Red Heater Controls

[A20 LEE 0]

Has anyone converted theirs to red? Just pulled mine apart, the outer ones are dead easy but the centre one uses a green light pipe, not sure how to get around that one. Ideas?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

If you get a passat control panel it has clear optics and therefore you just do the red colouring on the centre ring.

[mrbeige 0]

Could you use a Seat heater control panel?

[A20 LEE 0]

If you get a passat control panel it has clear optics and therefore you just do the red colouring on the centre ring.

 

Nice one, which model?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Got mine from a J reg passat, but it's the shape up to 1994. You also need one that hasn't got the climatronic as it has a different layout IIRC.

 

Mine shines yellow/amber at the moment on the outer rings (same colour as the bulb) but the middle ring is green (LOL!) because I used the Corrado's filter ring....but never bothered to sort it. I reckon you could do this with a red filter ring or something similar....

[A20 LEE 0]

Got mine from a J reg passat, but it's the shape up to 1994. You also need one that hasn't got the climatronic as it has a different layout IIRC.

 

Mine shines yellow/amber at the moment on the outer rings (same colour as the bulb) but the middle ring is green (LOL!) because I used the Corrado's filter ring....but never bothered to sort it. I reckon you could do this with a red filter ring or something similar....

 

Could use red film under the rings or transluscent red model paint i guess.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah I reckon that would work. Let us know how you get on as having seen your clocks, I'm tempted to have a go at this myself.

[A20 LEE 0]

Yeah I reckon that would work. Let us know how you get on as having seen your clocks, I'm tempted to have a go at this myself.

 

Will do, don't think i be able to get some passat controls until after christmas. I'll try a SB LED to light them too, hopefully overcoming the poor light distribution problem.

[zarman 0]

If you have the round dials like I do, my gauge kits allows you to rig up a lighting element to the back of the face like this and use a red cellophane filter. All 3 rings now light up equally bright. Sorry my cam isn't great at taking night pics.

 

 

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[fla 9]

Let me know how you get on Lee as I want to change mine (to blue). I've presently removed the green filter so at least the centre dial lights orangey, but the outer two are pretty pathetic. I dont think the optics are that good an idea - if you can wire up some leds stick it in the how-to section.

[kongo127 0]

If you have the round dials like I do, my gauge kits allows you to rig up a lighting element to the back of the face like this and use a red cellophane filter.

 

 

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I´m i wrong or your rado´s running less than 12v battery power?

I´ve got that problem in mine and the voltmeter is calibrated and the alternator is running properly... though i don´t like the idea!

Any other mates running like this?

[zarman 0]

The needle is off when i put it back on that's all.

[Phil K 0]

The lighting on the heater controls is pretty poor anyway... mine only lights the middle ring (badly) and the outer ones only just glow (badly) have also put in an uprated bulb!!! Zarmans kit looks like the best solution and will make changing the colours that much easier

[Andy Brookes 0]

Got a set of passat controls the other day from the scrapy...... while I'm fixing the controls thought I would start on changing all the dash lights to red, so got myself some red led's and will be sorting out the heater lighting over the weekend. Have taken the passat controls apart I was disappointed to see green light pipes for the knobs, but was driving the wifes Ibiza tonight and noticed the red heater controls.....ummmm! so whipped off the knobs and what should be hiding behind but red light pipes. Bingo!!!!

 

Will post some pics of the finished controls when done.

 

Do like the idea that Zarman is using, but that stuff is pretty expensive from RS, so going to try with LED's first

[fla 9]

I'd be interested in seeing those pics too. Remember the other problem with the C controls is the light diffusion is also supported by the black cover on the dials, so if this is too far away from the crystal acrylic inside (even a few mm) there will be reduced light to the outer rings. In theory its and efficient system but in practice, well we know the resutls. Also, there is an awfully large amount of black plastic around so it looks even dimmer. I might spray my console matt silver in the summer to lighten things up a bit.

[davidwort 0]

Thought I might as well tack this to the existing thread although it's the early style dash.

Spent this weekend fiddling with a few SEAT bits and some red filters from Audi switchgear, so far I have:

 

red filter for main clocks (thinking of just doing this bit blue like golf IV)

red filter on MFA

red cig lighter and ashtray light

red HRW and Fog switches

red filter in headlight switch (the 'bulb' shaped symbol)

red filter on heater controls

red filter/LED in sunroof switch

(window switches to do)

oil pressure and voltmeter are Audi red gauges anyway

 

all the controls look better in real life, difficult to get a true representation in a photo.

 

David.

[Bally 0]

nice one mate...

[fla 9]

That's a nice red. The ones I have on the digital displays are red on the verge of maroon, although the filter doesnt look that way. I've also replaced the green filter on the heater dials (rotary controls) with the same red filter and the colour is not that good. Plus it doesnt transmit to the two side dials. Seems like its LEDS as the way to go.

[fla 9]

Oh BTW, Zarman, do you have any pics of your panel installed on the car as I cant make out what is happening on your pic further up the post? If you can also post some of the kit from the front and back to understand whats happening and a finished result I'm sure others would also find it useful. Certainly Lee would with his superduper VR.

[A20 LEE 0]

 

red cig lighter and ashtray light

 

 

David.

 

What car is the cig lighter from?

[fla 9]

I think you can get one from a Seat or an old audi 100. Need to get one too, but I might try some paint too as there arent many scrappies near my area.

[davidwort 0]

 

red cig lighter and ashtray light

 

 

David.

 

What car is the cig lighter from?

 

you can use the filter from an audi 80 or similar, but it's easier to use a SEAT complete cig lighter unit as all of the parts are identical unlike the audi, jsut means less fiddling, I can get another SEAT one if you want, loads nr me.

[fla 9]

Thanks - something all the cabin-proud lot will appreciate, including me. How much for the ciggy surround Davidwort?

[davidwort 0]

Thanks - something all the cabin-proud lot will appreciate, including me. How much for the ciggy surround Davidwort?

 

just the postage really, at worst a couple of quid from my local scrappy,

think I've got another (just the) filter bit knocking around anyway but I didn't bother mucking around with that and whacked a whole unit in instead, there's about 4 or five pieces to the whole thing, makes life a bit easier,

 

David.

[Andy Brookes 0]

Been working on my red heater controls, here's some pics of the progess.