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MG MGA - Unexpected red white wire

Hi All.
I have just been changing headlamps on my 1960 coupe and have found an unexpected and redundant red/ white wire. It comes from the main loom by the drivers side horn. I know red/ white is panel lights and my diagram shows no wires going in this direction. Any ideas?
s page

I think (sometimes) that Red/White supplies dash lights plus sidelights(front parklights) and taillights
There's a chance that someone has connected both your front parks to one supply wire leaving you with a spare----------------???
willy
William Revit

Just be careful "S" that the red/white wire is connected as it is supposed to be.

When I got my present MGA the front side-lights were not connected, mainly because the repro Tripod headlight units that were fitted had in built side lights.

It looked a fairly simple job to connect the separate side-lights up to the sidelight wire and so I did.

The right side connection worked fine but when I connected the left sidelight I was baffled when it didn't illuminate but also that the right lamp went off.
Then I smelled the burning!

By the time I had disconnected the wire, I was horrified to find that I had burnt the loom all the way from the sidelight to the fuse box.

For some reason, the red/white wire was the earth??

So that cost me a replacement front loom and it also taught me a lesson.

Now, whenever I wire up anything on the car I test each wire in turn before connecting it and then, before I start, I disconnect the battery.

Finally, I connect a low amperage battery charger to the battery lead as a power source and test the new circuit with this.

Colyn
Maybe a bit "overkill",but I have no more fires since then :^)

Colyn Firth

Rather than red/white, could it be red/yellow which is the fog light wire?

Jim
JL Cheatham

Hi Jim.
Good call. With more light on the subject I can now see that it is indeed red/yellow.
Full steam ahead.
Many thanks to all.
s page

This forum just works! Isn't that wonderful!
Barry.
Barry Gannon

The fog is Red/Yellow going all the way back to the T-Series. Many use it for the radiator fan instead and bypass the switch on the dash.
MAndrus

This thread was discussed between 17/02/2019 and 26/02/2019

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