While I’m there I should…. “The can of worms”

While checking my wiring, I did another test on my dimmer switch and it seems like it has more resistance when on full brightness as it’s supposed to…. When I bypass dimmer the lights in the center console gauges are quite brighter than before so I ordered a dimmer switch for LEDs and normal lightbulbs and stuck it in… The only difference I had to do was add a ground wire to it! It works fantastic. It feels fantastic, the original plastic surround of the knob I had to add a flat washer on the inside (reduce the size of the hole ) Glued on with polyurethane glue let it dry and then assemble the whole thing and it looks quite stock and it works great ! (Note my digital Voltmeter I built on the bottom of the switches..)

I also added a small fuse panel Next to the battery cut off switch. The fuses will be used for the Powersteering, the electric heater hose shut off valves, the electric fuel pump, The additional yellow headlights, The fuel pressure gauge and it will power the relays as needed…

(Note - little flags on wires telling what they are for)

as you can see I recessed the battery cut off switch To sit flush with tunnel panel.

Obviously, with all the electric work and continuously testing, my battery is going to work quite a bit, and it needs to be recharged quite frequently… Because I already have a lot of battery tenders for the motorcycles, I thought I’m gonna go and use a the battery tender again, but this time install the charger in the car and make a plug for the extension cord on the outside of the car… still working progress, but chipping away

I also changed back to the M5 thumb screws. Someone previously just used the Velcro to hold the doors shut holding The Electric stuff in the footwell left and right.

as you can see, the instrument panel is still not attached to the car as i Need to move it around a little bit to get to where I have to get to… It’s going to be interesting Bolting it into place. The “lock” on the glove box what is a bit challenge with the additional leather thickness…

Looks like top-notch work!

@marlinjack posted:

...You're a Very Clever Electrician! I think I'll do the same with My Battery Tender. When I disconnected it, after running all night...the Multi-Meter showed 13.1 Volts!!! I also have one on My Harley. Here in the Valley, with the temps 100F+, without the tender, on it, All the time, the battery will go Dead.

...a Question. With the Tender connected ALL the time, but NOT Plugged into the AC...Can the Battery get Drained??

Thanks, Great Work!

MJ

Same question I had yesterday… And I did not find any drain with it plugged to the battery, but not plugged in the wall!

I also will make it a habit to use the battery disconnect switch when the charger is plugged in! I don’t wanna drive off with the extension cable attached to the car lol

@LeMans850i posted:

Same question I had yesterday… And I did not find any drain with it plugged to the battery, but not plugged in the wall!

I also will make it a habit to use the battery disconnect switch when the charger is plugged in! I don’t wanna drive off with the extension cable attached to the car lol

”clever electrician” … I’m on this electric stuff way too long to be clever… But thank you for your Kind words!

I connected the BatteryTender extension line to my batter and ran it down the front trunk and out underneath the front of the radiator.  The line easily tucks back into the tray in the front valance.  When I want to use it, I simply pull the extension out and plug it into the other end connected to the BT device.  I never leave it plugged into the BT when the BT is not live.  Not sure what the point of doing that is since the BT is supposed to be live all the time.  I have had this BT now for 20 years and it retains a battery for like 10 years.  When the car is not driving, it is plugged into the live BT.  and yes, you must remember to unplug the car and turn the BT off before driving the car.  

Hooking things up, testing, fuse boxes, and relays…

I love my volt meter and the LED green back up lighting

Can anyone tell me which wire is what on the ignition switch..? (forgot my wiring diagram at the shop)

Red comes from battery (that I know)

Does this help?

@rocky posted:

Does this help?

No… it doesn’t seem to correspond with the colors I have…

not sure what to make out of it

Just use an ohm meter connected to the red wire and turn the switch to the acc position and find which of the other three wires has continuity. Then turn to run and find that wire. The remaining wire will be the start.

Terminal number 30 is red is your feed
Terminal number 15 is black is run

Terminal 75 is yellow is accessory

terminal 50 striped wire is start

@lf-tp2511 posted:

Terminal number 30 is red is your feed
Terminal number 15 is black is run

Terminal 75 is yellow is accessory

terminal 50 striped wire is start

Perfect 👍

thank you very very much. That is the answer.

