Author Topic: Dashboard lights  (Read 748 times)

Offline MacBain

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Dashboard lights
« on: 05 May 2007, 23:33 »
Yesterday I changed the whole instrument cluster (except speedo) because the digital clock didn't work.
The new clock worked fine, but now the dashboard lights won't come on.
I don't know if all the bulbs on the new one was broken (got it from a scarpyard :smiley:)
Even the light behind the heater panel is dark and this one was working before I changed the cluster.
When I turn the rheostat on my lightswitch I can se the foglight switch and the rearwindow heater switch light up, but every thing else is dark.

Do you guys think it's the bulbs, lightswitch or broken wires that's causing this?
« Last Edit: 05 May 2007, 23:45 by MacBain »

Offline bomp

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Re: Dashboard lights
« Reply #1 on: 06 May 2007, 02:07 »
The bulbs might have all blown, but I doubt it, you might have disturbed the connection on the voltage regulator at the back of the clocks. (I did that anyways when messing around with my clocks)

Look at the fourth picture down this page http://www.vintagewatercooleds.com/tech/Techtips/ATStechnotes/clusterlights/clusterlights.htm

At the upper right of the pic, the little black thing with the three legs on is the voltage regulator. You could try swapping your bulbs over into the clocks of the replacement clocks as you know that they work.
Life is like a skid mark on a toilet bowl.  Sooner or later someone\\\'s going to pi$$ you off.

Offline MacBain

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Re: Dashboard lights
« Reply #2 on: 06 May 2007, 12:47 »
I removed all the bulbs from the cluster and tested the contact terminals at the back as well as the heater panel plug with a multimeter.
Got a reading of 10.6v when the rheostat was turned on full and 9.0v at low, so it's the bulbs that's broken.
When I inspected them I could see wire inside had broken.
I also got the heater panel light to work, it turn out I hadn't plugged it inn all the way  :rolleyes:.

Can't wait to get some new bulbs tomorrow, then I'll be able to see how fast I'm going as well as reading what time is is :laugh:.