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Andy T

heater panel - illumination?

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Has the bulb gone on the heater control, or did C's never have illumination on this panel? It just looks like black plastic, even my mk2 polo had this!!!

 

any tips on where to put in led's/bulbs to brighten this very dark dashboard?

 

 

 

cheers,

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yeah, its one bulb behind it. i couldn't get mine out, and i think i heard you may have to get a panel, tho id imagine that's bull. it is supposed to light.

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Oh right, I am surprised! which bit lights up? Just looks like black plastic with a printed green stripe the golf had a clear plastic strip.

 

You found it impossibleto repair then? Did you get a new one for yours?

 

 

cheers,

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Danger mouse bought a new one from the dealer (£30) when his went on the blink but I'm sure a trp to your local scrappy will help ypu get one. I think the ones from the MKII golf fit also cause they look the same as the ones in my old 8v GTi (not 100% though). Hope this helps mate

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Quick update on this, I'd still not got around to fixing it, but yesterday I hit a pothole and the thing started working!

 

Was fine for about a day but then cut out when adjusting the fan speed switch!

 

So it looks like a dodgy connection in the wiring loom somewhere, the panel & loom connector are fine.

 

Just a warning really not to assume the bulb is knackered, check for voltage at the connector before shelling out on a new panel guys!

 

Cheers

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Quick update on this, I'd still not got around to fixing it, but yesterday I hit a pothole and the thing started working!

 

Was fine for about a day but then cut out when adjusting the fan speed switch!

 

So it looks like a dodgy connection in the wiring loom somewhere, the panel & loom connector are fine.

 

Just a warning really not to assume the bulb is knackered, check for voltage at the connector before shelling out on a new panel guys!

 

Cheers

 

Could still be the bulb... If the fillament in the bulb breaks it can sometimes re-make contact when bumped and if there's power there, it'll weld itself bask together again... Problem is that once it's hot again (ie lit) then if you knock it again it'll break at the weak spot... :?

 

IMHO You're more likely to have a dead bulb than an intermittent wiring fault...

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Aye very good point, as the panel is in the house i just tested the bulb connector with a 9v continuity tester...... shows absolutely no voltage - assume its pretty much dead then?

 

I blamed the wiring looms as my speakers/ABS/heater switch do funny things when going over bumps occasionally lol.

 

So can the new panel still be bought from VAG, any idea how much?

 

cheers

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Mine does the same, I have to push the panel and hey presto it starts to work. I think Hennys right, probably needs to be taken apart and a new bulb put in, another job on the list.......

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I've had the panel apart, it has a special bulb in a plastic body which has the prongs that the wiring loom connects to... a new bulb 'could be fitted, but it would need a few mods, probably be a fiddy job!

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Not sure if you guys have the same controls (late VR6 ones? Doesn't sound like it as it all seems a bit complicated).

I got a replacement bulb from Halfords. Middle knob just pulls off (so to speak) and the bulb can be removed from it's plastic housing. easy enough to pull the old one out in the carpark and go and get the new one to match.

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We've got the early slider controls unfortunately, which you can't get the special bulbs for anymore

 

I've got a second hand one of these on its way to me at the moment... I think I know of a cheap mod that you can do to them to get around this problem once and for all... :wink: bear with me for a little while until it arrives and all will become clear (and illuminated! :lol: ) 8)

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i'm no expert with the panel in question but with slight mods is it not possible to use a Ultra bright LED with a resistor in line or a wide angle ultra bright LED with a resistor.

with voltage an current consuption of the LED at its working voltage its easy to work out what value resistor to use. :)

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i'm no expert with the panel in question but with slight mods is it not possible to use a Ultra bright LED with a resistor in line or a wide angle ultra bright LED with a resistor.

with voltage an current consuption of the LED at its working voltage its easy to work out what value resistor to use. :)

 

http://www.Ultraleds.co.uk already sell LEDs for just that purpose. They even have the correct fitments and resistors built in, so are plug and play. They're specifically designed for car interiors. They're in the 12V car LED section.

 

K

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i'm no expert with the panel in question but with slight mods is it not possible to use a Ultra bright LED with a resistor in line or a wide angle ultra bright LED with a resistor.

with voltage an current consuption of the LED at its working voltage its easy to work out what value resistor to use. :)

 

I was actually gonna build in a few LEDs to give the different colours behind each part of the panel... I'll post up some pics to see how it looks... 8)

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Doh - Just bought a Blue LED kit for my Technics SL-1200mk2 deck from UltraLeds... didn't think of getting any car bits too!

 

Good company tho - Highly recomended and very fast delivery!

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i'm no expert with the panel in question but with slight mods is it not possible to use a Ultra bright LED with a resistor in line or a wide angle ultra bright LED with a resistor.

with voltage an current consuption of the LED at its working voltage its easy to work out what value resistor to use. :)

 

http://www.Ultraleds.co.uk already sell LEDs for just that purpose. They even have the correct fitments and resistors built in, so are plug and play. They're specifically designed for car interiors. They're in the 12V car LED section.

 

K

 

 

Sweet Kev thanx 4 the link i'll have 2 buy sum of them as mine is not working also :roll:

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I bought most of my leds bulbs from SuperBrightLEDs in the states (even with shipping and tax they're still cheaper if you buy a few...) - I've been experimenting with LED bulbs for some time now...

 

don't be fooled by claims of high light outputs - they may be nice and bright in a very concentrated beam, but rarely produce anywhere near the total light output of a good old filament bulb. Bear in mind also that all the corrado's lenses, reflectors & optics have been designed for bulbs that emit light in all directions, and may produce less than perfect results with a narrow angle led beam...

 

The only LED bulbs I'm left with now that I'm happy with are 30 LED red stop/tail lamps, and a custom built white LED array in the interrior light and map reading lights...

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I bought most of my leds bulbs from SuperBrightLEDs in the states (even with shipping and tax they're still cheaper if you buy a few...) - I've been experimenting with LED bulbs for some time now...

 

don't be fooled by claims of high light outputs - they may be nice and bright in a very concentrated beam, but rarely produce anywhere near the total light output of a good old filament bulb. Bear in mind also that all the corrado's lenses, reflectors & optics have been designed for bulbs that emit light in all directions, and may produce less than perfect results with a narrow angle led beam...

 

The only LED bulbs I'm left with now that I'm happy with are 30 LED red stop/tail lamps, and a custom built white LED array in the interrior light and map reading lights...

 

The ones in the picture are wide angle LEDs and the optics in the Corrado would work well with them. Any Goverment road sign approved LED will have sufficient brightness and viewing angles (60 deg) for car use.

 

K

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so you just simply replace the existing bulb with one of these led's and its brighter? i did try taking it apart once and didnt really notice a bulb, is it easy to change?

 

ta

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so you just simply replace the existing bulb with one of these led's and its brighter? i did try taking it apart once and didnt really notice a bulb, is it easy to change?

 

ta

 

On the later rotary controls - pull off the middle knob, pull off the green plastic thing now revealed (this is the bulb carrier) - from what I remember it's just a straight out & in with the bulb.... then "re-assembly is the reverse of this procedure"...

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