New headlight switch

[JeepSnake]

Guys, I talked with Alan at Pigeon Forge about the hot headlight switches some of us experience, combined with the popping fuse/tripping circuit breaker on the switch. I think we've come up with the culprit and solution.

The factory switch is rated at 15 amps. The short version is that if you're running meatball lamps or upgraded headlamps, you're probably overloading the switch by a little bit. On our car, it's just a couple of amps, but that's enough to heat it up (especially on a switch that has some wear & tear on it).

I have swapped my switch out for a NAPA Echlin #HL6049 headlight switch, rated at 30 A. (I installed my 20 A breaker in it to protect the circuit.) This switch runs nice and cool to the touch, and I have experienced no breaker trips since installing it. Before, even my 20 A breaker was tripping in hot weather and low speeds due to the carryover heat from the switch.

So, if your headlight switch is getting hot to the touch and blowing fuses, this switch should be the ticket. Your original knob will even fit on it, which is a good thing as the NAPA knob is, well, pretty hideous looking.

[traveler]

Zach ,

I installed the 30A NO 6049 switch yesterday and was using a 30a circuit breaker . I had to go back to a 30a fuse because the circuit breaker was getting to hot itself . After putting the fuse back no more heat . Maybe I have other issues going on but the circuit breaker would not work .

Rick Findley

[scott h]

the initial load seems to cause the fuse to blow, this happened to me one time, i purchased a slow-blow fuse which you can get at most auto parts and hardware stores. Zero problems since.

[JeepSnake]

Rick,

If your circuit breaker has already tripped on several occasions, it may be bad. The spring action gets weaker and it can get carbon tracking inside it. I don't see any way you could be approaching a 30 A load; you're probably safely below 20 A.

Don't know about automotive breakers, but when you read the really fine print, household breakers are only technically rated to work once (!). The electrical engineers here at work are constantly preaching about this and screaming never to use a breaker as a switch, because it might not work when you need it to.

[will butterworth]

on well pump recently--had circuit breaker in off pos. and got a fair shock anyway--so checked circuit breaker with instrument and breaker was leaking juice anyway.Pulled circuitbreaker and wires out of box and laid it all on ground.Will-alabama