Electrics hints

[Deleted]

I found this on the web. I hope the owner does not get annoyed.
BROWN Battery circuit. From battery or starter switch to ammeter or control box and (with compensated voltage control) feeding lighting and ignition switches (and radio, when fitted) from control box terminal. Also, from starter switch to electric clock, inspection sockets and battery auxiliaries fuse (from which are fed electric horns, cigar lighter, interior lights, etc.).

YELLOW Generator circuit. From generator terminal to corresponding control box terminal and to ignition warning light.

WHITE Ignition circuit and all requirements essential when ignition is switched on but which do not require fusing, e.g., electric fuel pump, starter solenoid switch, etc.

GREEN Auxiliary circuits fed through ignition switch and protected by the ignition auxiliaries fuse, e.g., stop lamp, fuel gauge, direction indicators, windscreen wipers, etc.

BLUE Headlamp circuits. Fed through terminal on lighting switch.

RED Side and tail lamp circuits. Fed from terminal on lighting switch. Included in these circuits are fog lamps, panel lights and other lamps required only when the side lamps are in use.

BLACK Earth circuits. If a component is not internally earthed, a cable must be taken to a good earthing point on the chassis.


Hopefully, the above information, combined with a proper wiring diagram for your car, will help turn that multi-colored mass of spaghetti into an understandable wiring system. Don't get discouraged; Lucas really did make an effort to use logic in their wiring.


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[dorsetflyer]

Yes these were the basic colours used on the various circuits for automobiles. From there each individual circuit was divided by using trace colours to help with identification.
The problem was 'JOE SOAP' who modified anything that didn't work with any type and colour of wire that was handy in the toolbox. (I think most of us have been guilty of this at some time in our motoring life).
This is why today's classic car owner has so much grief trying to work out what went where, and correcting it.
Because of this I do try and get the correct colour code wire before I start a job to replace or add any wiring to the cars. At least I can trace out circuits without too much trouble, and know that if I sold the car the next owner would have no problems.
For the relative low cost of new wiring of the correct colour code it really is false economy to do otherwise.

[Phil Nottingham]

Several years I downloaded a comprehensive colour code cahart for Lucas down to all the colour tracers - its about 4 pages long and even includes the FoMoCo special colours

As its copyrighted no doubt and I cannot remember where I got it from I am afraid I cannot publish this


There was also the prewar version which is quite a bit different

[Keith - Portsmouth]

Never mind Phil. This information is freely available.

Try here -
www.mgbexperience.com/service/lucas-colours.php

or here -
www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/file_uploads/Colour_code_for_vehicle_wiring_-_new_order_2.pdf

or here -
www.peterrenn.clara.net/archive4.html

[Phil Nottingham]

They seem to be ones - is nothing not available on the WWW these days!

[Deleted]

The earthing clips are now available from JRW.

[dorsetflyer]

Good news that Humphrey, it's maybe worth investing in some for the future.