<VV> Find Electrical Shorts WAS Heater/blower question (1963 Spyder)

[Ken Pepke]

A good trick is to make a special test light that will replace the fuse.   Use a light bulb holder that has 2 wires but only one filament in the bulb.  Extend the two wires by about 3 feet each and solder a metal tip, suitable to pop into one side of a fuse holder, at the ends of the wire.  Place the light where you can always see it.  Once installed the bulb will be on but, when the short is located / fixed the bulb will go out.  No need to blow fuses checking if the short has been fixed.

Ken P
Wyandotte, MI
Worry looks around; Sorry looks back, Faith looks up.

**********************

> From: Joel McGregor <joelsplace at earthling.net>
> Date: August 24, 2011 1:07:35 PM EDT
> To: Kerry Born <grandpacorvair at yahoo.com>, "virtualvairs at corvair.org"	<virtualvairs at corvair.org>
> Subject: Re: <VV> Heater/blower question (1963 Spyder)
> 
> All the older GM stuff I've messed with is basically the same.  You have a hot wire going to the switch and then a different wire coming out of the switch for each speed.  The lower speeds go through a resistor for each speed and the high speed has no resistor.  I would try pulling the connector at the resistor pack to isolate where the circuit is shorted.  If it quits then it is between the resistor pack and the fan (most likely) or the resistor pack has somehow shorted to ground.  You can check this with an ohm meter between ground and any of the blades on the resistor pack.  You should read open from any blade to ground.  If it's good and the fuse still blows then check the wiring between the switch and the resistor pack.  This is all from memory and it's been a long time since I've had to mess with any of my blowers so I may have some parts out of order but the basic troubleshooting will work on anything.  Now you have a good opportunity to oil your fan motor or install a
>  high output one.
> Joel McGregor