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MG TD TF 1500 - warning Lamp Earthing TF

The TF has three warning lamps at the upper part of the dash. My car has aluminium bosses to the rear of these into which the bulb holders fit. I have found the holders and they have a single wire and earth through the metal casing. Two of the lamps however aren't earthed the return goes to the fuel sender and the ignition switch. How are the bulbholders and aluminium bosses insulated from earth? I have seen bulb holders with two wires but even the Moss catalogue shows a single wire.


Jan T
J Targosz

The lamp holder and aluminium boss are meant to be the earth return for when the power goes on to the globe. A single wire lamp will not work unless this is the case.
Max Irvine

Jan T
I'm not sure you got the answer to your question.
On the TF, there are two different dash light fixtures. Do you have two, as in this photo?
You should have two like the top one, one of the bottom one.
The bottom one is shielded from the back of the dashboard metal by a fibre washer. On my car, this is the low fuel light.

Tom
'54 TF

T Norby

Jan, two of the lamps are 'floating', i.e., not returned directly to ground. One is the low fuel lamp, it gets grounded through the low fuel switch in the fuel tank. The other is the ignition lamp. It is essentially connected between the battery and the generator. Bud
Bud Krueger

The fiber washer is the key... must be in place to insulate the brass washer with contact tab from the panel (2nd wire to each)

Aluminium boss, tab, fiber washer, panel, blue or red jewel
Don Harmer

Thanks Don
I hoped you would weigh in. You helped me with these TF lamps a few years ago, with the sequence of assembly.
My photo turned on me. Should be ONE as on top, TWO as on bottom (of the photo)

Tom
'54 TF
T Norby

Hi Tom (and others). I had reasoned that the tank and ignition lights would have had an insulating washer between the aluminium housing and the dash panel. However I was able to get two bulb holders from a Morris Minor and they have two wires. One is the central connector and the other earths the body of the holder. The body is insulated from the claws which holds the holder in place so fibre washers are unnecessary.

Thanks for the responses


Jan T
J Targosz

This thread was discussed between 12/09/2014 and 13/09/2014

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