No Head lights or front parking lights

[jbcollier]

The steering column u-joint has a wire to jump across its rubber insulators.  The wire is often missing or broken.

I have multimeters out the ying-yang: four Flukes, even one a very cool one with a wireless head that is brilliant for testing components that are located at one end while controlled from the other.  All that $$$ tied up in meters and for simple wiring checks I do not use them.  Multimeters do not work well checking for power in conventional circuits.  They can "smell" voltage down the rottenest of holes.  You will get a "good" voltage reading when there isn't a chance in heck it will light anything.  You need something that "loads" the circuit when you are checking for power.  Nothing beats a good old fashioned test light with an incandescent bulb.

Multimeters are great for many things but grab an old fashioned test light for most wiring checks.

[BDA]

Congratulations for at least finding the area of the problem!

[dakazman]

  Test lights are great for finding voltage and so are metal rings and watch bands in tight areas.
Ask me how I know? Joking aside be careful. A loose connection can fall off and touch a ring and it gets hot faster than you feel it.
   You do not stick holes in the insulation on the wires with these.
Dakazman

[BDA]

Maybe a silly question, but when you say

You do not stick holes in the insulation on the wires with these.

do you mean that the probe does not create a hole in the insulation or do you mean that you should not poke the probe into the insulation?

I have commonly used the probe to stick through the insulation (when I can hold the wire still).

[dakazman]

I mean you do not make holes in the insulation around the wires. It sets up a point where corrosion will get into the strands and then it’s extremely difficult to find unless you have a megger.
   Megger is a measuring instrument used for the measurement of insulation resistance of an electrical system. An electrical system degrades its quality of insulation resistance with time and various environmental conditions including temperature, moisture, dust particles & humidity.

Dakazman

[Certified Lotus]

Gotta love all the advise and insights you guys have! First you all get me thinking in the right direction. Second, some of the comments confirm that I was doing the right thing. Third, I’m a fool for not thinking of that.

JB, your absolutely right. I failed to mention that my first course of action with anything electrical is a test light in hand with long lead wire and clamp. Confirm the circuit first. Then do additional testing with multi meter. Dakazman, fully agree that the very pointy end of the test light is NOT for going through wire insulation. Always find the connector or end of wire to test the circuit. I’m smiling at you comment on watches and rings. I never wear a watch when working on a car and if I’m doing anything electrical I wrap my ring with painters tape. Learned that lesson many years ago the hard way.

So, very early yesterday morning (4:30am) I had my cup of coffee and sat in my Europa thinking about the horn spring connector causing the front parking light and front turn signal problems. I moved the clamp holding the steering column and wiring from the headlight and turn signal stalks and guess what? The headlights work.

Glad to get that resolved, but I will pay more attention to it next week when I have time. Need to figure out the horn button issue and install the air horns (with relay).

Saturday was the last “Garage Tour” event of the year for our Lotus Club “PALS”. Drove 350 miles and the Europa didn’t miss a beat.

Got lots of attention of my engine bay of the Europa. Lots of greatly appreciated complements for all my hard work.

[BDA]

You have to love a happy ending!