Hey guys!
So I wired up my new rear license plate lights on the rear bumper, and now I'm blowing fuses. Basically I hooked the hot up to the main hot on the rear wiring harness, and ran grounds to the normal grounding point on the car body (where all of the other grounds in back are).

They work great until I put the metal covers on and screw them down to the bumper, when they short out. The problem is, I don't see any way of screwing down those covers and isolating them from the bumper. I have the rubber cases that I assume are meant to isolate the light assemblies from the bumpers to avoid shorts, but the screws will conduct into the bumpers every time. Does anyone have any ideas?
--Ethan
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'64 PVMoneypit

Hello,

Do you have to original license plate light backing plates(the part that holds the bulb)?
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Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90501

No, I have new Bosch items I bought from Swedish Treasures. Is there a difference?
-Ethan
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'64 PVMoneypit

Hello,

Yes, there is a difference.

The original license plate light backing plate had only 1 wired connection which was from the running light circuit.

The ground was obtained when you tighten the chrome bezel mounting screws via a small ground strap that was embedded in the thick rubber dust boot.

Speaking of dust boots, did you get new dust boots for your new license plate light assemblies?

You do have buy them seperately. I am not refering to the thin rubber gasket that comes with the Bosch assemblies.

I think you might be grounding out on the inside of the bumperette when you tighten the screws.
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Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90501

Yes, I did get the dust boots. I also think I'm grounding out on the bumperette (via the screws). So if I understand this correctly, I can probably eliminate the ground wires from the system, since it's grounding on the bumperette anyway. Do you think this will solve the problem? Thanks for the help!
Ethan

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'64 PVMoneypit

Hello,

If I remember correctly, both posts for the connections to the bulb are insulated from the metal backing plate on the Bosch ones.

You still need the extra ground wires as your replacement Bosch assemblies are built differently and require an external ground.
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Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90501

OK, so I'm a dope....it turns out that the positive terminals on the new lights are insulated and the negative ones aren't (I got in a hurry and didn't notice). I had one or both of them wired backwards. Anyway, problem solved, and hopefully my mistake saves someone else from blowing 6 or 7 fuses trying to sort the problem out...oh, and thanks to planetman for the input....

--E.

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'64 PVMoneypit