Light Switch

[penlost]

My headlight switch does not always work first time. If I am patient and turn it on/off a few times eventually I hear a 'click' and they come up smoothly. Do you think changing the switch is the first thing to do or is there other checks that would be good to do first?

[Cobber]

The headlight switches in the things are rubbish, so it could be dirty contacts or the switch is beginning to melt down.
But you'll need the check the headlight lift relays and the earthing points too.
A lot of these cars (depending on market) also have a "Pektron" unit fitted, this provides a delay in lowering the headlights for flashing. This could also be the source of your woes.

Whilst these cars have relays in the headlight lifting circuit, Stupidly they don't have any on the actual headlight cricuits! This is the reason for headlight switch meltdown, as all the current used by the lights has to pass through the switch. You should fit relays to the light circuits.

Here are some threads that might help:
http://tr7triumph.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=23029
http://tr7triumph.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=20493

[FI Spyder]

If you haven't cleaned your light switch before it'll probably look like below. Take pictures as you pull it apart. It goes together several different ways, only one is right. Clean the copper contacts with something like Brasso and put a light surface coat of dielectric grease so they don't recorrode. Amperage plus resistance equals heat (why an incandescent light bulb gets hot). Similarly to make sure the juice is getting through, clean connection block at relays (at fuse box) and those going to the headlights at the front in the engine bay. When taking the switch apart, warm the plastic with a hair dryer so the old plastic isn't as brittle and will be less likely to break.

[alc59]

A good place to start is to get a can of contact cleaner, take the light switch to bits, clean up and put back together. Also, if only one headlight goes up, take the red connectors apart that connect them to the main wiring loom, and clean them up with contact cleaner and an old toothbrush. Both are straightforward.
After that, I think you're looking at the relays, which I haven't had to do. I'm not aware of an easy way to check the relays, apart from buying a replacement and trying it, but I'm sure there are more experienced and wiser counsels to be had on the forum.
Good luck
Al