what was the earliest dip switch?

[JonE]

Having searched the threads, I see a few people with later 20's cars have likely abandoned the High Low switchpanel headlight function and just wired dip-switch to the high.

I'd like to know when the first dipswitch came in and what did it look like? i.e. was it the same as the Nippy, sort of cut off conical and strapped to steering column? Or was there ever a dash mount?

[AustinWood]

My car is March 1929 and it has no dip switch. There is no main beam.
I've not heard of a High Low switchpanel headlight function.
As far as I know the first dip switch was the one on the steering column, as you describe on the Nippy. It stayed there until the foot operated switch came in.
Many cars have had the headlights and wiring modified.
I imagine dip switch was fitted when the headlights changed from R70s.

[Robert Leigh]

Having searched the threads, I see a few people with later 20's cars have likely abandoned the High Low switchpanel headlight function and just wired dip-switch to the high.

I'd like to know when the first dipswitch came in and what did it look like? i.e. was it the same as the Nippy, sort of cut off conical and strapped to steering column? Or was there ever a dash mount?

I have never seen a dash mount dipswitch on an Austin Seven, except as a later conversion. The column mounted switch came in with the double filament plus sidelight headlamps fitted from late 1932. 'Dip and switch' headlamps came for late 1933, with the same switch, and Rubies had a floor mounted dipswitch. I am open to correction on dates/models, but I think there were only the two types of switch.

Robert Leigh

[JonE]

Thanks both - that clarifies. So I'm imagining (as my situation is same as Jim's) that the SM5 switchpanel essentially remained unchanged as the column mounted switch came in. See Dave Mann's post in other thread Jim and see if you concur with his points?

I'm now intrigued about R70s - are they just after R47s, and steel rather than brass but otherwise similar but with a slightly different bayonet? I was thinking March 1929 would have had R47s.

[Stuart Joseph]

Good morning. R70's? that's a new one to me.

The first RN's were fitted with R47's with the Lucas Graves twin filament dipping bulbs and so would have been the first to have been fitted with the column mounted dip switch.

If I were wiring up an A7 with column mounted dip switch I would always do it via a relay as sold by Dave Cochrane.

Regards from the creative county - Staffordshire

Stuart

[Bill Dixon]

I agree with Stuart RNs.

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Re. Dip switch Tony Betts has on for sale on his site.

[JonE]

Stuart, so was the R47 just fitted with a different reflector prior to the first RNs? (I'm just trying to make sense of historical spec versus what is actually on my "bitza"!)

[AustinWood]

R70 was my bad spelling! R47.

[Stuart Joseph]

Hello Jon. The R47 was fitted with a number of reflectors prior to the RN which differed in detail but the common feature was a single filament headlamp bulb and a side (pilot) bulb. With the introduction of the RN they were fitted with the Lucas Graves dipping bulb (now described as Bosch) and 'reeded' glass.

regards

Stuart