Re: Clock Light Mystery
Posted by HH56 On 2017/10/12 19:18:12
The small light in sort of a hood like holder on the back of the clock is for the glovebox. It is supposed to turn on when the door is open and throw a beam of light into the box.
I believe there is a sealed mercury switch which forms one end of the socket and located just behind the bulb. Most likely oxidation has insulated the contacts inside the glass envelope so it no longer works. The trunk light has the same arrangement although I am not sure the switches are physically the same.
A few have had luck removing the switch and giving it a vigorous shaking to "clean" the contacts but most do not and the switch is no longer functional. On a trunk an external tilt switch can be installed but there is no modern replacements that will directly fit the glovebox space that I am aware of.
Modern switches have gone to metal rolling balls to complete the connection due to the dangers of mercury. Mercury switches are available for some applications but the glass envelope is different and would require some sort of enclosure to be made for safety and to provide a secure mounting.
Here is a view of a trunk light showing the Packard mercury switch and the arrangement in the socket. It is held together by a pressed on cap at the end where the wire exits. That is shown next to the cardboard insulating tube on the top. Glove box is the same arrangement but maybe a different size. The trunk light cap came off fairly easily and perhaps a gentle grip and twist with pliers will remove the glove box cap too. I have not taken one apart to be sure.
The modern switch I was going to use for the trunk switch replacement is shown in the other photo but I found something better for that application. Not sure what to suggest on the glovebox as the modern mercury switches all look about the same -- long glass envelope with thin bare wires for the connection.
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I believe there is a sealed mercury switch which forms one end of the socket and located just behind the bulb. Most likely oxidation has insulated the contacts inside the glass envelope so it no longer works. The trunk light has the same arrangement although I am not sure the switches are physically the same.
A few have had luck removing the switch and giving it a vigorous shaking to "clean" the contacts but most do not and the switch is no longer functional. On a trunk an external tilt switch can be installed but there is no modern replacements that will directly fit the glovebox space that I am aware of.
Modern switches have gone to metal rolling balls to complete the connection due to the dangers of mercury. Mercury switches are available for some applications but the glass envelope is different and would require some sort of enclosure to be made for safety and to provide a secure mounting.
Here is a view of a trunk light showing the Packard mercury switch and the arrangement in the socket. It is held together by a pressed on cap at the end where the wire exits. That is shown next to the cardboard insulating tube on the top. Glove box is the same arrangement but maybe a different size. The trunk light cap came off fairly easily and perhaps a gentle grip and twist with pliers will remove the glove box cap too. I have not taken one apart to be sure.
The modern switch I was going to use for the trunk switch replacement is shown in the other photo but I found something better for that application. Not sure what to suggest on the glovebox as the modern mercury switches all look about the same -- long glass envelope with thin bare wires for the connection.
Attach file:
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