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The Brightness Of The Dash

AlexCim

By AlexCim,
in Four Door Family & Wagoneers

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AlexCim Grand Master

AlexCim

Posted
Posted (edited)

Ok,

I am sick of how dim my bloody dash is!!

There are two things that i will try now. I removed the dash and found that the globes on the back of the dash are Toshiba globes. There are several different types of globes too

14V1.4W (most)

14V2W (~few)

14V3WL (~couple)

dash9ch.jpg

The red ones are the ones that do the light of the dash (the others all do independent things like seperate lights etc) So i would want to replace the 3W globes

I am tossing up the possibility of finding brighter globes or LED's to fit the required holes. More information on the globes here, they are the T-2 WEDGE BASE LAMPS style.

http://www.htl.co.jp/pro/kogata/et65.html

It seems I should get those gas filled ones as they have a higher brightness then the regular ones, or just get the non long life ones (clearly they would be on the most, so they choose the long life globes). Anyone know of any brighter globes, or should i just shoot off to my local jaycar?

Now, for complaince the guys had to make the dash have a dimmer switch. All they did was cut the power wire and then put in a POT. I am thinking that this could have increased the resistance, even when the pot is on maximum, meaning even the brightest setting on the pot is below what it came like factory. Anyone think this could be right? I am going to try and cut the POT out and just connect the two wires and see if this makes a difference, but this does go against the australian complaince rules..... hmmm

Anyway, just as a side note, i also found that i had an exhaust tempterure light hole (between park brake and little engine light)...but i had no globe in there (?)

Edited by AlexCim
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StageZilla Rising Star

StageZilla

Posted
Posted
Ok,

I am sick of how dim my bloody dash is!!

There are two things that i will try now. I removed the dash and found that the globes on the back of the dash are Toshiba globes. There are several different types of globes too

14V1.4W (most)

14V2WL (~few)

14V3W (~couple)

dash9ch.jpg

I am tossing up the possibility of finding brighter globes or LED's to fit the required holes. More information on the globes here, they are the T-2 WEDGE BASE LAMPS style.

http://www.htl.co.jp/pro/kogata/et65.html

Anyone know of any brighter globes, or should i just shoot off to my local jaycar?

Now, for complaince the guys had to make the dash have a dimmer switch. All they did was cut the power wire and then put in a POT. I am thinking that this could have increased the resistance, even when the pot is on maximum, meaning even the brightest setting on the pot is below what it came like factory. Anyone think this could be right? I am going to try and cut the POT out and just connect the two wires and see if this makes a difference, but this does go against the australian complaince rules..... hmmm

Anyway, just as a side note, i also found that i had an exhaust tempterure light hole (between park brake and little engine light)...but i had no globe in there (?)

if its got a factory cat on it will have the exhuast temp sensor probe in there, but if it aint the stock one it will set off the light without a sensor on so the previous owner removed the globe instead, it if its stock zorst it prolly means it was an aftermarket one maybe

dunno bout dash lights, mine aint got no dimmer and it got complied :(

AlexCim Grand Master

AlexCim

Posted
  • Author
Posted

the annoying thing is that my aftermarket cat that i have bought has a exhaust temp sensor hole in it, had to block it up with a bolt.

I think ill get an exhaust temperature gauge aftermarket and just put it in there, but would love to just connect the factory stuff back up... I havnt seen any wires under there though?

Right now, i am most inclined to just remove the POT all together. Brad, does your dash appear dim at all? Or would you say its on par with commo's etc etc

StageZilla Rising Star

StageZilla

Posted
Posted (edited)
the annoying thing is that my aftermarket cat that i have bought has a exhaust temp sensor hole in it, had to block it up with a bolt.

I think ill get an exhaust temperature gauge aftermarket and just put it in there, but would love to just connect the factory stuff back up... I havnt seen any wires under there though?

