<VV> headlights

[Connie]

Thanks for all of the on and offline help.  I'll get after it again
tomorrow.

Connie


-----Original Message-----
From: Frank DuVal [mailto:corvairduval at cox.net] 
Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2007 7:47 PM
To: Connie
Cc: 'VirtualVairs'
Subject: Re: <VV> headlights

A quick lesson in how the headlamps are wired on a Corvair, as modern 
cars are different.

The outer sealed beam lamps are refered to as Low Beams, the inner lamps 
are the High Beams. In vertical lamp installations (like some Fords and 
Pontiacs), the upper lamps are Low Beams and the lower lamps are High Beams.

The Low beam lamps are actually two filament lamps, one filament works 
on "low" switch postion and the other filament works in the "high beam 
or brights" switch position. So the Low beam lamp can work in either 
"high" or "low" switch position  and not the other and still be a 
defective lamp. If the car is pointed at a wall at night you will notice 
the spot of light on the wall from the headlamps changes up and down due 
to different focal position of the two filaments, thus giving another 
reason to call them "high" and "low" beams!

The High beam lamps have only one filament, and only work on "high" 
switch position.

The dimmer switch has two positions, "low" and "high", with only one 
terminal for each position. So, if even one low beam works on low, the 
dimmer is working in the "low" position. If only one lamp (either of the 
High beams or either of the brighter filaments of the Low Beam lamps) 
lights, the dimmer switch is OK in the "high" position. Also, the red 
dash light indicating high beams should be on in this position. So if 
your Low beam lamps are shifting the spot up and down on the wall, the 
dimmer switch is operating fine, and so are the high and low power 
filaments in the LOW beams.

So if one sealed beam is operating, look at the other sealed beams and 
not the dimmer switch for problems in this switch position. If NO lamps 
are lighting, then look at the dimmer switch, especially if repeated 
pushing gets some lights on.

Of course, is IS possible for the dimmer switch to be OK, along with all 
the wiring, and still have no low beams. Yes, both low beam filaments 
can be out. This happens when the driver doesn't notice one light is out 
and continues driving until the other light fails. This will cause 
mechanics to tear their hair out until they check the bulbs. So, check 
the bulbs first. Also the connections on the bulbs. They are 40 years 
old in most cases, and a little corrosion has built up over the years.

In the old days of third brush generators it was common to burn all the 
bulbs out at once when the battery was disconnected while driving and 
the voltage shot up real high. Luckily all Corvairs have voltage regulators.

Frank DuVal
Connie wrote:

>Greener than green question but I'm winging it today so be nice?.  New
>dimmer switch.  On low beam, have right low beam only.  On high beam, have
>both low beams only.  No high beam anywhere.  All other lights, brakes,
>parking, turn signals work.
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>Suggestions?
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>Connie
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>Iowa
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