Headlight switch getting hot

[mmalleck]

car: 1976 Leyland Mini with 1275

My headlight switch was replaced this summer only to go out again. I took the switch apart and the center electrode had actually melted the plastic and the wiring is warm. (evidentally there is a fuse missing or one that is over rated is installed)

Is there a common problem that causes this issue? I checked for rust that might cause a short in the headlights and tail lights and everything looks clean.

Thanks

Mark

[Ozie]

I saw some of this melting going on in my switches so I rerouted the load to a heavy duty relay and put the light switch on the relay only, to significantly reduce the amps going through the original switch. I also wired the relay to shut down the lights when I turn off the key as I have had a past history of leaving the lights on. Maybe I should have named my Mini Motel 6. I had assumed that from the amount of melted spares that came with my mini that it was some sort of design error or the connections get crudded up and cause resistance/heat and melt the plactic.

Oz

[mmalleck]

Hi Oz,

I appreciate the post.

Well, the wiring is getting quite hot. Not quite to melting, but enough to show some signs of heat on the insulation. It made my friend and I nervous on a 45 minute trip from a Christmas party after hot wiring the circuit.

A relay and heavier guage wiring might do the trick. I was hoping to avoid hacking into the wiring and actually find a problem.

There is already a relay handling the rally lights. It's wired to the high beams and the "flash to pass" on the blinker switch.

[Cheleker]

The rocker-type switches don't like upgraded lights very well. If your headlights are much beyond standard, a relay is called for.

[mmalleck]

Gotcha. I think that my lights were upgraded by the previous owner (Nelson Foote).

Thanks

Mark