Hi all,
I have a small job which is driving me mad.
The rear dash light for the speedo and clock dials are very tempermental in my type 3 but assume all vw are the same. I've tested the power going to
the bulb and all is ok. Cleaned every connection up etc but when I turn the lights on without the light holder being in the dial they don't turn on.
However when I fit them into the dial when back into position they will turn on but very tempermental. Speedo light is worse than the clock but to
turn it on all I have to do is push the bottom of the glass on the dial to move it a fraction and it'll turn on?? Same with the clock but that's not
as bad. For the time being I have to wedge some cardboard in the edge of the dial and dash pad to try keep it lit up when driving.
Just cannot work out why this is happening. One of those small things you just want to get sorted. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you
sounds like a bad earth to me....
the reason they wont light up when not in the gauge is that the metal body of the gauge is the earth...
thus the metal tabs need to be in good contact with the slot in the dash to make a good connection...
in later model type 3s the gauges had an earth tab on the back with a brown wire going to each and earthed up under the dash onto another tab...
if you are handy at soldering you can solder a wire to the back of the gauges and earth it to the body under a screw up under the dash...
Ok that makes sense now, thought it may have been earthing from there but wasn't 100% sure because I cleaned the metal tabs inside the gauge holder
too with no difference. It's an early type 3 so no earth tab at the back. That's really helpful thank you I did something similar for the fuel
sender. Sounds an easy solution this one so will get this job done tomorrow.
Thanks again
no worries.....
had to do the same with the panelvan.....
the repro dash wouldnt let the metal tabs on the fuel gauge earth properly so the earth wire was the way to go...
i think i soldered a tab onto the gauges then used the wire from a later model to earth under one of the dash screws....
Worked a treat thank you. I ended up running a wire from the screw on the back of the gauge to the under dash earth screw. Will solder a tab on the
clock I'm sure it will have the same success.
Thanks again
glad that solved your problems................happy to help............
Cheers
Any tricks to make the gauges a little brighter Peter?
Change the bulbs?
yeah a brighter globe will do the trick.
the service manual says the 6v globes are 1.2watts so i assume the 12v are the same.
if you can get 2watt globes give that a try..........
looks like the 12v globes are already 2watts. the globes are ba7 bases.
next best thing go for LED globes.
a quick check on ebay for 12v ba7 led brings up some.
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Dash with gauges.
can't find the pic of the gauges at night... LED's are blue.
Leedash - RHD Beetle- My Beetle.JPG
Filesize: 91200 byte(s)
Sounds like the go Lee. Will look into it.
Not that I drive often at night but when it goes happen I'd like to be able to see the gauges let alone red them....
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posted by wombatventures Sounds like the go Lee. Will look into it. Not that I drive often at night but when it goes happen I'd like to be able to see the gauges let alone read them.... |