Tiny lights under the front wheel wells

[C10Coloradoguy]

Hey all. Thanks again for all the help last time. All of the electrical works on my 70 C10 Chevy but I have one concern:

There are small lamps under each one of the front fenders on the pickup. Currently the way I have them wired they turn ON as soon as the battery is hooked up. I know why this is but I have not been able to find a definitive answer on how to wire these little lights. I think they act as 4 amp fuses but if someone that really knows what they are doing could post instructions on how they should be wired, that would be fantastic.

Thanks again.

[Stocker]

Small lights that act as fuses, under the front fenders? I must be missing something, this makes no sense to me. If they are on whenever the battery is hooked up, that means they are always on, unless you disconnect the battery every time you turn the truck off. Otherwise they would drain the battery if the truck was parked for very long. Sounds like something a PO added because he thought they looked cool. If that's the case, I would remove them along with their wiring.

My only other thought is you are looking at the 4 amp fuses for the factory ammeter gauge. Those would not be small lights. Post a pic, that should help clear up the mystery.

[Steeveedee]

Turn on, as in they glow? Or as in they have power? There are some shortie fuses under the hood, maybe that's what you are seeing. As has been asked, post a pic or two.

[weq92f]

Buddy of mine bought a truck once and somehow didn't notice the switch down low on the dash that turned on the purple neon lights all around the perimeter of the truck!

-klb

[C10Coloradoguy]

Thanks for the responses. Trust me, these things confuse me too. I believe the guy I bought the truck from pieced this whole truck together. Fortunately I am going through EVERYTHING but I have to correct his f-ups on every section I work on.

Here you go Stocker and Steeveedee: https://imgur.com/a/9dTFI

This is the passenger side front fender but both sides have one of these. Yes, these are actual lights and they light right up. Dumbass (the guy I bought the truck from) just painted them black like everything else he wanted to cover up. But they both work and I have seen a couple of pictures online with other trucks that have them.

Stocker: You mentioned the stock ammeter gauge. Currently each light is wired to one side of the gauge (my gauge is marked "Battery") along with the power wires. One side is wired to the Alternator and one is wired to a Battery wire according to instructions I found online. Of course this will turn the lights on right away when the battery is hooked up and just constantly drain the battery.

Early on when I was wiring this baby, I read about wiring the Battery gauge and there were different ideas on how to do it. The first time I hooked it up I fried two wires on the dash circuit board and they were both of the wires attached to the Bat gauge. Since then I believe I have it corrected but only when I run the wires through the little lights. This is why I believe they are acting like a 4 amp fuse.

So the questions I have are:
1. Are these lights necessary for the Battery gauge to work properly?
2. If so, is there a way to run them through an ignition line so they aren't "hot" all the time?
3. Are these little lights even supposed to be here?

Thanks guys!

[AussieinNC]

Originally Posted by C10Coloradoguy

Thanks for the responses. Trust me, these things confuse me too. I believe the guy I bought the truck from pieced this whole truck together. Fortunately I am going through EVERYTHING but I have to correct his f-ups on every section I work on.

Here you go Stocker and Steeveedee: https://imgur.com/a/9dTFI

This is the passenger side front fender but both sides have one of these. Yes, these are actual lights and they light right up. Dumbass (the guy I bought the truck from) just painted them black like everything else he wanted to cover up. But they both work and I have seen a couple of pictures online with other trucks that have them.

Stocker: You mentioned the stock ammeter gauge. Currently each light is wired to one side of the gauge (my gauge is marked "Battery") along with the power wires. One side is wired to the Alternator and one is wired to a Battery wire according to instructions I found online. Of course this will turn the lights on right away when the battery is hooked up and just constantly drain the battery.

Early on when I was wiring this baby, I read about wiring the Battery gauge and there were different ideas on how to do it. The first time I hooked it up I fried two wires on the dash circuit board and they were both of the wires attached to the Bat gauge. Since then I believe I have it corrected but only when I run the wires through the little lights. This is why I believe they are acting like a 4 amp fuse.

So the questions I have are:
1. Are these lights necessary for the Battery gauge to work properly?
2. If so, is there a way to run them through an ignition line so they aren't "hot" all the time?
3. Are these little lights even supposed to be here?

Thanks guys!

I am going to say this as politely as possible:

So the questions I have are:
1. Are these lights necessary for the Battery gauge to work properly? NO
2. If so, is there a way to run them through an ignition line so they aren't "hot" all the time? Yes...see 3.

3. Are these little lights even supposed to be here? Remove the crap and save yourself a lot of trouble....

These are not standard, just some poor half a$$ed attempt to put running lights on a poor unsuspecting truck...

Take em off and let your truck not be ashamed to show it face to its friends...

UGH !!!!!

[Stocker]

What Aussie said. Yes, those are lights, alright, added by a PO. They should be removed along with their wiring.

Your "Battery" gauge is commonly referred to as an ammeter (as opposed to a Voltmeter which some prefer to install instead). It works by comparing the slight difference in voltage between the battery and the alternator. Higher voltage at the battery indicates a discharge condition and the needle swings to the left. Higher voltage at the alternator indicates the battery is being charged and the needle swings to the right (most noticeable right after starting the engine). During normal driving, the needle is centered or very close to it.

As I'm typing this I realized this thread might help you more than I can, especially post #7: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=673925

[Stocker]

A bit more info, which you might already know. The ammeter wires each have a small 4 amp fuse at opposite ends of the radiator support. To me, the fuse holders look like an odd type of black connector. You can see one in the center of this pic:

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by Stocker

A bit more info, which you might already know. The ammeter wires each have a small 4 amp fuse at opposite ends of the radiator support. To me, the fuse holders look like an odd type of black connector. You can see one in the center of this pic:

That's what I was after when I asked my question. Great pic! Not knowing where the source of the light was, I wasn't sure. Now that the OP has shown us he had lights in the wheels wells, all is explained. Pictures can quite possibly be worth more than 1000 words.

[raggedjim]

People do the damnedest things...

[C10Coloradoguy]

Thanks guys for the help! I started a new job so I've been out of the garage for a few days and haven't had a chance to reply. I'll be disconnecting those lights/fuses/WTF and that should solve everything. I'll post pics once I have the rear end completed. Cab is DONE!