right i've put the multi meter on the earth clamp and on the torch and got a reading of 100 on dc ? is that good ? snooper i'll have alook at that in the morning
A DC voltage of 100 from the torch to earth is way too much. Should be less than half that. Can't be sure what an electronic multimeter ( DVM ) would show, but I suspect you may be getting half-wave AC instead of DC - i.e. you've lost half the bridge rectifier, due to faulty diode(s). If you have an old-fashioned moving coil meter, try measuring the voltage at the torch with that. Otherwise, the next step would be to label and photograph all the connections on the rectifier, unbolt them, measure the AC voltage going in to the rectifier from the transformer, and then check all the diodes. Each diode should pass current in one direction and block it the other way. Use a conventional meter on Low Ohms range, or an electronic meter on Diode Test.
snooper it was only a bit of dirt . I've clean it out now .
Dave yes there had been some repairs to the circuit board and the solder is dull ?
Eddie the muitl meter is the old type not a electronic one