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Dash clock - bulb type?


I simply replaced the bulb itself rather than the bulb and holder, used a standard 286 bulb which cost about 50p

Howard
 
Those bulbs are the correct type for the instrument panel and could fit into the clock but I doubt that they would stay in. The plastic base of the 509T bulbs is round, with a contact tag on each side. You insert the bulbs and then turn them clockwise through 90 degrees to contact the power tracks on the circuit sheet for the instruments.

The clock has a more oval opening with contat points at top and bottom of the oval. You can just wriggle the 509T bulb into this opening if the contact tags on the bulbs are positoned vertically but I fear that a bumpy road would disloge the bulb. The clock bulb has a different base which allows it to be inserted with the contact tags horizontal, and then rotated 90 degrees clockwise to connect with the contact points.

Sorry don't have any photo's so hope my descriptions are useful.

Mike

White 2.7 automatic

 
Like in the reply above 509T I bought mine from Halfords for about £1.78 I think but they had an offer on at the time, remember when you are testing it the light only works with the ignition on not when the headlights are on. I re-fitted mine twice before realising this, also be careful when removing the heater/air con sensor intake cover (small round grid like thing near the cigarette lighter) as it is easy to break when you twist it to get to the dash screws behind you may as well replace the cigar lighter lamp while you have the dash panel off I think this is a normal 286 bulb.
 
Thanks for the replies chaps - I bought the eBay ones now I figured how to get the bulb out of the holder, so as long as I can remove the bulbs from the new bases and refit to the original base, I should be okay and they'll only have cost 35p each [:D]

Regards the panel lights, while I'm about it, I thought I'd upgrade from 1.2W to 2W which can only help the feeble illumination. I think these are the ones - can anybody confirm?

https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/R509TGR-Dashboard-Bulbs-12V-2W-PCB-Light-Green-Base.html
 
Regards the panel lights, while I'm about it, I thought I'd upgrade from 1.2W to 2W which can only help the feeble illumination. I think these are the ones - can anybody confirm?
Click to expand...

It's not the bulbs that are the issue, it's the reflective prisms. Adding brighter bulbs might throw a little more light around, but also a lot more heat.

With all your sticky-backed plastic contacts, is there a mirror product, or something highly reflective, that'll re-coat the three prisms? [8|]
 
As stated it is not the lights but usually the mirrored reflectors that are supposed to direct the light onto the clocks. I replaced mine a year ago and quite easy to do.

I removed the instrument cluster from the car but did not remove the clocks from the cluster as recommended in Clarkes garage etc. I just masked off the circuit board to protect it .

I removed the old relector material with acetone FREE nail varnish remover (don't use acetone solvent it will melt the units) removal is easy it just takes time so be patient.

Once the reflector material is off wipe down to remove the cleaner and I used a light spray of glue on the now cleaned reflector units then fitted mirror foil (from Hobbycraft on a roll about £5) and trimmed the edges with a scalpel.

I then covered the back of the mirror foil with black electricians tape to both assist reflection and protect the foil when re-fitting.

Installed 1.2W wide angle LEDs and refitted the cluster back in the car, from start to finish around 1.5 - 2 hours made easier by knowing how to remove the instrument cluster but not a big job.

The guide in Clarkes is good for getting the cluster out and showing you what to remove and clean up but I found it easier to leave the clocks in the cluster rather thanrisk breaking the circuit board and I think from memory the Clarkes guide recommends double sided tape and aluminium foil. I did try this and the tape blocks the reflectiveness of the foil and the foil is not that reflective.

The mirror foil I got from Hobbycraft is the stuff hobbyists use to make dolls house mirrors from etc so is very shiny and also thin but strong so easy to glue down and cut without tearing.

 
David - many thanks for the above suggestion and detailed instructions, I think I might just give this a go.

Looked on Hobbycraft website but couldn't find the mirror stuff, but have a branch not too far away.What spray glue did you use? I would have thought that would have taken the refectivity off the foil with a matting effect.

Good tip about the acetone free nail varnish remover for cleaning off the prisms and I like the idea of leaving them in place to fit the foil. BTW....,,,which wide angle LED's did use?
 
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