out in the dark + lesson learned

[deepNdirt]

Last night I work up till dark:30 I should have turned my headlights on earlier ,although I did not, I waited until the last minute before turning on the headlights and then Ooops! no lights, I started smelling hot wires
so I turned off the light switch, I was about 200 yds out in a Field, had no flash light not even a cig lighter as I do not smoke, I did have the rear mounted utility light that shines 100 ft to the rear but was of no use to me as far as seeing what to do to fix my tractors lights,
anyone ever try to drive in reverse 200 yds in the dark :ashamed:
Twas a slow go for sure
I got the tractor loaded and decide to wait until this morning to have a look
I turn on the ign. switch and then the headlights, and after about 20 seconds I could see smoke from out of the dash console, turn off the headlights and found the wire melted from the fuse box to the headlight switch, I traced the wiring from the headlights back to the HL switch and this wire was not harmed or melted, seems like the only wires that got toast was the short wire from the fuse to the switch, It was surprising that no fuses were blown, the HL switch looks to be the 30 year old OEM 3 position switch,
Before I remove /replace it, just wondering has anyone else had one to go bad and burn the wire? I'm thinking an internal short has happen in the switch, what Y'all think?
Oh! BTW one of my tools will be a flashlight now:thumbsup:

 

[winston1]

Sounds like the switch has gone to ground or the wire touching somewhere between fuse and switch.

 

[Car Doc]

I call those problems "blue smoke generators" the fact no fuses were burnt makes me wonder if the lights are whats fused and the switch shorted internally Id have to see a diagram to make an educated guess. One thing could be a short behind the fuse box at that terminal maybe a nut or washer got back there? good luck

 

[Car Doc]

anyone ever try to drive in reverse 200 yds in the dark :ashamed:
Twas a slow go for sure

I missed that haha bet it was in one of these low geared things least you had the back light!

 

[deepNdirt]

I finally had a chance to troubleshoot the problem today and traced it to a quick plug connect that I had installed when changing over the headlight system when I first got the tractor, Knowing that sometime I might be removing the hood again I placed a connecting plug close to the front at where the hood hinges, and zip-tied it into place, well back in June I decided to re-align the hood due to many reasons including the fuel tank filler hole not in center of hood hole, This always bug me so I cut the hinges in-two and slid the hood forward 1 inch and re weld it back into place, Little did I know the connecting plug gotten hot on the side close by hot metal, therefor shorting out the lights resulting in the meltdown of the wire coming from the fuse block to the light switch, I rarely have need for the lights so wasn't a problem until of course I did need them Must be some tough switches not to have melted it during this issue, it is still OK and usable,