Dash lighting & headlights

[Ryan Wright]

Well, we made it home OK. Long story, for another time.

However, I am in need of advice on some lighting. Most importantly,
virtually all of my gauges have failed or failing bulbs. Any advice on
getting in there and replacing these would be most appreciated.

Second thing, the green backlighting - main dash is flaky (flickers on
and off at random); area from the altimeter and everything to the
right of it doesn't light at all. Any advice on repairing? (while I'm
here, does the rear panel above the beds have this lighting, and if so
how do I fix mine or can it be added? I'd love it back there!
Impossible to know which switch does what in the middle of the
night...)

Lastly: Headlights seem really, really dim! Granted this is my first
time driving such a large coach but I am NOT comfortable with this at
night. Do they just need replaced? Re-aimed? I don't feel I'm able to
see enough to drive safely at night, so all of our trip home was done
during the day - which is a shame, as I LOVE to drive at night.
Getting this coach night-drive-ready is my first order of business!

Thanks!!

-Ryan

[Leroy Eckert]

Hope you had a good trip> Don't know your coach year. I am assuming you have
EL panels and it sounds like you do.
Flickering could be caused by the rheostat for the inverters or a possible loose
connection. The right hand side of the altimeter problem could be, broken wire
if on a seperate rheostat, but most likely a failed inverter(s). There are no
pretty blue lights in my bedroom. You can put them there by having Stephen
Birtles manufacture a panel(s) Probably, not cheap.
Stephen Birtles is the EL panel guru and carries the proper parts.
http://www.capeinnovation.com, or he will appear here.

Leroy Eckert
1990 WB-40"Smoke N Mirrors"
On Panama City Beach, FL



----- Original Message -----
From: Ryan Wright
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 1:16 AM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Dash lighting & headlights


Well, we made it home OK. Long story, for another time.

However, I am in need of advice on some lighting. Most importantly,
virtually all of my gauges have failed or failing bulbs. Any advice on
getting in there and replacing these would be most appreciated.

Second thing, the green backlighting - main dash is flaky (flickers on
and off at random); area from the altimeter and everything to the
right of it doesn't light at all. Any advice on repairing? (while I'm
here, does the rear panel above the beds have this lighting, and if so
how do I fix mine or can it be added? I'd love it back there!
Impossible to know which switch does what in the middle of the
night...)

Lastly: Headlights seem really, really dim! Granted this is my first
time driving such a large coach but I am NOT comfortable with this at
night. Do they just need replaced? Re-aimed? I don't feel I'm able to
see enough to drive safely at night, so all of our trip home was done
during the day - which is a shame, as I LOVE to drive at night.
Getting this coach night-drive-ready is my first order of business!

Thanks!!

-Ryan




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[brad barton]

Ryan, Glad you made it home okay. Our first Bird had dim gauges and dim
headlights but we got used to them. I actually velcro'd a tiny maglight on
the steering column to light the speedometer. But if it's something you
can't live with, I'm sure the gurus on this forum have the answer.

Brad Barton 00LXiDFW
bbartonwx@...





>From: "Ryan Wright"
>Reply-To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
>To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Dash lighting & headlights
>Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 23:16:49 -0700
>
>Well, we made it home OK. Long story, for another time.
>
>However, I am in need of advice on some lighting. Most importantly,
>virtually all of my gauges have failed or failing bulbs. Any advice on
>getting in there and replacing these would be most appreciated.
>
>Second thing, the green backlighting - main dash is flaky (flickers on
>and off at random); area from the altimeter and everything to the
>right of it doesn't light at all. Any advice on repairing? (while I'm
>here, does the rear panel above the beds have this lighting, and if so
>how do I fix mine or can it be added? I'd love it back there!
>Impossible to know which switch does what in the middle of the
>night...)
>
>Lastly: Headlights seem really, really dim! Granted this is my first
>time driving such a large coach but I am NOT comfortable with this at
>night. Do they just need replaced? Re-aimed? I don't feel I'm able to
>see enough to drive safely at night, so all of our trip home was done
>during the day - which is a shame, as I LOVE to drive at night.
>Getting this coach night-drive-ready is my first order of business!
>
>Thanks!!
>
>-Ryan

_________________________________________________________________
Exercise your brain! Try Flexicon.
http://games.msn.com/en/flexicon/default...ineapril07

[Ralph L. Fullenwider]

Morning Ryan:

Glad your trip home was good. The back lighting o9n the overhead from the
alt to the right toward the co pilots side does not light up, it only
lights on the drivers overhead side.

