hand brake warning light.

[NickandNeil 6]

Trying to wire up the brake fluid level dash light in series with the handbrake for the IVA.

I have been told it is acceptable to wire them in series and it works fine when the level in the hydralic resevour falls because the light comes on.  But by doing this there is no warning light for the handbrake if it is left on when the resevour is full.

Is it a requirement to have a warning light for the handbrake? 

I f there isn't I am quite happy with the setup I have. or do i simply wire in a dash switch that I have to press to test the fluid level?

[richyb66 1,184]

Yes, warning light needs to come on with the handbrake. The idea is that you might notice if the bulb fails. If you didn't know it had, you'd get no warning that the fluid level had dropped.

IVA manual Section 09D Hydraulic and Vacuum Systems, Required Standard 18

[IanS 56]

Normal ford wiring is actually in parallel so that either low fluid or handbrake on lights the bulb.

The wire goes from the handbrake switch to the low fluid switch which has 3 connections two of which are common in the fluid switch, the third is the earth connection.

The wire from the handbreak connects through the fluid level switch so that disconnecting the fluid switch will cause the handbrake to fail to light the bulb.

There also needs to be a labled test button incorporated in the fluid level switch.

[nelmo 237]

9 hours ago, IanS said:

There also needs to be a labled test button incorporated in the fluid level switch.

I haven't got that and went through IVA fine? 

Edited Wednesday at 07:47 AM by nelmo

[NickandNeil 6]

I was told you did not need a seperate switch on the dashboard if you use the handbrake lever as the switch?

[IanS 56]

down to the inspector and luck of the draw I guess.

I have the test switch but without the lable.

[IanS 56]

Fluid level test switch has to be part of the fluid level switch so can not be on the dashboard.

Handbrake switch is there to show that the bulb has not blown.

[phaeton 0]

From section 09D of the manual

20. The hydraulic system failure warning lamp must be secure, operational, visible during daylight and darkness from the driving position, identifiable (i.e. labelled in a recognised form – see figure 1 for an example) and fitted with a “test facility” that enables its operation to be checked from the driving position without opening the reservoir.

Which means it does not have to be on the handbrake although this is a convenient way of doing it, it can be on a separate switch on the dashboard if you prefer. However it does need to be the recognised symbol in Red as per figure 1. 

The wiring should be a switched live to the bulb, then from the bulb a wire going in parallel to both the test switch & the MC, then from both to earth, which will then mean if the test switch is thrown the bulb will light, or if the fluid level drops the bulb will light.