.
When the switches are new it is not so much of a problem but a few years later when the contacts start to tarnish is when the problems start. The 2.2 at least our one here still has bulbs in the dash lights Last edited by mobilecentre on 18th Nov 2012 5:06pm. Edited 2 times in total |
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18th Nov 2012 4:32pm |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816
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Tim, noted. I thought to have read somewhere that the 2.2 had switched to LEDs, so probably that was wrong. So in that case all Pumas are chasing similar power through the switch. Would it be all the stuff I mentioned, and if so, anyone have any idea of how many amps that would be in total? You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation.
http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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18th Nov 2012 4:35pm |
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| mobilecentre Member Since: 05 Mar 2012 Location: Evesham Posts: 645
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2 x 55W headlight
4 x 5W external side light 10W in number plate light Must be about 10 x 5W T10 / T5 wedge in the instruments, clock, cigar lighter and heater controls etc for illumination. At least the switch illumination is now LED So just over 16A |
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18th Nov 2012 5:36pm |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816
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Tks, so the whole she-bang runs via that poor plastic switch  So those like me having headlights, front/rear sidelights, and pretty soon  number plate light all LED, have the interesting situation where all these together, barely consume more power combined than the approx 50W total interior lights mentioned by you... You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation.
http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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18th Nov 2012 5:54pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17602 
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Don't forget that the headlights use different contacts in the switch to the side/panel lights. Max current on any contacts will therefore be 2x55W.
Remember also that if you have a trailer it will potentially add another 3 to 7 or so 5W tail/marker lights. |
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18th Nov 2012 10:30pm |
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| VeeTee Member Since: 06 Mar 2011 Location: Somewhere Posts: 1512 
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The melting light switch is a common failure, caused by poor design. All current is going through the switch contacts, after some time the switch will fail due to melting of the plastic which is holding the copper contacts. This *will* happen sooner (if driving much with lights on or towing) or later.
The solution is the use relays to switch the lights, then only the small current to operate the relais flows through the switch. You can make this from ordinary relais but you can also buy complete sets with connectors on, plug and play  , like I bought such a complete set in Sweden:
 Cheers, Vincent
1959 Polynorm 1/4 Ton Trailer, Olive Drab Green (sold) 1970 M416 Military Trailer (Camping Trailer Conversion), Epsom Green (sold) 1975 Series III 88 V6, Light Green (sadly sold) 1996 Defender 110 CSW 300 Tdi, Epsom Green (sold) 2000 Freelander 1 TD4 3-drs, Silver (sold) 2006 Freelander 1 TD4 5-drs Facelift Automatic, Tonga Green (sold) MySite Last edited by VeeTee on 21st Sep 2013 2:25pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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18th Nov 2012 10:51pm |
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| Inigo Member Since: 13 Nov 2011 Location: Kent Posts: 623 
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I was hoping to find an off the shelf wiring kit to add relays and also include wiring to an extra set of spots at the front. I had no luck and so have bought all the cables, relays and connectors to build up a loom myself. My plan was to use the existing wiring to the headlamps to take the trigger for the relay so that I didn't hack about the standard wiring and it could be removable.
I got lots of info from here: http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html Currently psyching myself up to actually start this project. |
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18th Nov 2012 11:09pm |
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| WelshGas Member Since: 01 Oct 2010 Location: Vale of Glamorgan Posts: 935  
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VeeTee, according to my calculator that wiring harness is about £20 GBP.
Can anyone confirm my currency conversion.
If that is correct it is hardly worthwhile buying the bits to make a DIY harness. BUT, does anyone know how we can buy one in UK? The site is ALL in Swedish and only seems to post internally in Sweden. LANDYWATCH
Neighbourhood Watch for Land Rover Owners http://www.landywatch.co.uk/smf2/index.php |
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19th Nov 2012 6:50am |
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| VeeTee Member Since: 06 Mar 2011 Location: Somewhere Posts: 1512
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That is correct. I payed about € 20 for it (3 years ago). It is a very nic plug and play solution wich has the advantage that you can unpllug and remove it any time to have the original situation, so no wire cuts or soldering etc. The Swedish webshop did not post anymore to abroad, so I posted a question for help on a Dutch-Sweden forum and some there was so kind to buy it for me and send to to me. But I know a Dutch guy here who recently started a shop for this sort of mods, may be he sends to abroad? Give it a try here Cheers, Vincent 1959 Polynorm 1/4 Ton Trailer, Olive Drab Green (sold) 1970 M416 Military Trailer (Camping Trailer Conversion), Epsom Green (sold) 1975 Series III 88 V6, Light Green (sadly sold) 1996 Defender 110 CSW 300 Tdi, Epsom Green (sold) 2000 Freelander 1 TD4 3-drs, Silver (sold) 2006 Freelander 1 TD4 5-drs Facelift Automatic, Tonga Green (sold) MySite |
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19th Nov 2012 7:52am |
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| mobilecentre Member Since: 05 Mar 2012 Location: Evesham Posts: 645
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There is a single power feed in which then contacts the first position for side lights and then bridges both positions when dip is engaged. |
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19th Nov 2012 8:33am |
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| mobilecentre Member Since: 05 Mar 2012 Location: Evesham Posts: 645
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There are a few guides about relaying up headlights knocking about online on various other LR fourms.
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19th Nov 2012 8:34am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17602
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Yes indeed, so there is one pair of contacts for the side/tail/etc and another pair for the headlights. The dip switch is, in my experience, more prone to melting than the light switch. It is a high impedance connection between the contact points which generates the heat, rather than the current flowing through the metal parts. The cleaner the contacts the less likely there is to be a problem. Arcing across the contacts (which is of course inevitable on a DC system) tends to corrode and oxidise the contacts resutling in poor connectivity and hence heat. The more the contacts are switched the worse this will, and since generally the dip switch is operated more than the on/off switch in many cases it will give up first. |
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19th Nov 2012 10:06am |
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| WelshGas Member Since: 01 Oct 2010 Location: Vale of Glamorgan Posts: 935
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Well I've registered with the site that VeeTee gave a link to. Using Google Translate I've managed quite well, but although the UK comes up on their country list, in Dutch, I cannot select a delivery method so have emailed them.
Hi mobile centre, yes I have a pdf document on how to do it, but I'm not that handy with a soldering iron and by the time I bought everything it would probably cost 2 or 3 times as much. Cannot find any suppliers of a ready made "plug & play" loom in the UK - strange. But never mind, we'll see what happens. LANDYWATCH
Neighbourhood Watch for Land Rover Owners http://www.landywatch.co.uk/smf2/index.php |
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19th Nov 2012 8:20pm |
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