RE: Dim Instrument Cluster lights

[Robert <r.lane@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Paul, thanks for that.

As you can probably tell I'm not that electrically minded, so I'll pass 
your info on to our man on the inside and see if it helps them testing 
our switch.
For the cost of a new switch though, on a refurbished cluster, we may as 
well replace it to be sure it works 100%. As long as the new ones work 
100%.....

Regards

Robert
63 Polara 500
England


Paul Lennemann wrote:

Well as you know ohms is a measure of resistance.  So if you have a 
> switch that reads "0" that means no resistance to the flow of 
> electricity which should give you the brightest lights possible, 
> assuming there are no other points of resistance in the circuit.  On the 
> 
> high end the number will move towards infinity meaning no current gets 
> through.  
> You could attach one lead from your ohm meter to the (+) terminal of a 
> dash light and the other end to ground, rotate the dimmer switch, and 
> watch the reading on the gauge rise or fall.  If you can't achieve a 
> number close to "0" you have to start working backwards to find the 
> point of high resistance.  It will most likely be the switch.  
> These work by passing the current through a wire that has a known amount 
> 
> of resistance per inch.  It is the coiled wire you see on the switch.  
> It's the same principal and type of wire used in a bread toaster.  As 
> you rotate it there is a contact that touches the coil so that the 
> current is either going through only a bit of the coiled wire or the 
> full length.  These coils tend to get a build up of crud on them after a 
> 
> time due to the heat generated.  That's why, as has been suggested here, 
> 
> that sometimes rotating them back and forth will make them work better 
> because you are knocking off the crud.
> 
> Paul L.
> '63 Sport Fury
> 440/727
> http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/ml-lennemann63.html


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