Red wire from ignition switch - what is it?

[oilypaws]

So I've been having a great time figuring out all the old wiring from my 63 morrie and refurbishing it. I've removed and redone 40 years worth of dodgy add-ons, and kept as much of the original loom as possible (with modification for front indicators which weren't in the original loom).

I've figured out almost everything, with the help of two wiring diagrams from the Haynes manual - it seems to have most of one and some of the other. Compared to a modern car, the wiring is delightfully simple!

However, there's a wire which has me stumped. It comes out of the loom along with the white wires and the heavy brown/blue wire which go to the ignition switch. My photos show that it was twisted together with the brown/blue on the ignition switch terminal, meaning that it was permanently 'live' (unswitched side of the ignition).

It's a standard wire, since it goes into the loom. There are two other red wires going into the loom - for the front side lights and tail lights. It's not connected to either of these and there are no other red wires coming out of the loom! There's another red wire under the dash which supplies the instrument lights, but that's seperate.


Does anyone know what this is for? Has anyone else encountered a red wire looped off the live side of the ignition switch?

Thanks![frame][/frame]

[bmcecosse]

Pretty sure it's an add-on...... Best wiring diagram is Barry's excellent multi coloured diagram at the top of this section - and clearly the only red wires are after the sidelight fuse (if fitted).

[mike.perry]

Red wires should only be used for side/tail and panel lights. Disconnect it and check if anything does not work