Dashboard lights

[Betabruce]

Thanks the photos make it clear.
Your refernence to the clock binnacle/cluster was confusing as there is no "clock" located in this part of the dash - mine is beside the ashtray !!!
But thanks again, I will give this ago when I have some daylight hours over the weekend. The way this intermedint problem is occurring appears to be a fractionally loose earthing connection. Like last night when no dashboard lights came on when multistalk twisted to first position and also nothing for the second "on" lights position. Then 1/2 way home, the dashboard lights came on and it was fine & dandy.
Most appreciate the advice and photos again
Cheers Bruce

[HFStuart]

'Clocks'  - generic term for gauges and dials !

[MattNoVAT]

Yes, sorry - from my kit car building habits coming thru...all gauges, dials, rev counter, speedo etc etc are just refered to generically as "clocks"

Apologies if I confused the matter with my generic terminology.

[thecolonel]

I didn't think you were old enough to be classed as generic

;-})

[Betabruce]

Hi, thought it was about time I posted a reply to this thread to the solution arrived at. Firstly the number of hits this topic has generated plus any of the topis under "Electrics" certainly add weight that Electrices may be the archilles heel of this Forum.
Well my solution is really a nothing. As previously reported I had replaced the multi stalk lighting switch from my donor HPE Volumex. This also experienced the similar problem after working fine for a month. So I put back in the "original" stalk and hey presto all works fine, for about a fortnight.
Again this had me baffled. Anyway as an experiment, rather than twisting the multistalk by the recessed end, I twisted the shaft, and hey presto, the dashbord lights came on. On closer inspection I can see that there is a white switching plate housed in the internals of the multistalk at the steering wheel end. Twisting the multi stalk at the end of this switch does not appears to have the effect of making the dashboard lights go. The multi stalk appears to be a tight fit in the switching unit, and doesnt rotate loosely.However twisting at the end piece, doesn't appear to transfer the required force into this "white" switching plate.Gripping the multi stalk shaft and twisting does however make this "white" switching plate tumble.
This to date appears to be the fault as all systems are go. I am loathe to start pulling out the dash at present when I have a simple and known solution. The rheostat must therefore be okay and perhaps it maybe an earthing fault in the back, but at present I have an easy fix. Cheers Bruce