Re: 1941. Trunk\license plate light
Posted by HH56 On 2023/3/10 14:04:24
I don't know how similar the 47 and 41 lights might be but here is my 47 light and an exploded view of a 49 light done by another poster. These assy's are almost identical and screws onto the lid. I suspect the 41 could be very similar too with differences being cosmetic. The bulb turns on via a mercury switch when lid is raised. Depending on year power came from the tail light circuit so only worked when tail lights were on or, in other years, was off body feed and would turn on any time the lid was up.
The mercury switch is in a sealed glass assy that slides in the elongated socket and there is no modern replacement I am aware of. In fact in the early 50s Packard got rid of the mercury switch in favor of a rolling steel or brass ball inside an enclosure that also slipped inside the socket like the mercury switch. The ball rolled down to short two contacts together and light the bulb. Like the mercury sw, those ball contacts were also prone to oxidation or developing an insulating film deposit and sometimes stopped working. Sometimes vigorous shaking will get the contacts working again but oftentimes not so something else needs to make the connection.
I repaired mine by adapting a modern burglar alarm mercury tilt switch to mount external to the socket and hidden on top of the assy. A spacer was needed inside the long socket to take the place of the original switch and bring the wire close so the bulb could still make contact.
Attach file:
IMG_2604.jpeg (185.48 KB)
46-50 trunk light.jpg (311.18 KB)
Packard Trunk Light.jpg (254.37 KB)
The mercury switch is in a sealed glass assy that slides in the elongated socket and there is no modern replacement I am aware of. In fact in the early 50s Packard got rid of the mercury switch in favor of a rolling steel or brass ball inside an enclosure that also slipped inside the socket like the mercury switch. The ball rolled down to short two contacts together and light the bulb. Like the mercury sw, those ball contacts were also prone to oxidation or developing an insulating film deposit and sometimes stopped working. Sometimes vigorous shaking will get the contacts working again but oftentimes not so something else needs to make the connection.
I repaired mine by adapting a modern burglar alarm mercury tilt switch to mount external to the socket and hidden on top of the assy. A spacer was needed inside the long socket to take the place of the original switch and bring the wire close so the bulb could still make contact.
Attach file:
IMG_2604.jpeg (185.48 KB)
46-50 trunk light.jpg (311.18 KB)
Packard Trunk Light.jpg (254.37 KB)
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