Started the week by moving the starter motor positive cable over to the terminal next to the battery positive, which cured the volt drop at the cable terminal. The starter motor now engages but there is insufficient power in the batteries to turn the engine over, so replacements will be ordered next month. I then drilled the connection box for the indicators and ran the five-core cable up the cab door pillar to the junction box above the cab door. The next task was to bind together with heat shrink the three large cables that go up the rearward cab door pillar, two being power cables to the lighting panel and the other being a three-conductor multicore to the indicator junction box. I fixed them to the bulkhead alongside the cab door with hand made brass straps. Adding the two-core wire for the flasher unit meant I was able to test the indicator circuit, with success. A this point I decided the indicator switch was the wrong way round compared with the MW, so that needs corrected that. Final jobs of the week were to remove the interior lights switch panel from its base and temporary reattach it to the cab bulkhead so I could lay in the wiring to the flasher unit and set the route for the multicore from the indicator junction box back to the main control box. This required a minor alteration to the switch box base board to accommodate the cable. I also noted an oil and paper 0.5uF capacitor on the base, not certain of it’s purpose but I will replace it with a modern one as it is leaking. It appears to be connected across the 24v supply on the switch box. I also applied a third, darker coat of undercoat to the new front wing.
All posts by Nigel
20/7/2025
I started the week by fixing to the underside of the floor the last few U-clamps over the battery cables. These are now fully secured and connected to the control box. Connecting the lighting circuits to the control box continued with the indicators, the final connections being the the dynamo and starter motor connections, which is another small milestone. Some thought was then given to locating the junction of the various indicator cables above the cab door. A box for this was ordered. I next gave the new wing a coat of red oxide as part of preparation for final fitting after the electrics have all been tested. I also fitted the conduit cover over the cable entry into the control box, under the cab floow. This was tricky but went on after some adjustment of the cables and increasing the size of the opening for the cable entry. Testing is next. All the testable circuits worked, except for the starter motor which refuses to turn although the solenoid operates. The voltage at the SM+ cable is low compared with B+ which is showing 25v offload with both (admittedly old) batteries in circuit, whereas SM+, which should be the same, is showing about 19v.
13/7/2025
A slow start to the week, tidying and fastening wiring behind the O/S front wheelarch and drilling the holes to mount the cover for these. I also checked all the electrical connections to the multicore and locked the screws with yellow paint. The pace picked up a bit then, first by fixing the the cross link battery cable to the floor on the O/S, then completing the positive battery cable with a short length from the hidden isolator switch to the cab, securing it and the negative cable to the front bulkhead. Next, I installed the control box, feeding all the low-current cables up the back of the control box and through the slot into their intended positions, then trimming and soldering tags for connections, alternately with working under the bus , where I secured the negative battery cable on the O/S and as close to the N/S as possible, both the propshaft and exhaust system obstructing access to the floor, but the cables are now safely out of their way and mostly secured along their lengths. Continued soldering tags on the control box connections, the very hot weather makng it impossible to do much else.