1987 PT - Head Lights dont work

[ppotter14950]

Was checking lights and when I tested headlights, they no longer come on. I
have tried to read post and book and cannot find where a fuse or breaker for
headlight circuit would be. Have opened panel in front of driver and above
driver but found nothing there.
Thanks

Paul & Debbie Potter
1987 PT40
Hesperia CA

[Ralph L. Fullenwider]

Hi Paul:

This one can be easy or hard and a VOM is almost a must, though you can
trouble shoot with a 12 vdc test light.

You need to open the drivers side headlight panel and on that head light
will be an orange or red wire and a green. Follow those to the terminal
strip located above the opening. Then see if they go to 2 black Bosh relays
(this is a headlight mod) if not then those wires will go to the dimmer
switch and from the dimmer switch to the headlight switch. The power going
to the headlight switch will be located on the second row of breakers
looking into the headlight opening from the front. You can be fairly assure
that the breaker is ok if you switch on the headlight switch and see if you
have lights on the gauges. But 12 vdc may be going into the headlight
switch but coming out to the dimmer switch. Or if it is then switch the
dimmer switch to see of the bright's or dim's come on? You can see where
this one step at a time goes in the trouble shooting process.

Ok, you will find the problem I am sure. If you have the headlight mod,
then follow the power to where the power is tapped into a breaker, usually
in front. And there is also a ground that should be on the brass terminal
bar in the same general area.

If you do not have the headlight mod, now is the time to do it, and this is
a GOOD mod to do.

Safe travels,

Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider
84FC35 "Ruff Diamond"
Duncan, Oklahoma

At 10:15 PM 5/31/2009 +0000, you wrote:
>Was checking lights and when I tested headlights, they no longer come
>on. I have tried to read post and book and cannot find where a fuse or
>breaker for headlight circuit would be. Have opened panel in front of
>driver and above driver but found nothing there.
>Thanks
>
>Paul & Debbie Potter
>1987 PT40
>Hesperia CA
>
>

[P & D]

OK, I will try that.

After reading many post I went to the headlight switch and
noticed that there were 4 wires, two of the wires had 12 vdc, and the other two
had nothing, I then turned on the parking lights and the headlights and those 2
wire never had 12 vdc on them which is making me suspect that the headlight
switch is bad. There was one post at the top of the switch which did have
12vdc when you turned on the switch, but there were no wires attached.

I will let you know what I find.

Thanks

Paul & Debbie

87PT40

Hesperia CA

From:
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of Ralph L. Fullenwider

Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2009 9:56 PM

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] 1987 PT - Head Lights dont work

Hi Paul:



This one can be easy or hard and a VOM is almost a must, though you can

trouble shoot with a 12 vdc test light.



You need to open the drivers side headlight panel and on that head light

will be an orange or red wire and a green. Follow those to the terminal

strip located above the opening. Then see if they go to 2 black Bosh relays

(this is a headlight mod) if not then those wires will go to the dimmer

switch and from the dimmer switch to the headlight switch. The power going

to the headlight switch will be located on the second row of breakers

looking into the headlight opening from the front. You can be fairly assure

that the breaker is ok if you switch on the headlight switch and see if you

have lights on the gauges. But 12 vdc may be going into the headlight

switch but coming out to the dimmer switch. Or if it is then switch the

dimmer switch to see of the bright's or dim's come on? You can see where

this one step at a time goes in the trouble shooting process.



Ok, you will find the problem I am sure. If you have the headlight mod,

then follow the power to where the power is tapped into a breaker, usually

in front. And there is also a ground that should be on the brass terminal

bar in the same general area.



If you do not have the headlight mod, now is the time to do it, and this is

a GOOD mod to do.



Safe travels,



Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider

84FC35 "Ruff Diamond"

Duncan, Oklahoma



At 10:15 PM 5/31/2009 +0000, you wrote:

>Was checking lights and when I tested headlights, they no longer come

>on. I have tried to read post and book and cannot find where a fuse or

>breaker for headlight circuit would be. Have opened panel in front of

>driver and above driver but found nothing there.

>Thanks

>

>Paul & Debbie Potter

>1987 PT40

>Hesperia CA

>

>

[Pete Masterson]

The headlight switch is a "known weak spot" in the wiring system. The switch in my coach is a rocker-switch with a split head/fog light part. It's a Delco switch. Wasn't hard to replace, except the mounting holes were a little small and I had to ream them out to fit the mounting screws on the back of the dash board.

Pete Masterson

'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

Photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Bluebirdzoom/PeteMasterson#

On Jun 1, 2009, at 8:10 PM, P & D wrote:

After reading many post I went to the headlight switch and noticed that there were 4 wires, two of the wires had 12 vdc, and the other two had nothing, I then turned on the parking lights and the headlights and those 2 wire never had 12 vdc on them which is making me suspect that the headlight switch is bad. There was one post at the top of the switch which did have 12vdc when you turned on the switch, but there were no wires attached.