Headlight Sw Operation

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mydart270

myDart270
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hi all:

i have a fully restored 1968 Dodge Dart 2DR H/T 270 and just noticed the following:

(a) w/ ign on and car running, pull out headlight sw and external lights are ON. Headlights, rear lights, and side markers, this is good;

(B) w/no ign, car not running, pull out headlight sw and all ext lights are on except headlights. I assume this is a safety feature except for the headlights;

is (b) correct in operation??. Car initially did not have inside dash lights. Took apart all bullhead connectors, cleaned connectors, greased all pins. Next removed old headlight sw and replaced w/ a good used one. Original sw had lots of corrosion on variable resistor

love my 225 SL-6 and DD 270 2 DR H/T

thx...mydart270
 
All lighting controlled by light switch should work whether ignition is on or off.

I do not believe 68 used to have park lights with headlights, don't remember for certain.
 
No, something's weird. As intended, the headlamp switch works exactly the same whether the ignition is on or off. Perhaps a previous owner installed a relay interlock with the ignition so as not to leave the headlamps on overnight, or perhaps you've just got wonky wiring.
 
I don't know what the issue is here, only thinking out loud... Those of us who have installed headlight relays could have used a "switch on" power source to signal those relays. Lights left on would still drain the battery, just much slower. So originally, the wire to terminal marked B1 at headlight switch comes from a weld splice. It is or supposed to be hot at all times. A simply source change there would do it?
Anyway... I think the 68 Dart did drop the 2 front park lamps when headlights came on, and a lot of owners didn't like that. So maybe someone attempting the get those 2 to stay on with headlights went about it wrong. I suppose I would look first at the wiring behind the grille. Seems we already know the switch isn't the problem. good luck
 
'68 was the first year the parking lights were required by law to stay on with the headlamps (so oncoming traffic still sees you as a car, not a motorcycle, if a headlight burns out). Before '68, only a few cars kept the parkers lit with the headlamps.
 
All lighting controlled by light switch should work whether ignition is on or off.

I do not believe 68 used to have park lights with headlights, don't remember for certain.

No, something's weird. As intended, the headlamp switch works exactly the same whether the ignition is on or off. Perhaps a previous owner installed a relay interlock with the ignition so as not to leave the headlamps on overnight, or perhaps you've just got wonky wiring.
OK...... lets try again. Are you saying the headlights should be on when you pull the headlight sw knob out and does not matter if the car is running or not.

Sorry for confusion. If I remember from family car 50 years ago, headlights are ON if car is running or not and when you pull headlight knob completely out. Contacts B1 and B2 on headlight sw appear to be the control so I will investigate further.

Thx again...
 
The head lights and parking lamps should be on with your switch fully out regardless of ignition switch position. As mentioned if you have upgraded relays controlling the head lamps. They may only switch on when the ignition is in run depending on how they were wired in.
 
OK...... lets try again. Are you saying the headlights should be on when you pull the headlight sw knob out and does not matter if the car is running or not.

Sorry for confusion. If I remember from family car 50 years ago, headlights are ON if car is running or not and when you pull headlight knob completely out. Contacts B1 and B2 on headlight sw appear to be the control so I will investigate further.

Thx again...

Headlight switch operation is completely independent of the ignition switch.

B1 and B2 are the two battery sources providing power TO the switch for lights

The headlight power comes into B1 from the huge welded splice in the black ammeter wire. It is NOT fused. headlight circuit protection is supposed to be from the breaker built into the switch. This much is ONLY the headlights circuit, no other lights

All other lights are powered of the B2 terminal which is powered from the tail lamp fuse. This provides the power source for tail, park, marker, and instrument lamps

The instrument lamps are a bit of a trick. Again, see above, instrument lighting comes FROM the tail fuse. When the light switch is on, either park or head, power is provided to the dash dimmer control. That power comes OUT of the switch on TAN, goes down TO the inst fuse which is the small fuse at one end of the box.

From that fuse, all dimmer controlled lighting branches out on ORANGE wireing
 
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