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        General >> Problems >> Dimming the instrument panel lighting
        
(Message started by: rafford on Nov 8^th, 2004, 1:04am)

Title: Dimming the instrument panel lighting
Post by rafford on Nov 8^th, 2004, 1:04am

Ford Ultima 24V Auto.

In eight years I have never found a rheostat control if there is one fitted, to dim the instrument panel lighting at night. Can Ford be serious producing their top of the range vehicle in 1996 without such a feature, or have I just not been able to find it? The local Ford dealers said they thought it hadn't been a feature of the model!
Has anyone come up with an easy retrofit?

Rafford

Title: Re: Dimming the instrument panel lighting
Post by Paul B on Nov 8^th, 2004, 6:31am

I think you'll find that Ford were serious, because there isn't one.
I guess it is possible to retro-fit, but I haven't heard of anyone who's done it... yet.

Title: Re: Dimming the instrument panel lighting
Post by Dave on Nov 8^th, 2004, 11:56am

I thought it was only dodgy old Volkswagens that did that.

I'm sure it's possible to put a dimmer knob of sorts in. You can pioneer it, Rafford!

D

Title: Re: Dimming the instrument panel lighting
Post by Dai_H on Nov 8^th, 2004, 9:50pm

I had one on my Nissan 200sx, used it a total of zero times (except when playing ) in the 3 years of ownership ???

Not high on my list of things a car must have.

IMO

Dai

Title: Re: Dimming the instrument panel lighting
Post by Paul B on Nov 8^th, 2004, 10:02pm

Hmm... I have it on my old Cortina, had it on the Mk3 Granada Scorpio and I have it on... my "dodgy old Volkswagen" :(

I must admit, on all these motors, its always been turned around to the brightest setting, so I don't see an awful lot of point.

Title: Re: Dimming the instrument panel lighting
Post by Dave Boulton on Nov 8^th, 2004, 10:48pm

Well I used to find it useful to be able to turn the dash lights all the way down on unlit roads when I lived "oop north" (Scotland). It would also be useful in parts of deepest, darkest Hampshire.

Still, if there's any oncoming traffic or a streetlight anywhere it is fairly useless!

Dave

Title: Re: Dimming the instrument panel lighting
Post by Eddie on Nov 10^th, 2004, 5:10am

It would need a study of the instrument panel circuit to see if the bulbs are on an independant supply to other inst functions.
If they are independant then the circuit could be interupted (cut!) and a rheostat inserted,coming out to a 'knob' on the dash panel. :o

eddie

Title: Re: Dimming the instrument panel lighting
Post by Baz on Nov 10^th, 2004, 10:17am

I think you will find that the dash lighting circuits for the Scorpio are not just on one circuit. That is as far as I remeber this conversation on the mailing list and the reply from Jamie. It is a big big job apparently!!

Baz

Title: Re: Dimming the instrument panel lighting
Post by Dave on Nov 10^th, 2004, 6:31pm

You could install one dimmer knob for each and every bulb, and mount them all in the roof. It'd look like a plane thingypit, wooosh!

P.S. That's hilarious. c.o.c.k.pit converted to thingypit. What other words have 'thingy' in? thingyerel, thingyle....

Title: Re: Dimming the instrument panel lighting
Post by Danny_R on Nov 10^th, 2004, 9:24pm

Baz, your right mate. Our electrical genius James Austin who has designed a good handful of the Scorpio mods did look into a cluster dimming feature. After a while of studying he concluded that the Scorpio's forest of multiplex wiring makes dimming the cluster extremely difficult as it is illuminated by 3 separate circuits.

HTH

Danny R

Title: Re: Dimming the instrument panel lighting
Post by Baz on Nov 10^th, 2004, 10:14pm

I do like Daves Idea though............... ;D

Title: Re: Dimming the instrument panel lighting
Post by darton on Nov 10^th, 2004, 10:26pm

My old Granada had one! shame they droped it with the scorps!in fact it was a reostat dimmer(adjustable) :)

Title: Re: Dimming the instrument panel lighting
Post by Geoff_W on Nov 11^th, 2004, 12:04am

Round town, I sometimes wish that my lights were brighter and I miss the opportunity to adjust that I had in my Mk3.

Having said that if Jamie reckons its not a goer I guess we will have to live with that.