Dim Lights

[MalBruen]

Hi All
I cannot get hold of a iginition switch for my ape AD1T (9 contacts) it was suggested I use a vespa GS160 (see my plea in the forum) however this switch has different contact position numbers, but I have managed to work out alternative numbers, but when the headlights are on (Position 3) they are very dim and go slightly brighter when the engine is running faster, is this normal? or has anyone got a solution to why they are dim, on the battery side of the switch they are bright
Many Thanks
Mal

[kjjohnson]

You will have bad ground connections. Where there is a ground wire undo the connection, grind or sand off the old surface and use new nuts and lock washers. Once fixed cover the connections you've repaired with white lithium grease. - Ken

[MalBruen]

Thanks for that I will try it
mal

[kjjohnson]

Let me give you a good example. In my current project - Macchina Mobile Espresso - whenever I put the left turn signals on both the front and rear lights came on dimly but didn't blink whereas the ones on the right worked properly. When I pulled the lenses from the rear lights I tested and found power going to the ground wire (black) on the left light.
The previous owner had put some sort of undercoating under the pickup bed but there was lots covering the bracket that the rear lights are mounted to. The light relies on the mounting bolt to be the ground and there was protected metal, not bare metal. I took a grinding disc and cleaned the area of the bolt mounts for the tail lights and when I re-installed the lights everything worked properly. The current was going to ground and not trying to seek an alternative path.
There are no 'gremlins ' only problems to be found and rectified and sometimes it's confusing and takes patience. Ken

[MalBruen]

Hi Ken
What is confusing is that everything is working perfectly until the ignition switch is switched to the headlight position and this makes eveything dim, I have connected thr headlight through the battery and everything is bright, I have checked all the earth connections and scraped them clean prior to this problem, do you know why the switch is earthed anyway
Thanks
Mal

[kjjohnson]

Sounds like power is finding its way to ground when the switch is turned on. You really need to talk to someone that has more experience with your model of Ape - Ken

[MalBruen]

Hi All
Can anyone explain the function of the 7 wires and what voltage I should get when checking them out
I am getting 8v AC from the violet wire,(Battery) 15v AC from 1 yellow wire and 0v AC from the other yellow wire, 8v AC from the white wire and 0v AC from the green wire is this correct?
Thanks
Mal