@forestg posted:

Just use an ohm meter connected to the red wire and turn the switch to the acc position and find which of the other three wires has continuity. Then turn to run and find that wire. The remaining wire will be the start.

I agree… but I’m not at the car or wiring diagram….

And while I’m there, I should label everything!
this is the part where I made everything… No leftovers from somebody else!
I put the center console where the  driver-seat used to be and plugged it all in the connectors, key to the left electric fuel pump started running, fuel pressure gauge goes up to 7 psi,  key  back in the middle everything off,  turn the key to the right ignition on, gen light on, push the button and the engine started! Key in off position, engine off! Checked electric heater valves… Working! Clock ticking (with everything off, key out,)headlights opening and closing (Still depends of how Happy the switch is) ! Dimmer is working on the gauges! Interior light is coming on when they open the door, cigarette lighter pops out, yellow glowing after three seconds,  Powersteering is working the moment you put the ignition on! Red lights in the doors are working!
tomorrow I am going for the new blower fan switch wiring and and and…

I would say Electric is 95% done! 👍

did I mention I am a  fan of the LabelMaker?😜

Nice work!

Congrats!

Where are you going?

@rocky posted:

Nice work!

Congrats!

Where are you going?

Thank you …

Europe, visiting my brother and riding motorcycles .. 2 Moto Guzzi Californias…

Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland….

Putting the kitty 🐈‍⬛ to sleep for awhile…

There seems to be no end With me, asking questions about the electrical stuff on the Pantera….
Pretty much replaced all switches… the last switch that is not new is the thermostat switch for the air conditioner… The switch in the car has three terminals one of them is ground on the outside metal housing and the only replacements I can find have only the two terminals without the ground… Can anybody tell me what is what and why it’s there…

I did look on the wiring diagram I have, but that thing is not very usable… Anti icing switch???? 😬

regardless… Is this a switch that would work?

Thank you so much in advance

It's been quite a few years (~20), but, according to what's in my Pantera repair archives, I used a Ranco A10-6490-000 9723 46 when I upgraded the AC. Looked just like your image. Hope this helps.

The early cars came with a switch that had only 2 connections and switched both the compressor and the condenser fan on and off together. It was determined that the condenser fan should run for some time after the compressor was turned off to prevent a pressure rise in the system that could cause hose ruptures so a switch with 2 contacts was used, one contact to cycle the compressor based on temperature in the evaporator coil and a second contact to control the condenser fan. The second contact would be closed full time whenever the AC control switch was in the on position. There was a tech service bulletin issued by Ford to retrofit this switch to earlier cars but unfortunately those switches seem to no longer be manufactured.

SO Bill provided a diagram to add a delay to the condenser fan that will do essentially the same thing. Another way to provide the same protection is to use a trianary switch to control the condenser fan based solely on head pressure.

I upgraded my 72 AC system with Quella's kit a few months ago.  Here is a basic diagram that was in the kit.

That is great information!!!
thinking 🤔……..

LeMans850, check the length of that thumbscrew holding your hinged fuse box door closed. Decades ago, one member found the hard way that if a too-long thumbscrew or too much tightness is used, the screw end barely clears the fuse box assembly. Depending on hand tightness or warping of a stock door, the slightest body flex or foot pressure from a passenger can short one of the hot fuse terminals through the door to ground! I published a warning note in the POCA Newsletter at that time.

Some cars arrive at shops with unexplained burn marks in the plastic fuse holder!  Cause is not obvious when the door is open since the thumbscrew moves with the door. The fix is to shorten the thumbscrew enough that it has only 3-4 threads engaged and very little protrudes near the fuse box. The screw is not structural so you don't need many threads or much tightness.  I made a short standoff for my stock thumbscrew, which also allows a better hold on the thumbscrew head that otherwise sinks into the carpeting a varying amount. 

Will do!! Especially if all the electrical work done! Great tip!!

Thank you