Re: Spider Interior Lights and Door Chime Help

[Hal Taylor <taylor@domain.elided>]

Ken,

Let's see... you must type much faster than I do...

Good: if you've got the courtesy lights working in the constant on position
(this should NOT happen with the switch in the center, flush position), it's
likely that the only thing standing in your way is the door jamb switches.
However, there IS (well, should be) a relay for the timer when the lights are
triggered by the door jamb switches.  Perhaps that's the relay in your glovebox
(?).  The anecdotal evidence (fusebox cover removed, bulbs missing from bout
courtesy lights, unknown relay sitting in glovebox) makes me wonder if somebody
was tinkering with this system, and if so, why?

I'd test those door jamb switches and see what happens.

As for the fuse and relay situation, well...umm...  my general advice is that
you do NOT want to have fuses which are rated higher than what is supposed to
be in place.  Fuses are there for a reason, which is to protect a circuit from
carrying more current than it is designed for.  That said, however, 10 amps in
place of 7.5 doesn't sound like a HUGE hazard.  About the relays: I seem to
remember the layout being somewhat under-documented, so it's hard for me to
even guess.  Got an (ex-)Alfa dealer or expert shop nearby?  Perhaps they could
be of assistance.  Got an owner's club nearby?  Join, and then see if any of
the members has a similar car you could look at.  Maybe you could even compare
part numbers on the relay.  Don't worry that not all the relay sockets are
full.  Maybe the Quad uses all of them, but I'd be surprised.  And, just so you
know, I don't believe the power windows on the Veloce and Quad use a relay...

Hal

Ken Ross wrote:

> Hal:
>
> Thanks for the help with the interior courtesy lights.  I got them working
> today, but only at the constant on position.  This fix was easy since both
> switches didn't have any bulbs.  I had two extra bulbs in the glove box, but
> now I am wondering if the bulbs were originally from these lights and why
> they were taken out.  Perhaps the previous owner left the lights on and the
> battery died.  My next job will be to clean the door jam switches since
> neither door switch seems to work.  I was also able to get the glove box
> light working once or twice along with the rear fog lights (both didn't work
> before), but now they have stopped working again.  Hopefully the contacts
> just need a good cleaning.
>
> One thing that I did have problems with when checking the lights was with
> the fuse box.  While each slot has a fuse installed in it, the amps for each
> fuse do not match that of the manual.  In other words, if the manual shows
> fuses # 3, 4, 5, and 6 as all having 7.5 amp fuses, I have 10 amp and 7.5
> amp fuses mixed together.  Should I make sure that each fuse has the proper
> fuse rating as per my manual?  Another mystery with the fuse box is that of
> the relays.  The manual makes no mention of any relays, but the fuse box has
> room for 5-6 relays.  My fuse box has about 2 relays installed with a fuse
> in each relay, and has 3-4 blanks with no relays installed.  Any idea what
> the relays are for (I have a 1990 Graduate without power windows) and why I
> have blank slots?  There is a relay in my glove box, but I have no idea what
> it's for.  Someone must have played with the fuse box because the black
> cover that covers the relays was in the trunk.  I have since reinstalled the
> cover so it properly covers the relays.   One last thing, the manual
> mentions a light that is suppose to be in the fuse box.  I noticed a slot
> where a bulb may pop in, but before I do, is this slot for a bulb?
> Thanks again for your help.
> Ken

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