TR4 AJJ Posted February 23, 2018 Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Hi, New member and new TR4A owner but not new to Triumphs. Ive only had the 4A a few days and very impressed. It was running lovely and had a great first journey home in it .. all 200 miles with no issues. I wanted to fit a cigaret lighter / charger socket so was having a little look at the electrics. Actually found it already had a triple lighter thing under dash. The electrics have been completely replaced and an excellent job too by a previous owner. Anyway, before you lose interest, some how during my looking and poking about, Ive managed to dislodge sometime as none of my meters now work ( Fuel, Voltage & Temp). Looking through the wiring diagram that came with the paperwork, the supply comes from a Gauge Voltage Stanilzer. Im assuming this is what Ive moved but I dont know what it looks like. Could anyone give me a brief description / size and where it would normally be found. Its likely mine has been changed and could be somewhere new but I need to start somewhere. I dont really want to open up the lovely neat wiring loom to trace it, if possible. Thanks in advance for any advice Andy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR 2100 Posted February 23, 2018 Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 AlanR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PYU940F Posted February 23, 2018 Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Hi Normally, and mine is, under the dash, driver's side. Look for a rectangular metal box the shape of, but smaller, than a pack of cigarettes (remember those?). When they go wrong, as mine has, you get erroneous readings of fuel and temp gauges. As you have no readings you will probably have knocked off a wire. A strange quirk of the TR electrics is that it all goes through the ammeter, so if one of the hefty wires comes off the ammeter you loose all electrics. I tried to get a new voltage stabilizer from Moss but they only have positive earth ones. Perhaps somebody knowledgeable here knows if this can be fitted to a - earth car but with the wires attached differently. Welcome to TR ownership. There are plenty of parts suppliers (Moss, TR Shop TRGB) to name a few. There is a wealth of knowledge and help through the forums on this site. have fun, although I am sure Ferraris and Spitfires are not boring! Cheers Simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4 AJJ Posted February 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 TR4 Voltage stabiliser.jpg AlanR Thanks Alan ... that's tiny ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PYU940F Posted February 23, 2018 Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 (edited) Alan My voltage stabilizer does not look like that. It looks just like the one in the Moss catalogue. Are they different 4 to 4a? Maybe it is just the angle of the photo but mine looks larger Simon Edited February 23, 2018 by PYU940F Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4 AJJ Posted February 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Hi Normally, and mine is, under the dash, driver's side. Look for a rectangular metal box the shape of, but smaller, than a pack of cigarettes (remember those?). When they go wrong, as mine has, you get erroneous readings of fuel and temp gauges. As you have no readings you will probably have knocked off a wire. A strange quirk of the TR electrics is that it all goes through the ammeter, so if one of the hefty wires comes off the ammeter you loose all electrics. I tried to get a new voltage stabilizer from Moss but they only have positive earth ones. Perhaps somebody knowledgeable here knows if this can be fitted to a - earth car but with the wires attached differently. Welcome to TR ownership. There are plenty of parts suppliers (Moss, TR Shop TRGB) to name a few. There is a wealth of knowledge and help through the forums on this site. have fun, although I am sure Ferraris and Spitfires are not boring! Cheers Simon Thanks Simon. With part of the new electrics fitted by the previous owner, there is a complete new fuse box and various controls. It's a rather neat box of tricks but there are a shed load of wires coming out of it ! I think that one of the differences is that not all the electrics are going through the ammeter now. However, there is a lot going on behind the four gauges.I'll get in there today ..... Spitfire is nice and simple .... The Ferrari (now sold), was ......not ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PYU940F Posted February 23, 2018 Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Ha Ha. If you have an alternator conversion then quite often the ammeter is discarded for a voltmeter so the ammeter wring is obviously changed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4 AJJ Posted February 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Ha Ha. If you have an alternator conversion then quite often the ammeter is discarded for a voltmeter so the ammeter wring is obviously changed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4 AJJ Posted February 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Yes, Its a voltage meter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted February 23, 2018 Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Andy - The original voltage stabiliser was a simple (= crude) device with bi-metallic strip which meant that it turned the 12 volt supply on & off to produce an average of about 10 volts. This device doesn't care whether it is connected to a positive or negative earth system. However, if in re-wiring the car the previous owner (PO) incorporated an electronic regulator, that would be polarity sensitive and might well look completely different to the original regulator. If fuel and temperature meters are not working, then they are no longer being fed by the voltage regulator. Can't comment on the voltmeter as all depends on how the PO re-wired the electrics. Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4 AJJ Posted February 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Thanks Ian. I have a detailed wiring diagram with the car but the voltage meter is about the only thing not shown. Ill have time to investigate further today. BTW ~ For anyone following this thread ~ i changed my user name for something simple half way through thread. Realised using my full name on an open forum was probably not sensible in this day & age. