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Switch illumination

xenon

New member
Other than when I was mucking around with my HID headlamps, it occured to me last night that it was the first time I had driven anywhere in the dark since getting my S2. Should the group of switches forward of the gear lever (sunroof, mirrors, rear wiper etc.) be illuminated in some way? Mine were as dark as, well, a dark thing. As they were all dark is there a single bulb that lights them all? Or didn't they bother in the 90s? [:)]

The dash was a bit dim too which leads me to consider the LED upgrade discussed elsewhere.
 
I believe they are meant to be as dark as a dark thing, seems the boys at Porsche back then thought being able to see your switches at night was un-necessarily extravagant.

Least I hope so as mine are too !
 
...and while I'm on asking dumb questions, does the S2 have a 'low-fuel' warning light? The handbook suggests that it does, but I don't see it when all the idiot lights come on with the signition in pos. 2. Just wondered....
 
Does the low fuel light come on with the rest of the warning lights prior to turning the engine though? Mine doesn't.
 
ORIGINAL: xenon

Does the low fuel light come on with the rest of the warning lights prior to turning the engine though? Mine doesn't.

It doesn't, no. Mine comes on when the needle reaches the bottom of the red. I've never run out so I can't be sure but I understand it comes on with 2 gallons left (ie about 40 miles or so).
 
the only thing that lights up in those switches on my s is the central locking switch, it lights red when ya lock all the doors with the switch, thing is ive had this apart to find there is a yellow bulb in there too that does not seem to work, should it and when?!
 
I assumed this had been answered on the linked thread as it's a recurrent topic, but only the locking switch has an illuminated logo (in addition to the red light when locked) and it comes on with the car lights as the other dash lights do.

I've posted before, but for clarity the lighting is as follows:

At any time:
  • Glovebox lights when open
  • Light in boot and by rear view mirror come on with door or boot open if switched to do so
  • Knob for lights illuminates
  • Clock lights brightly with ignition on
When lights are on:
  • Dash pod has 3 bulbs to light instruments (plus green parking lights symbol if only on one click)
  • Fog light switches each light
  • Heater knobs and sliders light
  • All switches in the central strip light (Hazard, HRW etc.)
  • Central slider between vents lights
  • Ciggy lighter lights
  • Under bonnet lights when bonnet open
  • Ashtray lights
  • Central locking switch only in front of gearstick lights
  • Clock dims when ignition on
Ignition on:
  • All warning lights such as alternator, oil pressure, abs etc. test cycle except the low fuel one (which is an amber light below the red segment on the gauge itself)
Electric window switches and all switches in front of gearstick except central locking are not illuminated.
 
ORIGINAL: xenon

Other than when I was mucking around with my HID headlamps, it occured to me last night that it was the first time I had driven anywhere in the dark since getting my S2. Should the group of switches forward of the gear lever (sunroof, mirrors, rear wiper etc.) be illuminated in some way? Mine were as dark as, well, a dark thing. As they were all dark is there a single bulb that lights them all? Or didn't they bother in the 90s? [:)]

The dash was a bit dim too which leads me to consider the LED upgrade discussed elsewhere.
Hi Xenon

How much better are you HID lights then?

Pleased with them?

What bulbs did you go for 6000k 0r 4300k?

Cheers
 
Let's face it, the standard halogen offering in the 944, even with the supplementary driving lights, is pretty weak. 1980s technology. The last four cars I have had have all had factory-fit xenon headlights (bi-xenon in the last three) and they are incomparable with halogen, especially out in the sticks where I live.

The first priority on the 944 was therefore proper HID lights, and not those chavvy blue-tinted bulbs either!

The problem was that up until recently it was difficult to retrofit an H4 application. Most cars these days have separate bulbs and lamp assemblies for low / high beam and tend to use H1 or H7 bulbs rather than the 'old fashioned' dual filament H4 bulb. You could get H4 based bulbs but you would loose the high beam. Anyway, now you can get an H4-based bulb with dual discharge tubes, so you can have high beam too, i.e. true bi-xenon.

I'm very pleased with them - a huge improvement over stock.

Regarding colour temparature, I really wanted 4300K as this is what a standard D2S bulb (as fitted to BMW, Audi, Porsche etc) runs at, and provides the best OEM look and the best performance. The higher the colour temparature, the less lumens produced. Over 8000K you may as well stick to halogen unless you simply want the blue/purple look. Anyway, 4300K were out of stock so being an impatient sod I took the 6000K - as I say though, the light output is so much better.

 
ORIGINAL: xenon

Let's face it, the standard halogen offering in the 944, even with the supplementary driving lights, is pretty weak. 1980s technology. The last four cars I have had have all had factory-fit xenon headlights (bi-xenon in the last three) and they are incomparable with halogen, especially out in the sticks where I live.

The first priority on the 944 was therefore proper HID lights, and not those chavvy blue-tinted bulbs either!

The problem was that up until recently it was difficult to retrofit an H4 application. Most cars these days have separate bulbs and lamp assemblies for low / high beam and tend to use H1 or H7 bulbs rather than the 'old fashioned' dual filament H4 bulb. You could get H4 based bulbs but you would loose the high beam. Anyway, now you can get an H4-based bulb with dual discharge tubes, so you can have high beam too, i.e. true bi-xenon.

I'm very pleased with them - a huge improvement over stock.

Regarding colour temparature, I really wanted 4300K as this is what a standard D2S bulb (as fitted to BMW, Audi, Porsche etc) runs at, and provides the best OEM look and the best performance. The higher the colour temparature, the less lumens produced. Over 8000K you may as well stick to halogen unless you simply want the blue/purple look. Anyway, 4300K were out of stock so being an impatient sod I took the 6000K - as I say though, the light output is so much better.

Hi Xenon

So does the bi xenon use the pop up lights aswell now for hi and low beam as well as the high beam lamps in the front bumper?

Cheers
 
Yes, the dual-tube bulb has a low and a high beam arc. It therefore functions exactly as an H4 halogen bulb.
 
Bulb looks like this:
3dc0_1_b.jpg

3dc0_1_b.jpg
 
IMG00013.jpg


Two ballasts on each side. Plenty of room under the n/s headlamp pod.

IMG00011.jpg


o/s ballasts attached to top of radiator cross-member using home-made bracket (not shown).

IMG00008.jpg


Tapping into a high-current live feed under the fuse box. This fed the relays via an in-line fuse.
 

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