oz928s4

Can someone tell me are the window winder switches and sunroof switch on the centre console supposed to be illuminated

dr bob

Yes, I can tell you that no, they do not have any illumination capability.

IIRC, Nicole sells some overlays that are brighter white and may actually glow a little.

The plastic rockers don't have any room to add even tiny LEDs to help you find them at night. Maybe a couple discrete LED's in the leading edge of the cassette tray would do the trick, facing down on the switches. The little black-light ones would do the trick with Nicole's overlays I suspect.

cold_beer839

There are only 4 switches there anyway, fairly easy to memorize them for no-look operation.

I am so technical.

oz928s4

I agree ...just wanted to clarify the case.
Now how did it go sunroof... window ...window ....window...sunroof..

RKD in OKC

Window, sunroof, wiper, window...and I didn't even have to look.

Nicole

My supplier in Germany is working on a solution to illuminate the switches. However, this is not for the faint of heart- while he can make the rockers translulcent, installing and wiring the actual illumination will be another story.

At this point, there are a hand full of prototypes; not (yet) installed in a car).

Basically, the rockers have to be redone precisely in translucent material, then painted, and the paint lasered-off for the symbols. A pretty expensive process, given the small quantities.

It will be well into 2009 before we can offer this. All I know at this point is that it'll cost a lot more than a set of overlays...

Larry928GTS

I've thought about trying something similar one of these days. Instead of painting and then removing the paint with a laser for the symbols, what about masking and leaving a circular area located where the symbol goes unpainted, and then using an overlay decal? The overlay would be similar to those already available, only instead of the white symbol being printed onto a black background, it would be with the black portion being printed onto a clear or translucent background. It would be like a stencil blocking the light from coming through the unpainted circular area, except for where the light was able to pass through the clear or translucent symbol area of the overlay. It might reduce production costs to do it that way rather than using the laser.

Nicole

I forgot one step: After the black paint has been lasered-off, the rockers have to be clear/matt coated for best durability. That's how it's done for small production runs of high end automobiles... and is proven to last.

Expect the cost for the high quality conversion to be somewhere around $200-250 (sorry, Ryan )

Jadz928

You can illuminate the switch from above with overhead LED lighting, like I did here...

I works nicely, and lights up the shifter and cassette console as well.

auzivision

I've been contemplating doing something similar using a Gentex mirror. They have one that includes Homelink, Compass, Outside temperature, and LED mood lighting.

They can even include a Valentine V1 remote, but that kind of defeats the purpose of a concealed remote. The down sides are you have to change out the windshield mount (potential chance of breakage) and the size is a little out of proportion.

I put one of these in my pickup and love it… the Homelink range is 2 to 3 times that of a standard transmitter plus no batteries.

928cs

Window, nothing, window.

A CS is easier to live with ;-)

Randy V

There is a Rennlist Sponsor who sells glow-in-the-dark switch overlay icons.

http://www.eu-decals.com/

ew928

Nicole.
Instead of going the laser etching off the switch overlay, how bout just using the translucent switches and then applying the stick on vinyl overlays.
Would that be too cheesy.

Of course then you lose the lit overlay effect and be stuck with lit switch with unlit overlay.


Now you have me thinking.
Don't think the hatch release pull switch is lit.
Wonder if there's room to sneak an LED in there.
And is the center of the switch a pull out section like the pod switches.

Alan

I have a Donnelly ECT mirror with maplights, compass temp etc and the size is actually fine - metter than stock in every way - the re-mount not difficult (just a tense moment on removal. I'd go ahead and do it. Perhaps a UV LED downlight and fluorescent switch decals ?

Personally I think the issue isn't the illumination as much as that this isn't the optimal positions for these switches (after all if you have to look at the switches you are looking a long way away from the road...). I know that's the stock look but it was one of the few poor ergonomic choices Porsche made in my opinion. All modern designs have the window switches intuitively located on the doors... I think the current configuration dates the interior somewhat... Like to see someone totally reconfigure the console (also a dated look) and move them to the doors... anyone game?

Alan

auzivision

Alan, thanks for the feedback... I'll probably do this now.

Did you use a heat gun to encourage that mounting button off?

Also, I forgot to mention my favorite feature… it’s auto dimming, which would be way cool for our low slung sharks!