Dim dash gauges is a bane of the Wanderlodge as are the head lights but
there are things that can be done to help this. In the files section you
will find a headlight mod that will brighten your headlights. It is a
relative easy mod to do and involved a little wire and Bosh relays 30/40
amp. Do not get the similar relays at Radio Shack, they are mad in China
and will work once or twice and burn out.

The gauge lamps are another thing. Once you get the main power off the
headlight switch with the headlight mod, the headlight switch is not tasked
as heavily, but a replacement of the switch is not a bad thing either. Then
replacement of the gauge bulbs or at least pull them and clean the dust off.

The lower dash el panel: You will need an old tooth brush and alcohol and
clean the wire wound rheostat gently, this will improve contact, then
address the grounds and plugs by using a tuner cleaner.

The panel over the bed does not light up, nor the main reporting panel in
the galley, nor the switch panels to the left overhead of the driver and
right of the co pilot.

Safe travels,

Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider
84FC35
Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma

At 11:16 PM 5/3/2007 -0700, you wrote:
>Well, we made it home OK. Long story, for another time.
>
>However, I am in need of advice on some lighting. Most importantly,
>virtually all of my gauges have failed or failing bulbs. Any advice on
>getting in there and replacing these would be most appreciated.
>
>Second thing, the green backlighting - main dash is flaky (flickers on
>and off at random); area from the altimeter and everything to the
>right of it doesn't light at all. Any advice on repairing? (while I'm
>here, does the rear panel above the beds have this lighting, and if so
>how do I fix mine or can it be added? I'd love it back there!
>Impossible to know which switch does what in the middle of the
>night...)
>
>Lastly: Headlights seem really, really dim! Granted this is my first
>time driving such a large coach but I am NOT comfortable with this at
>night. Do they just need replaced? Re-aimed? I don't feel I'm able to
>see enough to drive safely at night, so all of our trip home was done
>during the day - which is a shame, as I LOVE to drive at night.
>Getting this coach night-drive-ready is my first order of business!
>
>Thanks!!
>
>-Ryan
>
>

[Stephen Birtles]

Ryan
Give me a call or send meyour phone number I should be able to help
with your dash and lifht problems
Stephen 77fc35
905 328 0162


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ralph L. Fullenwider"
wrote:
>
> Morning Ryan:
>
> Glad your trip home was good. The back lighting o9n the overhead
from the
> alt to the right toward the co pilots side does not light up, it only
> lights on the drivers overhead side.
>
> Dim dash gauges is a bane of the Wanderlodge as are the head lights but
> there are things that can be done to help this. In the files section
you
> will find a headlight mod that will brighten your headlights. It is a
> relative easy mod to do and involved a little wire and Bosh relays
30/40
> amp. Do not get the similar relays at Radio Shack, they are mad in
China
> and will work once or twice and burn out.
>
> The gauge lamps are another thing. Once you get the main power off the
> headlight switch with the headlight mod, the headlight switch is not
tasked
> as heavily, but a replacement of the switch is not a bad thing
either. Then
> replacement of the gauge bulbs or at least pull them and clean the
dust off.
>
> The lower dash el panel: You will need an old tooth brush and
alcohol and
> clean the wire wound rheostat gently, this will improve contact, then
> address the grounds and plugs by using a tuner cleaner.
>
> The panel over the bed does not light up, nor the main reporting
panel in
> the galley, nor the switch panels to the left overhead of the driver
and
> right of the co pilot.
>
> Safe travels,
>
> Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider
> 84FC35
> Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma
>
> At 11:16 PM 5/3/2007 -0700, you wrote:
> >Well, we made it home OK. Long story, for another time.
> >
> >However, I am in need of advice on some lighting. Most importantly,
> >virtually all of my gauges have failed or failing bulbs. Any advice on
> >getting in there and replacing these would be most appreciated.
> >
> >Second thing, the green backlighting - main dash is flaky (flickers on
> >and off at random); area from the altimeter and everything to the
> >right of it doesn't light at all. Any advice on repairing? (while I'm
> >here, does the rear panel above the beds have this lighting, and if so
> >how do I fix mine or can it be added? I'd love it back there!
> >Impossible to know which switch does what in the middle of the
> >night...)
> >
> >Lastly: Headlights seem really, really dim! Granted this is my first
> >time driving such a large coach but I am NOT comfortable with this at
> >night. Do they just need replaced? Re-aimed? I don't feel I'm able to
> >see enough to drive safely at night, so all of our trip home was done
> >during the day - which is a shame, as I LOVE to drive at night.
> >Getting this coach night-drive-ready is my first order of business!
> >
> >Thanks!!
> >
> >-Ryan
> >
> >
>

