Bertram Hill
  • Home
  • Contact
  • Motorsport
    • VSCC Rallies
    • VSCC Trials and Tours
    • Motor Sport Circuits
    • Clubs/Hill Climbs
  • Technical
    • Vintage and PVT Information
    • Classic Car Security
    • TVR Griffith
    • Making Exhaust Gaskets
    • TVR S3
    • Multimeter
    • Volvo V40 >
      • Volvo V40 Snapped Bonnet Cable
      • Volvo V40 Changing the Cam Belt
      • Volvo V40 Changing the Alarm Siren
      • Volvo V40 Locking Wheel Nuts Seized
    • Interesting Technical Sites
  • Links
    • Classic/Vintage Car Sales
    • Classic/Vintage Suppliers
    • Workshop Information Sites
    • Driving Links
    • Workshop Suppliers
    • Useful Sites
  • Purchase Prints

TVR Griffith Courtesy Light Schematic

This  information has been gathered from personal experience and is  believed to be  accurate but there is no guarantee that this is the case. Anyone  using this  information does so on the understanding that its use is completely  at their own  risk and that no liability for errors or omissions or consequential damage to  persons or possessions will be accepted by the author  or his agents. Prospective  users should make their own considered judgement or  seek specialist advice as to  the accuracy or otherwise of any statements made  before using this information  in anyway. 

The Courtesy light relay is known to  be a source of current leakage that in extreme conditions can completely discharge your battery. Many owners including myself have unplugged the relay (MO839) that is usually found at the top right hand of the relay//fuse panel. ​With the relay unplugged the courtesy light will now only operate by manually switching it on using the two way switch on the light itself.
The relay is not simply an electromechanical device but incorporates an electronic circuit that introduces a time delay when closing a door or switching on the ignition and may or may not fade the light out.
​On investigation it became apparent that a simple shorting link could restore a simplified arrangement that switches on the light when ever a door is opened. 
Picture
 The relay base  is shown above as viewed in the fuse/relay panel. This is the arrangement on my 1996 Griffith 500 but this could be different on your car so please check:
  • Check that +12 volts is present on the left hand pin with the ignition on.
  • ​Check that the top pin has +12 volts  permanently.
  • ​Check that the bottom pin is at 0 Volts (earthed)
  • ​Check that the right hand pin is earthed when either door is opened, with both doors closed there should be no reading
  • ​Finally check that the second pin from the left connects to the courtesy light, the original relay sends 0 volts (earth) to the light to operate it provided that the courtesy light switch is in the correct position.
​It should now be obvious that a simple shorting link between the second left pin and the right hand (door switch) pins will switch on the light at any time that a door is opened. And extinguish the light when both doors are closed.