Chrysler 1956 Windsor - Testing Voltage of Headlights

T es ting VoltaQ8 at He adlights
One of the factors affecting headlight efficiency
is voltage. H eadlight voltage m ust be measured
with the lights burning.
Remove headlight rim and, with sealed beam
unit partially removed Cro m its mounting seat,
atta ch leads of a reliab le voltmeter to prongs of
sealed beam unit while it is still inserted in con-
nector socket.
With sealed beam
unit in its conect position,
top pl'ong sup plies current for low (t raffic)
heam.
One of the side pro ngs supplies c urrent
for the high beam and the other is the ground
connection.
After engine has been stopped and lights
have bur ned for five minute s, volt.age at head-
lights (with high filament bun/iny) should not
be less than 11.25 volts. With lights burning
and engine warmed up and running at a speed
equivalent to a ca r speed of aboul 20 mph, volt-
age at headlights should be not less than 12.3
vo l ts, no,· more than 13.5 volts (with battery
and $tenerator at room temperature, app roxi-
mately 70 degrees F.).
GFNfU,!OR RE(;lIlAIOl __
0 0
If voltage is low at either headlight socket
(w i th only standard equipment in the circ ui t),
proceed as follows:
Test voltage output of battery - it should be
12
to ] 2.5 valls. Cl ean and tighten battery ter-
minals and ground cable. Check wires and con-
nections
to all lights, main headlight switch,
and dimm er s\vitch for high resistance. When a
voltmeter is placed between ground and input
side of a switch and then between ground and
output side of switch (with lights burning). the
difference in reading s wi!! represent vo ltage
dr op in switch. The sam e method may be u!Sed
in checking vollage drop in \vire>l by taking a
reading at each end of wire. A sw itch showin$t
a voltage drop of more than one-tenth of a volt
0 1' a wire showing a voltage drop of one-tenth
of a volt, should be replaced. If any wire in the
lighting circuit has been replaced with other
than standard equipment wire, it ma y lack ca-
pacity
and cause volUige drop. The most im-
po
rtant wire in entire primar y circuit is the
wire that is connected from the sta rt er switch
to ammete r, because it mll.':i t carry the full load
of all branching circuit s.
@-ElKUIC HMPf.u , run SlNDII-K> UNIT
11 Bt AC K
Sd .
fUEl GAUGE
f'OWU ... NTENN ...
t\NpNN'" C "'Btl
ANnNNt\ SWITC H
.
12 REO
!~ AMPEll CIRCUIT BRlt\KER
UB/OWN
12 &t ... C~
/3
""OW" ."~".,,
~O
,\'
~
C',?,
<ID0
"'''''" "' ,w'''p
... MMETH
~V
CI(;d UGtlfER
TEMPEIt\IUU
GAIJGE
1~ UOWN
II> GRE£N
... ~1 ~8lUE
I I
t~)
18 Bt"'CK
0 0
9 "'MPH! fUSE/
\
R ... OIO
16 G UEN
-
SidTER ... NO IGNIIION SWITCH
)).-" 8 ... MPERE CIRCUIT BREt\KEI
16 GREEN~ RE. d OF FRONT Sf ... 1 CIG .... liG HTER
18 BtU!
r l8 WHiff
Fun (;"'!JG[ I .... NK UNIT
E51 .... 1E W"'OON ONLY
Fig. 16 - Ins tr uments and Access. Circ ui t Wiring Diagram
(C-71 , (, 72, C-73, (-70 )
4l