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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Wiper switch wiring HELP

Hi, its me again.

Just finished another stint on the rewire and have hit a(nother) stumbling bock!!

I ordered a new wiper dashboard switch (149011A) and it only has 4 terminals (numbered 1-4).

Its the same as this switch:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MGB-SINGLE-SPEED-FLICK-TYPE-WIPER-SWITCH-1962-1967-149011A-/230798727453?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item35bcad191d

My wiring diagram on the other hand shows 8 numbered terminals with 3 wires to connect to the switch:

Brown/L Green
Green (x2) linked together
Red/L Green

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Mark
Mark Whitmore

sorry I'm a bit lost with your switch

what year is your car?

if you want to you can add your car details and photo to your profile and have it on view to save some time (sometimes) in future with questions like that
Nigel Atkins

Hi Nigel, I have put my info on both the 'My Ownership' and 'My Cars' sections but it doesn't seem to show?

My car is a 1968 model with single speed wipers on a toggle switch.

According to my wiring diagram:

NLG goes to terminal 2
G (x2) goes to terminal 4
RLG goes to terminal 6

I have the cires but am lacking oin terminals.

I ordered the switch from a reputable supplier and am wondering has the original switch been replaced by this one or have they just made a mistake?

Thanks
Mark
Mark Whitmore

Hi Mark,

sorry I was being a bit thick again, now I see what you mean

lets start with the easy bit, to get your 'vehicle profile' to show : -

at top of this page click on ‘Customise’

then scroll to the bottom of the customise page
click the Yes box to the last question ‘Display a link to a summary of my vehicles with my posts (if you set to Yes, you still have to mark each vehicle as viewable)’

then click on the ‘Save options’ button

now back to your car –

both switches should have four terminal despite the numbering if the wipers are fully working correctly with present switch then just put the wires on the same terminals on the new switch

if the two switches are different in their terminal layout then we’ll need to look again, get books out if no one has given the answer

are you sure you have the right diagram for your car(?)
Nigel Atkins

I was wondering about the diagram, too. I will look into it and report back.

BTW, I have finally added my vehicle profile tonight!
Dave O'Neill2

for a second I thought Mark was using your name Dave

but then I clicked on the vehicle profile, no wonder you've been so slow to put it up :)

the use explains the registration, what carbs were on it when road registered then ?

as for Mark's loom wiring colours I know they are different but the wiring diagram colours didn't sound right to me for a toggle switch car, as such, to me, IIRC
Nigel Atkins

Hi, I am using the correct diagram as per the green foldered workshop manual as it waas the clearest to scan and enlarge. The wires on the diagram also match what I have on the car.

Unfortunately the PO had wired a generic silver switch and butchered the wiring to try to incorporate 2 speed wipers (which blew fuses when using speed 2)

Due to the amount of blue wire and scotchlocks I decided to renew as the wiring and whatever switches were needed.

Thanks
Mark

PS profile added, thanks Nigel!!!

Mark Whitmore

Mark,
As the cables seem to be all present and correct (but with some customising to remove :D ), it could be the wrong switch. There again it could just be the "new version" eg cheap alternative. To confirm if it's suitable for the circuit you really need a multimeter to work out which pins are connected in the on and off positions. What you are looking for is two pins which connect when in the on position and for one of these to have a connection to one of the others in the off position.
IIRC the NLG goes on the common, the RLG to the "on position" and the G on the "off" position. But if you post the switch results I'll dig out the wiring diagram and confirm.

Best of...

MGmike
PS. Nice looking car
M McAndrew

So how come your profile is a B roadster, and you hang around the Spridget boards then Dave? ;)

Lawrence Slater

Lawrence

I've only ever had one B...and I still have it 26 years later.

However, I had my first midget 31 years ago and I've probably had in excess of 25 of them, from Mk1 Sprite to 1500s.

Anyway, there's a lot more happening over here than on the B boards. ;o)
Dave O'Neill2

Well that's fair enough then, and it's a v/nice B anyway..
Lawrence Slater

Factory switch
Top - NG
Middle - G
Bottom RLG

For the new switch terminals are arranged differently

Red Light green (RLG) - common (centre pin)
Green (G) - Wiper on (top pin if down on switch is on)
Brown Green (NG) - off/park (bottom pin if up is off)

Terminals on switch are usually opposite to position of lever.

The off position shorts the motor winding to provide the braking, which is why it connects RLG and NLG.

To be safe get the RLG wire and with a jumper wire dab it on the green wire.

Lawrence, Dave's may be a nice B but it's not as nice as Mark's MKIII with all that nice chrome. :)
Greg H

Yup, that is nice Greg.
Lawrence Slater

Mark,
good work on the profile, I don't normally go for bright red and w/w but yours does look good

one thing to bear in mind with the switch and wiring, when you switch off the wipers continue to move to the park position via a switch on the motor so power is needed for that

I hope my poor bit there doesn't confuse you if it does ignore it, someone will explain it if required later
Nigel Atkins

Hi, thanks for all the help.

I'll have a look at the switch over the weekend and report back.

Mark
Mark Whitmore

Hi, just got the multimeter onto the switch and found:

With the switch off I get continuity with terminals 1, 2 and 3

With the switch on I get continuity with terminals 1, 3 and 4

See pic for terminal guide

Oh and thanks for the kind comments on the Midget!!

Mark


Mark Whitmore

I reckon it should work if connected like this...

1 - R/LG
2 - N/LG
4 - G
Dave O'Neill2

Sorry Mark thought switch was three terminal not four.

Dave's suggestion looks right. RLG is common so 1 or 3
and, 2 and 4 are the other two.

Greg H

Mark

This is how my wiper switch is wired

Thanks Ian


I Pickering

This thread was discussed between 21/11/2012 and 25/11/2012

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.