Self-igniting number plate light!

Comfortably Numb · 20th February 2018, 00:48

When I first bought my 75, I had to change the left number plate light.
This morning my 'light failed' warning light came on, so I checked, - same bulb out again. Drove home tonight (lights on), and put car in garage ,to do the bulb in the dry after tea. I turned the lights on before starting, to see if simply jiggling the bulb would improve the connection. When I lifted the boot lid to access the bulb covers, there was an acrid smell, and smoke started to rise from the chrome fitting, so I hurriedly turned the lights off. After difficult disassembly (much mastic having been used to seal the fitting to the boot lid in a vain attempt to prevent water ingress by a previous owner), I discovered the PCB tracks to the left hand bulb had completely burned away, the foam seal and plastic lamp surround also having melted and charred! On the right side, same previous owner had manage to pinch the turquoise connecting wire under the edge of the chrome trim, nearly cutting through the insulation. So until I can get to the scrapyard in Carlisle, I am sans number plate lighting, ahem!

championdaddy · 20th February 2018, 10:00

It's another great Rover design LOL

DMGRS sells new ones though.

suzublu · 20th February 2018, 10:19

Solution.......https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/s...d.php?t=159120

stevestrat · 20th February 2018, 10:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzublu

Solution.......https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/s...d.php?t=159120

Yep, as with a lot of things MGR went for the cheapest option, bypassing the PCB is the best solution.

marinabrian · 20th February 2018, 18:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevestrat

Yep, as with a lot of things MGR went for the cheapest option, bypassing the PCB is the best solution.

Or preventative maintenance in the form of removal of the PCB, cleaning up the riveted contacts, applying flux, then soldering ensuring good flow to the surrounding lands on the PCB, followed by a thorough clean off and application of a quality closed cell single sided foam tape to complete......something like THIS

These were manufactured by the same Italian company that produced the boot plinth and 75 grilles, are you surprised that they didn't last five times their projected design life

Brian

Comfortably Numb · 21st February 2018, 00:52

Well not being exactly flush at the mo, I have simply soldered wires from the spades to the bulb terminals, and glued the broken PCB/bulb casing plastic together, taped over any exposed metal, and fitted it back on the boot. Not perfect, and not helped by the previous owner's 'mechanic' son breaking the 2 middle studs mountings in the alloy casting. God forbid that he actually gets paid to work on other peoples cars.

20th February 2018, 00:48	#1
Comfortably Numb Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Penrith Posts: 1,336 Thanks: 165 Thanked 303 Times in 241 Posts	Self-igniting number plate light! When I first bought my 75, I had to change the left number plate light. This morning my 'light failed' warning light came on, so I checked, - same bulb out again. Drove home tonight (lights on), and put car in garage ,to do the bulb in the dry after tea. I turned the lights on before starting, to see if simply jiggling the bulb would improve the connection. When I lifted the boot lid to access the bulb covers, there was an acrid smell, and smoke started to rise from the chrome fitting, so I hurriedly turned the lights off. After difficult disassembly (much mastic having been used to seal the fitting to the boot lid in a vain attempt to prevent water ingress by a previous owner), I discovered the PCB tracks to the left hand bulb had completely burned away, the foam seal and plastic lamp surround also having melted and charred! On the right side, same previous owner had manage to pinch the turquoise connecting wire under the edge of the chrome trim, nearly cutting through the insulation. So until I can get to the scrapyard in Carlisle, I am sans number plate lighting, ahem!

20th February 2018, 10:00	#2
championdaddy This is my second home Mg Zt 190 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: The FIRST Garden City....Letchworth. Posts: 6,778 Thanks: 1,243 Thanked 920 Times in 698 Posts	It's another great Rover design LOL DMGRS sells new ones though.

20th February 2018, 10:19	#3
suzublu This is my second home rover 75 1.8 vvc club se wedgwood blue Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Seaton Carew Posts: 26,913 Thanks: 65 Thanked 7,142 Times in 4,642 Posts	Solution.......https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/s...d.php?t=159120

21st February 2018, 00:52	#6
Comfortably Numb Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Penrith Posts: 1,336 Thanks: 165 Thanked 303 Times in 241 Posts	Well not being exactly flush at the mo, I have simply soldered wires from the spades to the bulb terminals, and glued the broken PCB/bulb casing plastic together, taped over any exposed metal, and fitted it back on the boot. Not perfect, and not helped by the previous owner's 'mechanic' son breaking the 2 middle studs mountings in the alloy casting. God forbid that he actually gets paid to work on other peoples cars.