Lights failing afer a few hours

[Megaweasel]

Hi everyone.

So i’ve just picked up my lightweight - a 12V 1973 (I believe) Series 3, de-mobbed in 1979. I’ve been hankering after a series landrover for many, many years and having recently retired and having spent some time on Salisbury Plain where I live with a friend in his Lightweight I decide to bite the bullet. Watching and looking at a few for sale over a good few months I finally bought one from a chap in Kent, and drove it home to Wilts on Sunday.

Was a baptism of fire - especially as I don’t know the area, was trying to avoid motorways and Major roads (initially) so trying to listen to Google Maps on full vol from the seat next to me. Journey took 4.5 hours because of the convoluted route I took, but she behaved well - two stalls because the idle seems set particularly low in the middle of East Grinstead but after a fill up that didn’t happen again.

Because GWR delayed all the trains I got to pick it up well over an hour late which meant the final hour and a half were done in the dark. Within the last 20 mins or so, having had the lights on for perhaps an hour (down the A303) going across the Plain, Main beam died. Shortly after, I lost the lights completely. They came back on, and then I managed to get within 1 mile of my house when they died and wouldn’t come back on.

Odly, on my vehicle, there is the rotary light switch and above it a 2-position toggle switch - both of which operate the lights. No idea why. When I lost the lights completely, i turned the rotary switch and the lights came back on and I managed the final mile home with them flickering, and then they went out.

So - any idea why i’d have an extra toggle switch for the lights, and any idea where I should start looking for a fault or issue? I initally thought it might be a charging issue, but she is still starting first turn no problem so doesn’t seem to have flattened the battery for its hour-and-a-half of running in the dark.

I want to maintin it myself as much as possible but i’ve not done much in the last 30 years so my knowledge is a bit sketchy…

Cheers in advance for any help!

Chris

[diffwhine]

Chris - where are you based? Might be worth somebody having a proper look at it and see whats going on. I'm just outside Marlborough. If you aren't too far, maybe run it this way one day and I can have a look at it?

Mark

[Megaweasel]

Hi Mark,

Well that would be fantastic! - I’m the marlborough side of Pewsey (Wilcot) so very close!

Thanks so much!

Let me know when would be good for you - daylight obviously though

Chris

[diffwhine]

I think I've just sent you an email through here with my contact details. Let me know if you receive it!