Tail Lights

[Don Coatney]

don,

the packaging on jb weld states "does not conduct electricity".

wally

Thanks, that is good to know.

[pflaming]

Wallytoo: If the handles of our tools were coated with JB WELD, would they then be safe to used in electrical situations?

[Don Coatney]

Wallytoo: If the handles of our tools were coated with JB WELD, would they then be safe to used in electrical situations?

 

 

I would think if you coated your plastic handled screwdriver handles with JB weld and used them on your 6 volt electrical system you should be safe even when standing in water. Personally I would shy away from any higher power source.

[wallytoo]

paul,

i wouldn't know. i just read the statement off of the packaging of jb weld on my basement workbench. i don't think i'd be touching any high-voltage sources with a jb weld-coated handle tool anytime soon. on the other hand, around normal in-house power, you'd probably be ok. with my work boots on, i can grab the in-house service lines (120-volt, 20-amp) live, without an issue.

wally

[wallytoo]

i really don't like the new format, as it "reformats" the way things are written.

[pflaming]

My question about treating handles with JB was mostly curious. Yet, if there is an area in a vehical such as around the battery, where gounding is not desired, a thin coat of weld might work. Maybe a bit expensive but again just curious.

[ggdad1951]

My question about treating handles with JB was mostly curious. Yet, if there is an area in a vehical such as around the battery, where gounding is not desired, a thin coat of weld might work. Maybe a bit expensive but again just curious.

plasti-dip would be easier as well as a good leather glove!

[Don Coatney]

My question about treating handles with JB was mostly curious. Yet, if there is an area in a vehical such as around the battery, where gounding is not desired, a thin coat of weld might work. Maybe a bit expensive but again just curious.

Heat shrink tubing would work.

[Jeff Balazs]

Paul;

Most good electricians tools are either double insulated or made from non-conductive materials. I have a set of Kleins that are rubber over plastic handles.

For 99% of automotive needs plasticdip will work. It fairly good stuff when the can is fresh. But I wouldn't use it on high voltage stuff..all you need is one void or pinhole......much better to have tools that are made for this. A lot of times you don't get a second chance on this stuff. Of course I spent a lot of time working around 4160v 3 phase and that has no forgiveness.

Jeff

[Merle Coggins]

4160 volt, 3 phase? I get skiddish when I have to play with 480 v 3 ph. It's not very forgiving either. 6v DC is pretty mild, but still troublesome if not taken care of. 24v DC, on the other hand, will bite pretty hard. Almost all of the equipment I work with is 24 volt.  

[Jeff Balazs]

Merle;

I used to do petrochem & utility engineering work. 4160 V is fairly common in large facilities and around transmission stations. It is wicked stuff.

Back in the 90's we did a large tank farm upgrade for Arco in Long Beach. Part of the installation we designed had 4 BIG vertical can pumps with 1000hp electric motors.

As you may know these pumps can only be run in one direction. When they were getting ready to commission the facility the PM (a real cowboy in the most negative sense) was pushing too hard for start up.

The electricians had never checked phase........so when they hit the starter on the first pump........booom! Start up literally tore the pump along with the 40000# monolithic foundation right out of the ground. Needless to say heads rolled that day.

 

One of my best clients was an ARCO project engineer that had an office in a building about 400 yards away from that pump. A few minutes after this episode he called me to tell me what had happened. He said it felt like an earthquake and most of the books on their shelves were on the floor. No one was killed but you should have seen what was left of the coupling. :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

We also did a fiber optics project that followed the Boulder Dam power lines, You should have seen all the abandoned trucks that were out there......artificial lightning is what the DWP guy's called it......

Jeff

[HanksB3B]

 

 

Thanks,

 

Hank 

[Merle Coggins]

So, as promised here is my solution.

 

Upon closer inspection I saw that the socket was only attached with one little spot weld. I was able to grind it off with a cut off wheel on my Dremel and knock it out.

 

 

 

Then I picked up a couple of new sockets at O'Rielly. These are a looser fit into the housings so soldering or spot welding wouldn't be a good option. So I used some Permetex Multi-Metal Epoxy Stick. I kneeded up a piece and smeared it around the socket, then pressed it into the housing. Once it set up it is very solid.

 

 

 

However, since the socket now doesn't have good contact with the housing, it won't be grounded. So I soldered a ground wire to the exposed part of the socket. This will get covered with a piece of heat shrink.

 

I got some asphalt covered wire loom from MAC's, along with another pair of door handle escutcheons, but it is a little small. It would work, but I'd rather have some bigger stuff. So I'll get some larger loom and finish this repair next weekend. Final pictures to follow when it's all done.

 

I'm also thinking I might paint the inside white or silver to help reflect some light, rather than the black which wouldn't reflect much of anything.

 

Merle

Edited March 10, 2013 by Merle Coggins

[Jerry Roberts]

 Another option is to cover the inside with that very reflective silver foil tape . It has a backing that you peel off before you stick it in place  . I bought a roll at the local hardware store . You kind of patch the foil tape into place as the sides of the light fixture aren't parallel .

[Frank Elder]

Bright gloss white is better than silver.

[Merle Coggins]

OK... I finally finished this project.

 

I painted the insides of the lamp assemblies with gloss white for better reflectivity. Then I reassembled the lamps and installed them. I used 1/2" asphalt covered loom with a piece of 3/4" heat shrink over the end of the lamp socket and loom. I'm happy with the results.

 

 

 

Merle

[48Dodger]

Nice Merle.....I'll be doing the same. Need to make The Brick street worthy.

 

48D

[Scruffy49]

Are they supposed to mount that low? Mine are a good 4-6 inches higher than that... must be to clear the bumper. My rear stake pockets have mounting cage nuts on the front and back side of the pocket. I plan to run mine off the rear most, upper most set of mounting holes. I've found that people around here don't see low mounted tail lights. Mine are just a pair of generic Advance Auto Parts left side buckets (with plate lenses), need to get a right side w/o plate lens.

 

Looks really nice Merle.

[Merle Coggins]

That's the same place the left side only lamp was mounted when I got the truck. I got a replacement bracket just like the original with a matching right side bracket and used cheap Peterson round trailer lamps initially. They have served me well since I've had the truck on the road the past 5 years, but I wanted to get more period correct lamps on it.

 

Merle

[JBNeal]

originally, the tail lights mounted low because it was cheaper to run 3' less wire if the tail lamps were mounted at the same height as the head lamps.  With the right tail light as optional, as well as arm rests, heaters, turn signals, etc., these trucks were sold as utilitarian machines that were optioned as the buyer wanted and their budget allowed.  The tail lights stayed mounted low on stepsides, moving a li'l higher than the tailgate hinge point in the 60s.  But no tail light was lower than the last gen El Camino...

[48Dodger]

Great Merle, your name is now linked to the advertising program.....shoes, books and marble hard tops....

 

Really don't care for the highlighted word link advertizing. Put me down as a "NO" vote on that one.

 

48D

[Merle Coggins]

What are you talking about, Tim?

[48Dodger]

On my computer, your name is highlighted in blue. It takes you to a search engine using your name as a keyword.

 

48D

[Merle Coggins]

So, what does your search engine find for my name?

 

Have you ever Googled your name to see what comes up? It can be interesting.

[Don Coatney]

For some excitement do an ebay search for Coatney