instrument cluster warning lights

[blade7]

There's good news, and maybe not good news. There is continuity to the flasher warning light in the cluster, but the warning bulb flashed a few times and then all the external flashers and the hazard switch stopped flashing, and just stayed on. Which is odd because all the external flashers and the hazards had been working fine before. I did have to fiddle with the LEDs to make sure their wires were making contact inside the holders, and now the big red warning light is working too. So is it likely a flasher relay issue, or has the LED caused an issue? I guess I could buy a new standard bulb and substitute that.

Not sure if it's relevant, but a new 9v battery got quite hot when I was testing the LED bulbs.

Oops, that test was intended for regular light bulbs only! Most LED's require a current limiting resistor or they will draw too much power. The reduced voltage (9 vs 12+) may have saved you -- it's quite easy to blow up an LED that way. They can even snap like little fire crackers...

Edit: on the other hand, if the LED did light up when you put 9v battery power to b6 and b7, it means your cluster is fine as far as the indicator light is concerned. (I'd just limit it to quick blinks of the LED rather than leaving it powered on for any length of time.) Just be sure the LED lights up when the positive battery lead is on b7 and negative on b6. If it lights up only when those are reversed, it means the LED is installed backwards and therefore won't work when the cluster is installed.

I checked the polarity and marked the LED bulbs before I installed them. I'm wondering if I should install new standard bulbs in the flasher and warning indicators. I also used LED's for the 3 illuminating bulbs in the bottom of the cluster.

[Tom]

Not sure if it's relevant, but a new 9v battery got quite hot when I was testing the LED bulbs.

Oops, that test was intended for regular light bulbs only! Most LED's require a current limiting resistor or they will draw too much power. The reduced voltage (9 vs 12+) may have saved you -- it's quite easy to blow up an LED that way. They can even snap like little fire crackers...

Edit: on the other hand, if the LED did light up when you put 9v battery power to b6 and b7, it means your cluster is fine as far as the indicator light is concerned. (I'd just limit it to quick blinks of the LED rather than leaving it powered on for any length of time.) Just be sure the LED lights up when the positive battery lead is on b7 and negative on b6. If it lights up only when those are reversed, it means the LED is installed backwards and therefore won't work when the cluster is installed.

I checked the polarity and marked the LED bulbs before I installed them. I'm wondering if I should install new standard bulbs in the flasher and warning indicators. I also used LED's for the 3 illuminating bulbs in the bottom of the cluster.

I worry a bit about your LED selection. If the 9v battery got hot, that suggests to me the LEDs you installed might not be a good match (I.e., not designed to work on 12v system with the necessary internal current limiting resistor, or possibly struggling with only 9v). What LEDs are you using?

[blade7]

Any ideas what the spec/part number of the standard cluster blinker warning bulb is?

[Tom]

Any ideas what the spec/part number of the standard cluster blinker warning bulb is?

For the 3 cluster lights at the bottom, factory bulbs are 2 watts, but you can go up to ~3.5 or so without causing heat problems. Sylvania #158 is a good choice. They are brighter than stock but don't get too hot like even brighter bulbs will.

https://www.sylvania-automotive.com/syl ... L.BP2.html

For the turn signal and warning light, let me take a look at what the factory used and get back to you.

[blade7]

Oops, that test was intended for regular light bulbs only! Most LED's require a current limiting resistor or they will draw too much power. The reduced voltage (9 vs 12+) may have saved you -- it's quite easy to blow up an LED that way. They can even snap like little fire crackers...

Edit: on the other hand, if the LED did light up when you put 9v battery power to b6 and b7, it means your cluster is fine as far as the indicator light is concerned. (I'd just limit it to quick blinks of the LED rather than leaving it powered on for any length of time.) Just be sure the LED lights up when the positive battery lead is on b7 and negative on b6. If it lights up only when those are reversed, it means the LED is installed backwards and therefore won't work when the cluster is installed.

I checked the polarity and marked the LED bulbs before I installed them. I'm wondering if I should install new standard bulbs in the flasher and warning indicators. I also used LED's for the 3 illuminating bulbs in the bottom of the cluster.

I worry a bit about your LED selection. If the 9v battery got hot, that suggests to me the LEDs you installed might not be a good match (I.e., not designed to work on 12v system with the necessary internal current limiting resistor, or possibly struggling with only 9v). What LEDs are you using?

It was a kit marketed on ebay, for the 944 cluster. $40 down the drain maybe.

[Tom]

I checked the polarity and marked the LED bulbs before I installed them. I'm wondering if I should install new standard bulbs in the flasher and warning indicators. I also used LED's for the 3 illuminating bulbs in the bottom of the cluster.

I worry a bit about your LED selection. If the 9v battery got hot, that suggests to me the LEDs you installed might not be a good match (I.e., not designed to work on 12v system with the necessary internal current limiting resistor, or possibly struggling with only 9v). What LEDs are you using?

It was a kit marketed on ebay, for the 944 cluster. $40 down the drain maybe.

Probably not. If marketed for the dash, it's probably fine, and the LED likely just draws more current than your 9v battery can handle. LED selection aside, it sounds like that circuit in your cluster is fine.

[jeyjey]

I believe the turn signals (along with the warning lights) are 99963130190 (1.2w).

I have 3w bulbs in my cluster illumination light pipes.

I'm only running LEDs in the 2 cabin lights.

[blade7]

I worry a bit about your LED selection. If the 9v battery got hot, that suggests to me the LEDs you installed might not be a good match (I.e., not designed to work on 12v system with the necessary internal current limiting resistor, or possibly struggling with only 9v). What LEDs are you using?

It was a kit marketed on ebay, for the 944 cluster. $40 down the drain maybe.

Probably not. If marketed for the dash, it's probably fine, and the LED likely just draws more current than your 9v battery can handle. LED selection aside, it sounds like that circuit in your cluster is fine.

How about the hazard switch and all the external flashers suddenly not flashing, as soon as the cluster warning light did?

[blade7]

I believe the turn signals (along with the warning lights) are 99963130190 (1.2w).

I have 3w bulbs in my cluster illumination light pipes.

I'm only running LEDs in the 2 cabin lights.

Flasher relay fitted is VW EAP 111 953 227 D 2 (4) Y 21 W + 4 W Does that sound right?

[Tom]

I believe the turn signals (along with the warning lights) are 99963130190 (1.2w).

I have 3w bulbs in my cluster illumination light pipes.

I'm only running LEDs in the 2 cabin lights.

I just looked at one and agree. The warning and turn signal lights look to be 1.2 Watt T5 bulbs, which come with and without the holder. Search for Osram 2721 for example...

bulb-only.jpg (50.25 KiB) Viewed 21 times

osram2721.jpg (49.97 KiB) Viewed 21 times