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military three lever light switch

Monster Man

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my military 3 lever light switch is beyond terminal. It burned out and everything went with it, and I couldn't turn it on or off and ended up stripping the lever off. The reason I couldn't budge it was the contacts had melted, and the little plate deal that is held there by a spring just pushed into the plastic and it got stuck. The wire that appears to have caused it was the yellow one, decoded to be part of the turn signals. Odd, since the signals weren't on when the lights died. My question is, before I attempt to make a new switch block or buy a new one, anybody that has had there switch die, is all you did replace it? Was there any wires anywhere shorted? I couldn't find any that were visible, and once they go out of sight they're all tightly wrapepd. I can't figure why it died other than the switch is old and crummy

I cut the dead wires (the yellow and two green), and reinstalled the cam and lever but without the one plate and spring that had melted, that way it wasn't sending juice through the bad circuit. Put it back on and I got nothing. Pretty discouraging

also, should I have been driving with it in "service" position instead of "stop light"? Could that have burned it up?

Are the headlights/taillights special 24v ones?

right now we rigged up two spare lights running twelve volts off of one of the batteries so we can signal and show brake lights. I want to get this thing back to normal but want it to be cheap and easy, but not blow out again fue to a shrot

PS, I couldn't find a single circuit breaker. Maybe I don't know what I'm looking for, but I'm lookign for something with a switch on it to reset it, no? Can't find ANYTHING of the sort under the dash, on the firewall, next to the batteries, etc.?
 

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Recovry4x4

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The circuit breakers reset themselves. Its just a little black looking thing bolted to the firewall with 2 wires going to them. As far as driving in stop light mode, thats the was to do it unless you want headlights. Shouldn't cause a problem. headlights, tail lights and everything else is 12 volt. Centertapping a battery for 12V will work with small demand loads but bigger loads will create an imbalance and charging problems in the future. I patched some headlights together once on a truck i drove home and wired the headlights in series and pulled 24V from the batts. You can about bank on the fact that the switch is the problem. Wishin I had an extra to send you. They can be had for around $25 on Ebay. There is also a newer pushbutton one that rarely ever sells for under $100. Keep the faith, it will work.
 

Longhunter7

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MM!

If you need a new switch fast and don't want mess with E-Bay.......!

Star Electric Ordnance, 386 Big Oak Trail, Radcliff, Kentucky, 40160-0813

Phone # 1-270-877-0813
Fax # 1-270-877-0542

I am not connected in any way with this company!
He was a vendor at the Auburn Indiana MV show!

He did have all kinds of M35A2 parts!

Good luck! <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_cool.gif" alt="Cool">
 

Monster Man

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OK cool, I did see one of those- wire going in, wire coming out but I saw no way to reset it.

Kind of a dumb design I'd say since it wasn't labeled as to what circuit it protects, so I have no idea if it tripped or not <img src="emoticons/icon_smilie_bitchin.gif" alt="Bitchin">

I'm mostly concerned with the real cause of the problem, and if I just replaced the switch if it would do the same thing

funny you mention about driving with the headlights on. I had it set on "stop/light" and the headlights were on the whole time. I never needed to switch it to service drive. So the headlights should only come on in service drive? I'm starting to see where the problem might have lied.

The switch did have in gold marker "test only". Not sure if it was just replaced or what.......
 

Recovry4x4

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<font color="green">[4]<font face="Comic Sans MS">It very well could have been a switch. Yup, service drive gets you the headlights and if you move the lower left indicator lever to park, you will get all the running lights except the headlights. Once you get its operation down, its pretty neat. I say its ingenious. As far as the circuit breakers, they are of the automatic design and don't require a reset. There are little metal tabs on the wires with numbers and they correspond to the wiring diagrams in the manuals. Also, since I mentioned manuals, the wiring digrams aren't too good to look at on CD manuals. If you can find the 361-20 manual in paper, buy it! They have really nice pullout schematics for the truck and are invaluable if you need them. I can get by with PDF for everything but those pullouts. As far as Star Electric, the guy you deal with in KY is Kevin Emdee and he is an asset to MV collecting. </font id="Comic Sans MS">[/4]</font id="green">
 

Desert Rat

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MM;
I have the manuals in print. I can send the photocopies you need. I know LH can do the same. I suspect it would be quicker getting the info from him since he's very close to Chicago. I'm out in the boonies so mail takes it's time getting here.

P.S.- Ken your CD showed up today. Thanks!
 

Recovry4x4

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No worries on the disc DR, my pleasure. Sorry i'm so dang slow. Lance, you are looking for TM 9-2320-361-20, Technical Manual, Unit Maintenance. It has wonderful pullout schematics. I've always gotten by on the disc but with these, I'm spoiled. I took one from a CUCV manual and went by the local Office Depot. Had it blown up to an 11X14 and then laminated it. Now I can stick to the truck with a magnet when doing intense electrical troubleshooting.
 

hot rod deuce

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Hey i got a dumb question then. when all i want is blinkers, what is the minimum i have to turn on? Or are my blinkers supposed to work without anything on like a normal truck? I usualy cruse around with head lights to get blinkers and "park" didnt make them work either. Im thinking about just rippin the thing out and using rocker switches because i no longer have backout lights
 

cranetruck

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You will need to turn on the lights to get the turn signals to work.
The 3-lever switch has a built-in circuit breaker (20-amp) for your lights also.
To drive without your head lights, place the lower left lever in "park" postion.
It's a good idea to always drive with your headlights on, though.
 

compexp

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Do any of you guys know a source for the back connector pins on the 3-way? I'm going to call Star Electric on Monday, but my PO (previous owner) hacked the wiring off behind the 3-way and I'd like to re-pin the wiring.

Thanks.

Rich
Omaha
'67 M725
 

fredrader

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Recovry4x4 said:
headlights, tail lights and everything else is 12 volt.




All the bulbs in the tail lights are 28V (24v)..I just ordered some replacement ones for spares..I put a meter on the tail lights and it was over 24V..I couldn't get even 12V from my brake lights but they are very dim and only work half the time and there is a problem either with the 3 lever switch or the pressure switch...I seem to remember hearing that some of the lights were 12v but every light I test is 24V..
 
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