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Dash warning lights gently flicker, brake failure light brighter - DIY LED dash light 200 1990

posted by Broos on Fri Sep 22 13:52 CST 2017
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last visit: Wed Aug 27 16:36 CST 2014

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Earlier this Summer I did the big dash tear-down to replace the blower motor and resistor and rebuild the A/C system with all new components. I got all of that done just in time to hit the road to go see the Solar Eclipse in Central Oregon. It was hot on the East side of the mountains and I really enjoyed the newly charged R12 A/C. My wife would not have agreed to go at all without that ;-)

After putting the dash back together I had the SRS light on all the time. I have not had a chance to troubleshoot that yet but I know there are some good threads here about it. The other dash warning lights have also been flickering dimly, so you can just barely see it in dim light. Can't really see it at all in daylight. From what I have seen in previous posts here the flickering dash lights are caused by the alternator brushes or other aspects of the voltage regulator. My alternator is only 2-3 years old, which for me means less than 10k miles on it, but I know that does not necessarily rule out this cause.

I have a question about this relating to the brake failure light. It has now come on at about half brightness. I think the sensing switch is either ON or OFF. What does _partly_on_ mean? The brake pedal feels the same as ever so it doesn't _seem_ like the brakes are really a problem.

Now Here's Something I Hope You'll Really Like -

DIY long lasting bright and dimmable LED dash illumination lights. I have just the one now but plan on making the second one and connecting them to the little harness the lights the old dead clock.

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Dash warning lights gently flicker, brake failure light brighter - DIY LED dash light 200 1990

posted by Broos on Sat Sep 23 13:42 CST 2017
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last visit: Wed Aug 27 16:36 CST 2014

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Thanks Art! Your explanation for how a partially lit condition can occur sounds correct. I will try cleaning the switch next time I am under the hood.

Now - The Missing Image
While I was logged in yesterday I could see the image for the LED dash illumination lights, but when I checked for responses to the question I posed today without logging in there was no picture. I don't get it. I am now trying to insert the picture into this reply.

Well, I have tried it every way I can think of here and I can't get it to work, so I put a copy of the image in my DropBox. Here is the link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ajhdaps8mhgy5i0/Volvo-LED-dashlight-pics.jpg?dl=0

You will have to open new tab or window in your browser and copy and paste the above link to it.

That works.

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cleaning the octopus 200 1990

posted by Art Benstein on Sat Sep 23 17:36 CST 2017
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last visit: Fri Oct 17 20:10 CST 2014

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Cleaning the switch can be done without lifting the hood. It is a crawl underneath thing. The typical problem I run into, cleaning the switch, is the rim on the threads in the casting has rusted, expanding into the entrance, and making it really not fun trying to start the nylon switch body. I was scraping it with a tap flute, but next time maybe I'll take a reamer under the car.

But disconnecting the spade terminal is quick and easy to prove that's what it is.
I measure something less than 1000 ohms but the current is electrolytic (the resistance is not linear), so it can light the bulb brighter than a 1K ohm resistor would.

I did see your image the second time I viewed your post, but yes, it did not appear until I went to reply. Image hosting for forums is getting to be tricky these days. Too bad, because years later when your post gets needed for someone's similar problem, the images are missing. That might be a vote for using the BB's gallery, but I notice those appear intermittently as well here.

Seeing your image led me to assume the schematic I posted would be enough words to explain how the lamps are used with D+ and B+. Pictures are worth a lot of words as long as you have the language.

--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

The butcher backed up into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.

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Dash warning lights gently flicker, brake failure light brighter - DIY LED dash light 200 1990

posted by Art Benstein on Fri Sep 22 18:39 CST 2017
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last visit: Fri Oct 17 20:10 CST 2014

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Hi Broos,

The four lamps using the alternator (battery, parking, brake failure, lamp failure) will glow with the voltage difference between D+ and B+ on the alternator. The voltages should be the same. The circuit diagram below shows you most of the connections important to that function. Any oxidation at a contact can cause a voltage drop. Probing along the circuit, you'll be able to find that drop if it can be made to show itself steadily.

The brake failure switch should be an on/off switch, but after 28 years the brake fluid leaking past the octopus shuttle seals pulls lots of moisture in and becomes a conductor passing enough current to make the lamp glow. To see if that's the reason, just disconnect the tab at the octopus. Then, what I do, as this is a regular occurrence on the older cars, is pull the switch and wash it out. There are lots of posts on this board describing this. Search with terms like octopus, warning, junction, brake.

--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Corduroy pillows are making headlines.

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