Is it common - Slight condensation on the gauge glasses?

[NaCl]

I get it all the time - summer, winter, day, night - just the four gauges in the centre console (oil, volts, temp, fuel).
Does anyone else's suffer with this or is it just mine?

[AxemanS]

I get it all the time too and I believe it is common to many S types ( certainly the S1 and S2's anyway)

[AxemanS]

I get it all the time too and I believe it is common to many S types ( certainly the S1 and S2's anyway)

[AutoAndy]

Yep...it's common

I think it's something to do with hot dials and glass cooled by convertible car air with gauges made and sealed perhaps on a humid day...think some have solved by drilling a hole in the back of each gauge...

...plan b, is ignore them.

[v8s4me]

It's a standard factory extra on the 'S'. It tells you there is moisture in the air and you shouldn't go out without your roof

[ATS3]

Mine do it too - thought it was just my car!

[Deeman]

v8s4me said:

It's a standard factory extra on the 'S'. It tells you there is moisture in the air and you shouldn't go out without your roof

Err....I'm surprised you two didn't need to pump the water out from your gauges after that drive to the hotel in Troyes.

[v8s4me]

Deeman said:

Err....I'm surprised you two didn't need to pump the water out from your gauges after that drive to the hotel in Troyes.

As we kept telling you; if you drive fast enough the rain goes over the top and you only get wet if you slow down eg to allow you to catch up

[NaCl]

Thank you all.
It gives me no pleasure at all to hear that many other fellow S owners suffer the same problem.

[TurboTony]

TADTS

[glenrobbo]

It's not a problem

As mentioned, it is a handy feature of the S and is quite a reliable humidity indicator.
i.e. Two internally misted gauges = 50% humidity, three = 75%, four = 100%, water on the external face of the gauges = it's raining ( or has been! ), gauges full of water = flooded road.

Seriously, I have found that a silica gel dessicant pack tucked behind the gauges does help reduce the misting, but care must be taken not to disturb the wiring behind the dash. I reactivate the dessicant every few weeks by placing the pack in a microwave oven for 5 mins on full power.

Edited by glenrobbo on Tuesday 29th September 22:31

[v8s4me]

glenrobbo said:

.. I have found that a silica gel dessicant pack tucked behind the gauges does help reduce the misting...

This will also kill any mice which get in, hopefully they will nibble this before they start on the wiring

[glenrobbo]

v8s4me said:

This will also kill any mice which get in, hopefully they will nibble this before they start on the wiring

Please note that the mice cannot be reactivated by microwaving on full power for 5 minutes.

[Scoobimax]

glenrobbo said:

Please note that the mice cannot be reactivated by microwaving on full power for 5 minutes.

How do you know?

[Oldred_V8S]

glenrobbo said:

v8s4me said:

This will also kill any mice which get in, hopefully they will nibble this before they start on the wiring

Please note that the mice cannot be reactivated by microwaving on full power for 5 minutes.

Wouldn't stop me trying, little bds.

[glenrobbo]

Scoobimax said:

glenrobbo said:

Please note that the mice cannot be reactivated by microwaving on full power for 5 minutes.

How do you know?

I confess I haven't actually tried it with mice.

But it definitely doesn't work with hamsters or guinea pigs

[steve j]

I drilled a 2.5mm hole in mine and gave a quick burst of WD40, the hole is at the base of the casing, no more misting up

[NaCl]

steve j said:

I drilled a 2.5mm hole in mine and gave a quick burst of WD40, the hole is at the base of the casing, no more misting up

Thanks Steve. A sensible reply! These S owners are such a bunch of jokers. But I dont suppose we'd want it any other way would we?

[steve j]

NaCl said:

Thanks Steve. A sensible reply! These S owners are such a bunch of jokers. But I dont suppose we'd want it any other way would we?

S owners on here are a great bunch I`ve had quite a few laughs with them, but you will get good replies, eventually

[v8s4me]

NaCl said:

...Thanks Steve. A sensible reply! ...

The most sensible reply was early on...

AutoAndy said:

Yep...it's common... ignore them.