I think it's just asking what is a 1930s 6v design, to cope with 12v electrics......I may be wrong, but it's my thought.

In your picture yours appears to be parked on its roof!

It was not easy to take after turning the car upside down.

In fact the hood is rolled back [its very hot here] and you can see the underside of my barn roof.

P

You're correct,
as regards being wrong about the switch and voltage/amperage, that is...

For the same power consumption, if the voltage is doubled, the amps are halved.

So, for a 6 volt car, with 2 x 36 watt headlamps plus 2 x 5 watt sidelights and 2 x 5 watt tail lights, that's 102 watts.
Watts = Volts x amps, so the switch has to handle 102/6 = 17 amps.

Late model 2CV, sporting 60 watt halogens?
60 + 60 + 5 + 5 + 5 +5 = 140 watts.
The switch only has to carry 11.7 amps at 12 volts.

Just one more of life's little mysteries...

ken.

Back to this, it seems I only have sidelights and main beam, have I wired it wrong???

Hi Louise,
have you got your test meter handy?
Another picture of the underside of a switch here...
< http://www.flickr.com/photos/30132857@N06/3624638437/ >
Test to see if the appropriate terminal on the switch goes 'live' with each setting of the switch.

Using a short length of wire, you could also bridge between the '12v in' connector and the others in turn, as a check as to whether the wiring itself is OK.
An assistant is needed to run round the car and report what lights up and when, except for the horn, of course.

ken.

Thanks Ken, about the horn, it has a beefy after market one fitted with some extra wiring at the horn end, is it just a case of ripping that off and going back to the "peep-peepy" standard one?

Also the yellow feed wire, it was quite crusty on the switch that came off and the wire a little melty, what do you think caused that? Drawing to much? Loose connection?

Its on the 70's car so no dim-dip to worry us.

I'm irritated that who ever fitted the switch changed it by snipping all the wires off, might rewire the whole lighting loom one day, but then again

BTW if running the silly Dim Dip see this.
http://www.aussiefrogs.com/~upload/7886/1223609361.pdf

Yep,
a loose or poor connection = high resistance & maybe even some sparking, so localised 'hot spot'.

Sounds as though the perpetrator had very little knowledge about electrics, as a relay would have been the best way to connect up a replacement item with high current demand.

I know how you feel about the bodgers, had to replace the loom on my 1970 Dyane, as some clown was given a big crate of Scotchloks for his birthday judging by the number he'd used.

If it's only the wiring near the switch which has been butchered, maybe soldered and heat shrink sleeved repairs would be OK?

ken.

Definitely have to replace my switch now as its cracked so as I switch between high beam and low, the lights go out completely! Hopefully the new switch will also run a little cooler!