Right now, i am most inclined to just remove the POT all together. Brad, does your dash appear dim at all? Or would you say its on par with commo's etc etc

hey alex, im not sure to be honest with only doing about 500km in it since ive owned it :D and mostly day driving, but i do think they where pretty dull compared to my vs commodore, and as i said i aint got any dimmer at all i dont think :)

also the wire that does to the cat convertor is located under the passenger seat and comes through the floor with like metal braided line to the plug.

i ripped mine out and i think to stop light coming on u gotta put power to it or something, its been awhile ;)

i spend about 99.9% of the time changing things and 0.1% drivin it :)

Edited by StageZilla
ian Experienced

ian

Posted
Posted
Ok,

Now, for complaince the guys had to make the dash have a dimmer switch. All they did was cut the power wire and then put in a POT. I am thinking that this could have increased the resistance, even when the pot is on maximum, meaning even the brightest setting on the pot is below what it came like factory. Anyone think this could be right? I am going to try and cut the POT out and just connect the two wires and see if this makes a difference, but this does go against the australian complaince rules.....

The POT will have zero resistance at one end, so wouldn't be diming it at all.. So I don't think chopping it out will gain you anything.

Ian

Sydneykid Grand Master

Sydneykid

Posted
Posted (edited)
the annoying thing is that my aftermarket cat that i have bought has a exhaust temp sensor hole in it, had to block it up with a bolt.

I think ill get an exhaust temperature gauge aftermarket and just put it in there, but would love to just connect the factory stuff back up... I havnt seen any wires under there though?

Right now, i am most inclined to just remove the POT all together. Brad, does your dash appear dim at all? Or would you say its on par with commo's etc etc

My Stagea doesn't have a dash dimmer that I can find, where is yours located?

After a year and 30,000k's I don't find the dash lights too dimm at all. I only notice it when I get out of cars that have too bright dash lights that I have to turn down.

I wouldn't run an exhaust temperature gauge in the cat, it is too far from the engine to tell you anything. Plus the cat itself, by its catalyser activities, increases the heat to burn off the contaminents. So you will get a false reading anyway.

Australia has no requirement (via ADR's) for cat overheat sensors. Most cars with cat over heat sensors have them pulled up and wound (stuffed) under the passengers seat. I would check there, you may find that the compliance shop did that and then replaced the rubber floor bung with one with no hole. Pull the globe is a "standard" trick to stop it ever coming on.

;) cheers :)

Edited by Sydneykid
AlexCim Grand Master

AlexCim

Posted
  • Author
Posted

My dash dimmer is located right next to the streering column between the climate control sucker thing and the column.

my car was complied at NIZMO pty ltd, maybe different complaince places do it differently, however, i dont see how that works.

I am going to remove my dimmer switch anyway, ATM, im trying to find replacement LED's with a wideangle, but the T2 std is very rarely used (go figure with a stagea)

Sydneykid Grand Master

Sydneykid

Posted
Posted
My dash dimmer is located right next to the streering column between the climate control sucker thing and the column.

my car was complied at NIZMO pty ltd, maybe different complaince places do it differently, however, i dont see how that works.

I am going to remove my dimmer switch anyway, ATM, im trying to find replacement LED's with a wideangle, but the T2 std is very rarely used (go figure with a stagea)

Same compliance shop, no dash dimmer on mine. Maybe they forgot.

;) cheers :)

michaeljquinn Enthusiast

michaeljquinn

Posted
Posted

I went through MJR in QLD and I actually asked them about the dimmer when I got the car and they said it wasn't a mandatory ADR for compliance ?? Either that, or they forgot too and were just BSing

I actually find my dash too bright at night, I actually prefer a dark dash, to help my night vision.

AlexCim Grand Master

AlexCim

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Ill try and take a photo when i have some spare time.

My dash (white lights) are not as brigh as say the park brake light, or the other lights on the dash.

Would be as there are four lights for the whole dash, and independent lights for each of those... iono...

Ill get a photo

CoolPC Enthusiast

CoolPC

Posted
Posted
Damn...

Plan B then, brighter globes...

Cant hurt to cut it out of the act anyway...why the HELL would i want it dimmer then std anyway...stupid law!

It won't make any difference whether you cut it out or not, and you'll probably need a dimmer once you've got the brighter globes...

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