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rcreweread Posted February 23, 2018 Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 (edited) Andy Hi and welcome to the forum - I see you are based in Essex and the Isle of Wight As a fellow TR nut and avid forumite, be interested to know where in Essex you are - I'm in Colchester but I also spend quite a bit of time in Bognor Regis helping to look after my 94 old mum, so it looks like we may make similar trips, although yours is somewhat longer than mine! I'm very much a hands on guy and currently have a fully restored TR4 and am in the middle of restoring the first of 3 TR4As - I've owned all these cars since the early 1980's and having recently retired, and am at last embarking on their restorations. Hopefully you've now sorted your dead instruments and found the voltage stabiliser although I think modern electronic ones look quite a bit different - it's position could also have been moved - other favourite is Ammeter connections as mentioned in the thread. I can also point you in the right direction to get parts from specialists you can trust. If any of this is of interest, please don't hesitate to call me or email me Cheers Rich Edited February 23, 2018 by rcreweread Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4 AJJ Posted February 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Hi Ian, Thank you for the welcome. Im beteeen Hatfield Peverel and Terling near Chelmsford. A lovely country lane thats used by many classic sports cars at the weekend ... and me ! For the moment Im sorted for parts, the car came with a boot load of bits that I need to sort through. Hopefully, I wont have to shell out for much as its already restored but if I do, Ill let you know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
monty Posted February 23, 2018 Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Hi Rich, You may get a call from me sometime also! Always interested in getting info about quality parts from trusted people! Too much junk out there for my liking! Cheers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4 AJJ Posted February 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Thanks all - now sorted .... for the time being. I found the voltage stabiliser, it was a tiny box with the word 'instruments' written on it ..... obvious really. Anyway, traced it back to blown fuse. The fuse carrier has another cable coming out of it and i suspect that's the item that may have blown the fuse. I couldn't trace that without undoing the entire loom. I'll keep en eye on it all but it's fixed for the minute. One thing for sure, the wiring diagram that came with the car and all the other paperwork about the electrics .... well, they may be used to start the log burner tonight because that's about all they're good for. And, as I'm now going for a spin in -30 degrees ... I'm going to need the log burner ! Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4 AJJ Posted February 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Sorry to double post ...... but i've now worked out what the issue was. I found a piece of paper with a fuse board chart on it. The second cable was feeding the instrument lighting via the dimmer thing. I do recall having a good old twist and pull on that knob ..... just before noticing the gauges had stopped working ..... that'll teach me Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted February 23, 2018 Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Hi Andy, most 4A owners remove the rheostat and short out the leads as it is pretty useless. The gauge lights are always too dim. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted February 23, 2018 Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 (edited) Unless you fit LED's - then they are too bright !! Bob. Edited February 23, 2018 by Lebro Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4 AJJ Posted February 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 I shall disconnect and buy a head torch .... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted February 23, 2018 Report Share Posted February 23, 2018 Unless you fit LED's - then they are too bright !! Bob. Hi Bob, with the rheostat removed and wires shorted together the LED lit gauges are OK but not over bright in any way. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted February 24, 2018 Report Share Posted February 24, 2018 (edited) Must be a TR4 thing ! When I went for LED dash bulbs they were too bright, so I "invented" a simple dimming circuit. As they draw less current than bulbs, you don't need a big rheostat, a much smaller wire wound potentiometer will do. Just had to add a fixed resistor to one end to get linear control over the range of the potentiometer Bob. Edited February 24, 2018 by Lebro Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4 AJJ Posted February 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2018 I presume I could short out the dimmer and just have the original gauge lights on full ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harrytr5 Posted February 24, 2018 Report Share Posted February 24, 2018 I just love the look of LED ones and at last I can see the instruments at night.Green is my favourite and my white (LEDS) ones are coming out to change to green. The square multi LED ones I find are the best. Did away with the dimmer switch and fitted a time clock in its place.Being an ex carpenter easy peasy. Regards Harry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4 AJJ Posted February 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2018 Ok, LED instrument lights going on the to-do list .... once its above -20 degrees ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steves_TR6 Posted February 24, 2018 Report Share Posted February 24, 2018 (edited) I also fitted green leds and they are lovely. I found the un-dimmed ones too bright in the speedo and tacho, so build up a dimmer using the old rheostat knob and now theyre perfect. Steve Edited February 24, 2018 by Steves_TR6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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