My dash clock gets dim and sometimes almost compleately gone, i go to rub the screen to "clean it" or very very lightly tap on it and it comes right back on for a couple hours, then starts fading once again, can i fix this? I can get another off of my Donor/Parts vehicle, but wanted to know if its a quick fix or if the whole clock needs to be changed, thanks.

 

EA82 1989 GL Dashboard.

Edited May 2, 201510 yr by Subasaurus

There are a couple of solder joints that overheat and fail. It is fixable.

also, during the winter only when it was below 40 degrees F, the clock would forget what time it was when i would turn my vehicle off for more than 15min, but above 40 degrees, it always remembered for days, was this one of the first symptoms before this problem?

Mine were occasionally forgetting the time.  A few months ago, I did an upgrade to 2 of them.  [i run 2 GL / Loyale wagons] 

One mod uses a switchmode power supply to eliminate the need for the resistor that overheats, and the other is an added capacitor to the constant power feed that keeps the time clock running.  I have not had any forget the time glitchs since. 

From what I noticed, they would forget the time due to the voltage drop when the starter runs.  I never did test specifically to be 100% sure that this is the cause, however.

alright thanks DaveT, i will check the solder joints and resolder them and figure out how to add a capacitor, ill have to take a look at it to see whats going on, just wanted to know if it was possible, thanks!

I posted more about it somewhere. Also add a diode so the capacitor is not discharged by the external wiring when the supply voltage drops.

There are also 2 bulbs that should be replaced while you are in there.

just like the dash bulbs? and this morning it was compleately off and i had to tap on it for it to come on, thats a first, never been compleately off before.

Edited May 4, 201510 yr by Subasaurus

I recall the bulbs being somewhat hard to find.   I bought 10 of them.   They came in a tiny package.... and now I can't find that package.   I'll take a look tonight and maybe they will magically appear.

okay so what am i looking at? what do i replace? funny part is the one on the right (first picture) that looks burnt on the bottom right of the board is the one out of my donor (2nd picture) thats working fine, the one on the left is the one that sometimes works now. what do i replace so it can work for another 10years to keep as a spare?

also i don't see any bulbs of any kind rdweninger :/ it has its own light source. (3rd picture)

thanks for the help guys.

Edited May 5, 201510 yr by Subasaurus

Your clock looks a little different from the one I fixed from a 1985 GL wagon -  it had the trip computer/clock.

I think your clock has a tiny bulb seen in the second pic,  middle -right.

think thats where they vacuum seal it from the factory in order for it to glow and light up (first picture)

also i think i found the problem, white resistor on bottom right on previous post seemed to have unsoldered.. (2nd picture) so i will see what happenes now.

alright, its all good and fixed, white resistor is the issue, if it unsolders again, ill just have to replace it with a modern resistor, see if that improves anything with the heat issue.

thank you DaveT and rdweninger for all your help

 

also (note how much brighter it is) looks like it might annoy me at night while driving now lol.

Edited May 5, 201510 yr by Subasaurus

I'm glad that you fixed it.

 

... looks like it might annoy me at night while driving now lol.

 

Nope, it will Dim when you turn on the Lights.

 

Kind Regards.

Edited May 5, 201510 yr by Loyale 2.7 Turbo

I'm glad that you fixed it.

 

 

 

Nope, it will Dim when you turn on the Lights.

 

Kind Regards.

you're right

 

for future reference incase anyone wants to make a room clock or still use it in the vehicle,

 

•-Black=ground (obviously)

•+Blue=memory (for when you turn your vehicle off) this wire will always have + power to remember the time.

•+Yellow=daylight (bright screen)

•+Red and +Yellow=(dim screen) for night driving.

 

So if your going to use the clock in a bedroom as im about to with my spare, you hook Black with - and +Yellow and +Blue together to a 12V powersupply transformer at home (obviously)

+Red=Not Used.

Edited May 5, 201510 yr by Subasaurus

These are vacuum fluorescent displays. No light bulbs.