Help! Number plate lights to blame?

[PulpitNeil]

Hi there,

I've been having alot of trouble with my battery charging lately and noticed that my number plate lights aren't working. The bulbs are good, and have been tested elsewhere, but the base plates are badly cracked and tarnished. For the timebeing, I've disconnected the feed to the number plate lights.

The Hayne's manual says to look for shorts in the lighting system when having charging problems. Could this be one?

Thanks in advance.
-Neil

[bmcecosse]

That's a real cracker from Haynes! One of their best !!
No - number plate lights are NOT the reason for your problem!
So -get them working or the Cops will have you!
For charging - is the fan belt in good order and tight ? Is it a dynamo or an alternator?

[mike.perry]

If dynamo, check the brushes and general wear inside and electrical connections

[PulpitNeil]

Running dynamo, yep.

I recently swapped the fan belt, and it's nice and tight (half an inch wiggle). I did however find loose connections at the dynamo! Silly me. Tightened them up and now it seems to be charging fine. I'm going to change the lucar connectors to prevent further slippage.

Now to sort out those number plate lights. Does anywhere stock just the base plates? ESM seem to be out, and the complete units seem a bit steep.

Failing that, is it possible to wire in these type of light units? http://cgi.ebay.ie/Plastic-Black-Number ... 4cf25b81b0

Thanks for the help.

[d_harris]

No reason at all that you wouldn't be able to wire that in...

[bmcecosse]

Of course - but you will need to run earth cable to each light since they are non-metallic.
These look similar - and cheaper!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RING-NUMBER-PLATE ... 43a254efd7

[d_harris]

The numberplate lights on my old trav (supplied by one of the MM centres, cant rememebr which) required a seperate earth. so did the remains of the (I presume orginal) ones that where there when I got the car.

Also, that one you link to BMC is only one - being a trav a set of 2 is required...

[charlie_morris_minor]

The numberplate lights on my old trav (supplied by one of the MM centres, cant rememebr which) required a seperate earth. so did the remains of the (I presume orginal) ones that where there when I got the car.

Also, that one you link to BMC is only one - being a trav a set of 2 is required...

and now finished would have been a good buy though..

[bmcecosse]

Well obviously it needs two! And I'm sure they will have more - just contact the seller.

[PSL184]

Not completely necessary to have two....
[frame][/frame]

[d_harris]

Maybe, but thats not a normal trav is it??

[bmcecosse]

Tch tch - non -standard.......

[d_harris]

Its a Van really, isn#t it PSL??

[PSL184]

Its a Van really, isn#t it PSL??

Yep - A van in disguise
Waddya mean "not normal" !!!!