[Gregory OConnor]

Ryan, 'EL' is slang for electroluminescent. as far as gauge lighting
on my 94 there are several rehostats two are for the el lights and
one is the gauge. you may want to look at volts into the rehostat and
max volts out. follow that back to get 13 14 volts.

oh yea and 'Sporlan'(N. V. ADJ.) is a expletive proported to relieve
pain from thumb vs hammer or a electric over hydrolic valve. not
sure what came first


You really should sign your post with location and year/model. Years
and Models have different appliances and fixes. Some members wont
post because they dont want to confuse your repair. hence, you and
the archive miss out on their tuition. too much information on a
undated/non model fix will load the thread with Sporlan. The info
will then be confusing to you and future members who search archive
for a repair. Location is important because the 'leave us alone
star' Texans value a Texas reply with more validity then say Romoland
and the Wisconsins wont respond to the Californians. If your subject
line had a model/year, archive referencing would also prove quicker
results. Lastly, TexasMike wont have to make his SignYourPost post.

Mike did once post that we not respond to a unsigned model/year post
but he forgot to sign it.

GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa




GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ryan Wright"
wrote:
>
> Well, we made it home OK. Long story, for another time.
>
> However, I am in need of advice on some lighting. Most importantly,
> virtually all of my gauges have failed or failing bulbs. Any advice
on
> getting in there and replacing these would be most appreciated.
>
> Second thing, the green backlighting - main dash is flaky (flickers
on
> and off at random); area from the altimeter and everything to the
> right of it doesn't light at all. Any advice on repairing? (while
I'm
> here, does the rear panel above the beds have this lighting, and if
so
> how do I fix mine or can it be added? I'd love it back there!
> Impossible to know which switch does what in the middle of the
> night...)
>
> Lastly: Headlights seem really, really dim! Granted this is my first
> time driving such a large coach but I am NOT comfortable with this
at
> night. Do they just need replaced? Re-aimed? I don't feel I'm able
to
> see enough to drive safely at night, so all of our trip home was
done
> during the day - which is a shame, as I LOVE to drive at night.
> Getting this coach night-drive-ready is my first order of business!
>
> Thanks!!
>
> -Ryan
>

[Pete Masterson]

Wait until 2 AM... then experiment with the "security" switch. You'll
get a thrill. Too bad though, the bedroom panel doesn't have the
electroluminescent lighting.

Headlights -- At some point, BB started using a solenoid system to
light the lights. If your 'bird has the headlights wired directly to
the switch, they my experience a voltage drop causing the dim lights.
There's a description of this modification in the files and/or
pictures section of this list or on the "other" Wanderlodge list.

The instruments have bulbs -- I haven't tried to get at mine, yet
(although most seem a bit dim). There's been discussions of how to
fix the electroluminescent lighting in the past (check the archives).
Contact Stephen Birtles as, I believe, he carries the small inverters
that are usually the source of problems with these. Do not ever drill
or cut through the dash panels as that will permanently "kill" the
panel.

Pete Masterson
aeonix1@...
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42'
El Sobrante, CA




On May 4, 2007, at 1:16 AM, Ryan Wright wrote:

> <snip> (while I'm
> here, does the rear panel above the beds have this lighting, and if so
> how do I fix mine or can it be added? I'd love it back there!
> Impossible to know which switch does what in the middle of the
> night...)
>
> Lastly: Headlights seem really, really dim! Granted this is my first
> time driving such a large coach but I am NOT comfortable with this at
> night. Do they just need replaced? Re-aimed? I don't feel I'm able to
> see enough to drive safely at night, so all of our trip home was done
> during the day - which is a shame, as I LOVE to drive at night.
> Getting this coach night-drive-ready is my first order of business!
>

[martingregg598]

Ryan, welcome home, if you need a hand give me a call, cell, 509-727-
1522, home 509-585-9922
Marty
95 BMC 37
Kennewick

[Ryan Wright]

Thanks folks for all of the advice. I'll dig into this ASAP.

> You really should sign your post with location and year/model. Years
> and Models have different appliances and fixes. Some members wont
> post because they dont want to confuse your repair.

I know; I'm trying to remember but keep forgetting. I wish GMail would
allow me to have different auto-signatures depending on which forum
the message was being sent to.

-Ryan
'86 PT-40 8V92
Tri-Cities, WA