Interior guage illumination
Discussion
Jim,
On my 400Se there is a round knob under the right side of the dash - near to the door pillar. This has 3 positions and controls gauge lighting. Full on - dim - off. It works by adding resistance in series to the gauge lighting circuit (2 x ballast resistors under bonnet on nearside suspension turret). It does not affect switch illumination.
It is not shown on the wiring diagram I have for the car.
If same is fitted to your car, perhaps switch is in "off" position.
Rgds
Hamish
On my 400Se there is a round knob under the right side of the dash - near to the door pillar. This has 3 positions and controls gauge lighting. Full on - dim - off. It works by adding resistance in series to the gauge lighting circuit (2 x ballast resistors under bonnet on nearside suspension turret). It does not affect switch illumination.
It is not shown on the wiring diagram I have for the car.
If same is fitted to your car, perhaps switch is in "off" position.
Rgds
Hamish
mine is the same but different as all TVRs its off, off, fiddle a bit then intermittent i.e. over bump on over next bump off. finally you find the place its on then the wife asks whats this do and you start again. Just another of those I will fix it jobs if in doubt short in and out wires together.
Phil
Phil
blueone said:
mine is the same but different as all TVRs its off, off, fiddle a bit then intermittent i.e. over bump on over next bump off. finally you find the place its on then the wife asks whats this do and you start again. Just another of those I will fix it jobs if in doubt short in and out wires together.
Phil
Phil
Good luck with this one Jim - Dash lights never worked whilst we owned the car - only realised after reversing the car off the transporter in the dead of night the day we picked her up!! I think my Dad managed top pull said "dimmer" knob off trying to fix it.. Hope the beast is running well - both me and my co-owner still miss her. Jamie
Thanks for the replies everyone.Yes i have the round switch under the dash but whatever i do with it nothing happens.
Has anyone any idea what might cause this?Some of you mentioned 2 resistors in the engine bay.
JamieG car running well.Now fitted Magnecour leads and BMC CDA induction kit.Going on 400 mile round trip on Wednesday.Fingers crossed.
Cheers Jim
Has anyone any idea what might cause this?Some of you mentioned 2 resistors in the engine bay.
JamieG car running well.Now fitted Magnecour leads and BMC CDA induction kit.Going on 400 mile round trip on Wednesday.Fingers crossed.
Cheers Jim
There was some talk of this a few years ago. I looked at the possibility of replacing the switch illumination with small fillament bulbs, but they produced too much heat. LED's seem the obvious choice, but it was difficult to get them to fit into the holders on the back of each switch. If anyone has any ideas, I would be interested too.
I have removed the light pot and fibre optics now, I use the fumble and guess the switch method !!!
I have removed the light pot and fibre optics now, I use the fumble and guess the switch method !!!
You can get LEDs with different shaped plastic lenses. I would imagine that a small point round end would be possible to find. E.g. RS do this one:
http://img-europe.electrocomponents.c
with a 2mm cylindrical lens, should fit right where the fibre optic went.
http://img-europe.electrocomponents.c
with a 2mm cylindrical lens, should fit right where the fibre optic went.
Jim,
On my car there are two ceramic/wire resistor blocks on the near side of the engine bay (near to the top front suspension mount). They are approx 50mm x 15mm x 15mm. The resistor blocks are the same as "ballast resistors" that were used in ignition circuits before electronic ignition became common (when a 9V coil was used). I got replacements from Lucas. (had to be ordered as not much demand for them at local stockist). They are also now hard to find in scrapyards
Rgds
Hamish
On my car there are two ceramic/wire resistor blocks on the near side of the engine bay (near to the top front suspension mount). They are approx 50mm x 15mm x 15mm. The resistor blocks are the same as "ballast resistors" that were used in ignition circuits before electronic ignition became common (when a 9V coil was used). I got replacements from Lucas. (had to be ordered as not much demand for them at local stockist). They are also now hard to find in scrapyards
Rgds
Hamish
hamish400 said:
Jim,
On my car there are two ceramic/wire resistor blocks on the near side of the engine bay (near to the top front suspension mount). They are approx 50mm x 15mm x 15mm. The resistor blocks are the same as "ballast resistors" that were used in ignition circuits before electronic ignition became common (when a 9V coil was used). I got replacements from Lucas. (had to be ordered as not much demand for them at local stockist). They are also now hard to find in scrapyards
Rgds
Hamish
If you can read the power rating and resistance then any similarly specified resistor would do the job. RS-Components Maplin etc..On my car there are two ceramic/wire resistor blocks on the near side of the engine bay (near to the top front suspension mount). They are approx 50mm x 15mm x 15mm. The resistor blocks are the same as "ballast resistors" that were used in ignition circuits before electronic ignition became common (when a 9V coil was used). I got replacements from Lucas. (had to be ordered as not much demand for them at local stockist). They are also now hard to find in scrapyards
Rgds
Hamish
On my car the 2 ballast resistors on the nearside wing feed the dim dip headlights not the panel illumination switch. (My switch has the on - off - off)
The factory said the source vehicle for the resistors was a transit van.
Maybe it is possible to also feed the instruments with the low voltage feed.
David
The factory said the source vehicle for the resistors was a transit van.
Maybe it is possible to also feed the instruments with the low voltage feed.
David
Edited by djc1001 on Tuesday 3rd October 12:24
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