Lighting problems on M

Rod51M · Sep 18, 2012

I just put the lights back on my M. Had them off for painting. I cleaned all the connections, but still do not get reliable current. One of the three works well and it is the only one that still has the copper or brass tab on the inside of the light housing that comes out and wraps around the light reflector. I am thinking this is for grounding. Is that correct? If so, and if the other lights are missing those pieces, andy suggestions on what to do?

thanks for all the help!

504 · Sep 18, 2012

I have cobbled a ground by running a wire from the light post, through the clamp around the lens and reflector, if you are careful it will not show on the out side. Any wire from one side of the bulb to metal should work.

rhtx55 · Sep 18, 2012

Clean all mounting points to shiny bright metal, apply di-electric grease prior to re-assembly. These points are essentially your ground for the lights, clean contact between the brackets, post & chassis.

1. Remove the bolts that hold the light bar to the top of the tranny, sand both to shiny metal, apply the di-electric grease & re-install.
2. remove the ubolts that hold the light bar to the post, and sand where they contact to bright shiny metal, apply the same grease & re-tighten.
3. remove the clamps that hold the lights around the light bar at the bottom & sand to bright shiny metal, apply the grease & re-install.
4. Take the cover off the ammeter box, removing the light switch wires one at a time, sand the terminal & wire connector to bright shiny metal, apply the grease and re-install.
On a 6 volt system all corroded connections reduce amperage & cause dim lights & dead batteries.

Bet you have some bright lights now !!!
Remove the excess grease at the connecting points, on the light bar, post & clamps, clean with brake clean, prime & re-paint only the exposed areas.

willie in mn · Sep 19, 2012

I may be wrong, have been many times, but differ on one point.
Was always taught that di-electric grease is nonconducting. Its purpose is to seal out moisture & help prevent corrosion of the connection. Therefore should be applied after making the connection.
Keywords are clean, bright, tight.
Maybe others will correct me on this.
Willie

gene bender · Sep 19, 2012

Not all lites had that tab but if you clean everything so you get a good ground they will work. The lite bar mite not even have a good connection to ground. Cant beat an OHM meter for these problems also do you have battery volts at the connections.

FBH44 · Sep 19, 2012

I never could get a good ground through all those rusty connectins of light bag, u-bolt, tractor frame, etc. so I ran a separaet green ground wire. I screwed a small hose clamp to the light socketitself, inside the fixture, then ran the wire from there out through s small hole I drilled in the housing, then down to the battery ground terminal. Works great.

SadFarmall · Sep 19, 2012

My Farmall M has Lucas lamps, but I think the bulb socket is nearly identical. When I rewired the lights, I ran a common Earth / Ground wire from the outside of the light socket back to a good connection on the chassis. If the clamp around the socket is missing it will be difficult to ensure a good circuit.
SadFarmall

Rod51M · Sep 19, 2012

Thanks to you all! I've got a lot of good tips to try out tonight.

Zachary Hoyt · Sep 19, 2012

I just put aftermarket 12v lights on my 300 and when I first hooked them up nothing happened, so I ran a wire from the mounting bolt on each light to a convenient bolt on the main castings and they are very good now. Only took abut ten extra minutes, but of course they don't look "right".
Zach

Zachary Hoyt · Sep 19, 2012

I just put aftermarket 12v lights on my 300 and when I first hooked them up nothing happened, so I ran a wire from the mounting bolt on each light to a convenient bolt on the main castings and they are very good now. Only took abut ten extra minutes, but of course they don't look "right".
Zach

retired farmer · Sep 19, 2012

May have to correct you. When I clean battery terminals I always coat the two terminals and inside of cable ends with the di-electric grease and put the cables on. Never had it not conduct electricity.

The Red · Sep 19, 2012

I went through this problem when I did a "Dupont restoration" on a 1946H back in the early 1990s. I ended up pulling up the steering post to wire brush clean the bottom of it and where it bolted to the flooring. Then took off the light assembly bar and wire brushed it cleaned where it mated to the steering wheel post. Then cleaned up where the light clamps bolted to the light bar. That did the trick!

SadFarmall · Sep 19, 2012

I don't worry too much about the wires looking 'right'. I like them neat and colour coded so I always know which wire goes where. If you use a sleeve or two core for the lights, it looks like there is only a single wire going into the lamp body anyway. At the other end, if you really want to hide the Earth / Ground, you can run it inside the steering support and affix at the base. I didn't do it because it makes the getting at the Earth wires later a much more difficult job.
SadFarmall

Lighting problems on M

Rod51M

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504

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rhtx55

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willie in mn

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gene bender

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FBH44

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SadFarmall

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Rod51M

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Zachary Hoyt

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Zachary Hoyt

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retired farmer

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The Red

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SadFarmall

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