SharkSkin

Alan, I haven't changed my mind about the pot conversion idea -- I just want to be able to tell where it's at without moving it. Suppose you wanted to be able to open the door without turning on the lights. Example, TheStig in front of his date's house late at night. He wants to open the door a crack to toss out a condom wrapper without illuminating the ribald scene inside... he fumbles for the override switch to kill the door switches, and instead turns on the lights! (sorry Andy)

OK, maybe not the best all-around example.... But I do want to be able to tell where the switch is positioned without having to move it. Maybe if I limit the travel and put a small screwhead on the circumference, I can get what I want...

Would the 12V Zener work OK if you had the key on and your voltage was less than 12V? Or would a 10V do the trick without reducing final voltage to the lights? Actually the drop across D1 might prevent the Zener from ever seeing 12V unless the engine is running....

AO

Alan

Dave - yes - you got me - 10V or so would probably be a better value.

I was just (hardly) thinking of 12.8 v as battery nominal but thats maybe streching it a bit and it would be better to not be too close... Done!

A 3 way (center off) rocker switch with a dimple on one button face in place of the **** would be easier (I'm guessing you wont want to change from stock controls though). Are your pots vertically aligned or horizontally - if vertical thats more analgous to a light switch (up: on down: off),. The horizontal orientation is harder...

I'm not sure I'm going to benefit as fully as Andy will from this upgrade...

Alan

SharkSkin

Still waiting on the FET... I'd like to try this out, but oh well... My Int. Wiper pot is vertical. I'd rather hack that up than try to mount a switch.

I doubt I'll get mixed up as to on/off, I was just having a little fun.

So, 10V it is. I'll be able to pick that up tomorrow, then maybe begin putting something together. Thanks for the circuit wizardry, Alan!

Alan

I got my festoon bulbs today (boy that was quick shipping - ordered it saturday off eBay - love it!).

I havent tried them in the car but they look mighty bright. This circuit even without the Zener dims these very nicely... if these are bright enough I'm ordering more!

Picked up my Zener diodes @ Frys on my way home (although I had to get 11v not 10v) - so sometime soon I'll get to the measuring bit ...

Alan

Alan

SharkSkin

Thanks, now I know to not bother going to Fry's. Usually I just go to this little electronic surplus place down the street. Nice to deal with folks who know what they're selling, plus I don't have to put up with the shakedown(not that I do anyway, but it pisses me off just the same)

Alan

OK I still haven't built the final item yet - but I have swapped all my interior lights for 9/10 LED festoons (and the license plate too). I have some major rework projects underway and will incorporate the soft fade in/out interior lighting electronics in that install...

I have finished the override switch panel - I purchased a very expensive ($0.5) switch from allelectronics for my override switch - photo below - in the photo the black of the switch looks different to the panel but actually they match very closely - the paddle is a lighter grey and is a center-off SPDT. So the positions are - center is fully auto as normal - one way is override-on the other way is override always-off. It has a nice positive click action... I'm very happy with how it turned out. Needed some panel & switch adaptation & it just snaps in/out - but I did this on a spare panel in case I ever want to return to stock... I also got one with the intensive wash switch (GTS doesn't normally have one) so I can use this for another little project...

I had already made the intermittent wiper rate control redundant several years ago with the digital wiper solution so needed to replace that silly wheel anyway!

Alan

heinrich

I found some nice onces .... now I need to add the soft-off. Wish I could turn all on when I turn one on. Godzilla's interior is really looking pretty good these days

Alan

H

I like ! What are those from? - assume from the logos the lens pivots longways... do they fit in the standard holes? - looks like it covers the trim nicely - looks a wider overlap than the stock ones ... Humm - I think I want these for the roof/hatch - tell me more...

You can have the single switch all on/all off just not from the lights....

Alan

heinrich

Alan a slider on a spring or nonlocking pushbutton may be good too?

heinrich

They're .... drumroll .... 30-dollar VW units

heinrich

Dude you have no idea ... the stock units look like garbage compared. These are brighter and have a harness .... I had to make signigicant mods to fit, but I love the result!

Alan

H - OK I'm serious - I really like these (yes the stock one are a POS - and my trim is not fitting around them properly any more...) VW part numbers please..?

So what physical mods did you need to do... the electrical is a doddle I'm sure...

Slider with spring... err - I'm not getting it yet... smacks head...!... errr still not getting it....

Alan

heinrich

Well right now you've got a rocker, right? I mean a slider you can hold to dim, or a pushbutton dimmer

heinrich

For the rear one I had to cut the harness receiver off and jbweld a new one at an angle - there's not enough room back there ..... and for all I had to mod the clips to allow them to hold the lights in-place
... I'll get you the part number