Clicking bobbin.

[King Kenny]

Several years ago some grot tried to steal my CD player. I had not long bought it at a car boot for £1.00. It didn't work either. He pulled a load of wires from under the driver's side glove box and it has taken me this long to refit them all (correctly). I had rewired a few things wrong but every thing works now. I took the opportunity to fit a battery switch at the same time as sorting the wires. When I turn the switch on I can hear one of the bobbins click in the regulator box. The only thing that is powered at this time is the dash clock.
Is it normal for the bobbin to be engaged all the time that the battery is connected?

[shoebone]

Turning on a battery switch should not produce regulator bobbin clickage. Fuel pump comes on with ignition ... i'm sure you know that, possible ignition coming on with battery power but you say its wired correctly so not ignition then. Bobbin clickage ... nope, shouldn't happen but difficult to diagnose electrical problems on line. My usual stance with electric problems is check your earths ... very much doubt its relevance in this case. I'm guessing you still running a dynamo ? let us know what you find ..............

[King Kenny]

Thanks Shoebone. I do indeed have an dynamo.
That's what I thought so it looks like I have something earthing that shouldn't be. I fitted the battery switch because the battery would go flat when the car was not used for several days. I will check it out again (sometime) and let you know.

[geoberni]

Personally, I'd say the evidence is that you haven't wired it correctly, or there is some damage you haven't discovered, since it wasn't like it before the wiring was disturbed.

In addition, you say you've installed the Battery Switch because it would go flat after several days; that would indicate to me that either you have a battery that is on it's last legs, or there is something other than the clock taking power, because a car batter should power a clock for months.
I've you've got a multimeter, put it inline with the battery set to Amps/Current and see what the drain is. Don't try and start the car because you'll blow the fuse in the meter, but a meter can usually take 5 or 10 amps.
I can't think of anything that would make the regulator Bobbin behave like you're describing, other than a short somewhere.

[King Kenny]

It is a new battery, less than 3 months old. However I have just been out to check Amps as suggested by Geoberni. There was a small draw of less than 2 amps so I disconnected the clock. It was an old one I got from a scrap yard and fitted 30 years ago (it doesn't keep time anyway). The clicking was still there. I listened more closely and discovered the clicking was coming from the spotlight relay fitted just below the Lucas bobbin box. I had removed the wiring when I tried to get them to work. It is too dark now so I will check the wiring tomorrow. Looks promising.

[geoberni]

The clock should have been taking a mere fraction of an amp, let alone something between 1 - 2 amp.
When you consider a battery clock in your house will last a year or so on a 1.5 volt AA, then your car clock should be a minuscule current draw.
Sound like you've got a wiring fault to do with that relay; I assume there's been no spot lamp flashing on/off, so there's a partial short circuit somewhere, but it's got some resistance to it, otherwise you'd be seeing the arcing!

[King Kenny]

Well done lads. Yes, I admit it, I wired up the spot-lamp relay wrong. The lamps worked as expected so I thought it was wired correctly. I took all the connectors off and put them back according to my wiring diagram. The lamps still work but now there is no clicking at the relay when the battery is connected. Thanks for the help. Just hope there is nothing else wrong.