Non standard indicator/wiper/light stalks

Post by dp » Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:58 am

Do later Mini stalks fit a Minor easily or is there another particular set that fits well?

And while I'm at it, does the wiper parking circuit only connect when the switch is switched off or is it always connected? Might seem an odd question but I have made a little circuit (Velleman kit from Maplins) that allows me to have a delay wipe. When in delay wipe mode, the relay switches from the park circuit to the wipe circuit.

Ta

dp

Post by **rayofleamington** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:43 pm

does the wiper parking circuit only connect when the switch is switched off or is it always connected?

it is always connected. There is an electrical pick-up disc in the motor gearbox with a cut out, so the motor will run until the contact reaches the cut out - at this point it will stop (unless the switch is on, which allows it to continue).

Post by **RogerRust** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 1:30 pm

I've fitted one of those maplin kits.

I disregarded the complicated instructions and simply put it in parallel with the switch. ie one side to earth and the other to the switched connection. I only used one of the relays supplied.

It works fine

On the Morris the Wiper motor and Horn are both permanantly supplied with 12 volts and the switch connects them to earth.

Where are you going to install it? I mounted mine in a small black box and fitted it in the drivers glove box with the knob at the front where its easy to get to.

Post by dp » Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:32 pm

Thanks all.

Rogerrust I think I might have a different kit to you. maplins didn't have the wiper delay kit but did have a general delay timer. It has one 10A relay and two adjusters (screwdriver adjustable variable resistors), one for length of power pulse and one for delay. There are 5 lead connectors: 12V, earth, com, Normally Open and Normally Closed.

I did have the park lead working through Normally Closed but it's probably simpler to leave it permanently wired. (I.e. it was switching between power and park.)

Before I figured out the park and timing the wipers were doing a curious robot dance across the screen;)

To add another question, do modern indicator/wiper stalks run tiny currents driving switch relays for everything? That is to say, are certain stalks unable to handle the raw power of headlights?

Ta

dp

Post by **ericwork** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 1:25 pm

I have fitted a later switch to my sons' car as he has big feet and the current fashion is to wear huge boots too, so using the dip switch was hard to do. It was in my garage, which means it was either an mg one or more probably a Triumph Stag one. it has a horn push, indicators and dip/main/flash. I wired it into the car direct to the existing wiring without relays and it has been working fine for about a year now.

Post by dp » Wed Jun 07, 2006 3:29 pm

As an update, I got the new (used) arm apart to find that one of the commutators had arced and had a resistive coating of something. The arcing wasn't because the windscreen wiper current was to high but because I'd managed to short a wire.

Cleaned everything up and all is okay. Still have to figure the wiring though. My latest theory is that the wire which controls parking on the (Mini) is sometimes +12V and sometimes earth. I'll get there in the end though.

Post by **paulhumphries** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:30 am

ericwork wrote:I have fitted a later switch to my sons' car as he has big feet and the current fashion is to wear huge boots too, so using the dip switch was hard to do. It was in my garage, which means it was either an mg one or more probably a Triumph Stag one. it has a horn push, indicators and dip/main/flash. I wired it into the car direct to the existing wiring without relays and it has been working fine for about a year now.

I assume it's this type of Lucas unit -
http://www.paddockspares.com/pp/SERIES/ ... 575383.jpg
A Land Rover item and only £13.62 + vat brand new from http://www.paddockspares.com/

Did the original Morris Minor column cover fit over the switch you fitted ?

Paul Humphries

Post by **alex_holden** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:05 am

On the Land Rover I had two steering column switches - one was just a dip switch and the other was just a headlight flash switch. They were neat little units with short metal stalks and black plastic heads with white symbols, and they didn't look out of place on a 1960s vehicle. I really would like to find another pair of switches like those to fit to my moggy (or at least a dip switch if I can't find a flash switch), but unfortunately they came from my dad's spare parts collection and we have no idea what car they were originally fitted to. I've been scouring eBay etc. but not found anything quite like them - nearly all the steering column stalks I've seen are big ugly plastic things with indicators, horn, etc. all integrated into one stalk. You should be able to just about see what I mean in this photo:

Anyone have any idea where I can find another pair of switches like that?

Post by **paulhumphries** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:17 am

alex_holden wrote:
Anyone have any idea where I can find another pair of switches like that?

A quick opinion is they are commercial vehicle items - maybe a PSV ?
I cann't think of any car manufactuer in last 30-40 years that has used such switches for steering column controls. Nearest is the stalk type used on Relaint Regal and early Hillman Imp - but they were attached to dash.
Coachbuilt commercial vehicles however are completley different - just look at the controls in an older coach and you will see how a mixture of switches were used.

Paul Humphries.

Post by **alex_holden** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:54 am

paulhumphries wrote:A quick opinion is they are commercial vehicle items - maybe a PSV ?

Interesting thought. Dad's never owned anything larger than a camper van though. I suspect they came off one of the old cars he's owned over the years, unless he picked them up at a car boot sale or something.

The driver's cubby on the new Volvo double-deckers I ride to work on looks more like an aircraft cockpit than anything else - they have video displays and joysticks and huge banks of switches and lights they never seem to use...

Post by dp » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:56 am

paulhumphries wrote:
Did the original Morris Minor column cover fit over the switch you fitted ?

Paul Humphries

Paul,

I ended up with a Merc stalk off Ebay which does indicators and wipers in one stalk. This fits with the help of a big jubilee clip and half a bit of aluminium pipe to take the pressure of the clip off the soft plastic bits. This lot doesn't fit under the original cowl so I just knocked up something out of a bit of black vinylcloth.

Regards,

Darren

Post by **paulhumphries** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 10:19 am

I haven't tried fitting to the gun barrel, - sorry spare steering column, yet but
the Minor plastic shroud definatley won't fit over the later Mini, Land Rover, Triumph type indicator / dip switch.
I've a spare Midget item, however, which seems to do the job perfectly

Still like the A40 version though so will see how they look later. Normal Minor indicator switch but master light switch with dip / main beam also on other side. There are two types - early (nicest)/ MKI in alloy with green warning light on end of stalk and later / MKII in plastic and warning light in dash.
BTW If I use a non warning light stalk I intend using the oil filter warning light in speedo instead.

Paul Humphries.