Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum - Second try--Was--accessing dashboard for miscellaneous repairs

Hi, folks--

Gee, it's been since Saturday that we sent in some questions on this, but not a single reply from the group. Was really hoping to get your input because many of you have so much more expertise on these matters than we do. . .we're a bit daunted by some of this. . .

Here are our technical problems/questions: On the dashboard of our '83 FC 35', some of the heater rocker switches don't work, and a few small blue lights are out. On the left side of the instrument panel, the backlighting has gone out. Plus the odometer seems to be working only intermittently. We read the one thread of messages on opening up the dashboard in the archives (beginning at message 15,762), but that was pertaining to a '78 FC 33'. Does anyone have any advice on opening our dash and replacing these components, please?

Thanks again very much in advance for any help/advice you can offer!

Jo-Ski and Stew

'83 FC 35' RB

"The Bird Abides"

Blaine, WA

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Jo-Ski" wrote:
>
> Hi, folks--JO. Please call me on my cell and I well try to help
you .I have had my dash out in my pt 40 many times. Lee Condosta 85
PT 40 Cell 910-520-9166 Holden Beach N.C
>
> Gee, it's been since Saturday that we sent in some questions on
this, but not a single reply from the group. Was really hoping to get
your input because many of you have so much more expertise on these
matters than we do. . .we're a bit daunted by some of this. . .
>
> Here are our technical problems/questions: On the dashboard of
our '83 FC 35', some of the heater rocker switches don't work, and a
few small blue lights are out. On the left side of the instrument
panel, the backlighting has gone out. Plus the odometer seems to be
working only intermittently. We read the one thread of messages on
opening up the dashboard in the archives (beginning at message
15,762), but that was pertaining to a '78 FC 33'. Does anyone have
any advice on opening our dash and replacing these components, please?
>
> Thanks again very much in advance for any help/advice you can offer!
>
> Jo-Ski and Stew
> '83 FC 35' RB
> "The Bird Abides"
> Blaine, WA
>

Hi Jo-Ski:

Sorry I missed your first post. As Ernie said, remove the outer (4) trim
edges, 2 on each side. Ok, here is where we find out if your dash has
been pulled up before or not. Gently raise the lower edge of the dash up
and see if you feel like it is still screwed down or not, if it lifts
then it has been out before if not then stop and on the left side of the
dash there will be a couple of "blank" places for add on
switches, those will gently lift up and under one of those you will find
a screw holding that side of the lower dash panel down. Remove that screw
and set it aside,,, way aside

Now then the lower dash will only lift up so far it will not come all the
way out. Remember there is a ton of wiring under there and I do mean a
ton like a rats nest and those wires are brittle or have connectors on
them and many many butt splices. so before you start make a diagram of
the dash and which switches are not working and really you will want to
have then on hand before you start this. on the sides of the switches
there is a pressure point to press on to allow the switch to be removed
through the top with out prying. Remember to make a diagram of which
wires went were and don't trust to memory, if it is written down you
don't have to remember and that is one thing less to do.

!/2 of the lower dash being out, whew, the inverters (blue ice cube's)
are either located on the left side under the lower dash or more than
likely they will be on the left behind the upper lower dash and it will
have to come out to get to them, but one step at a time. The led lights
for the switches may be because no power to the switches, wires pulled
off the back of the switches or? or? or? so many things.

Bottom line, be super gentle always.

Safe travels,

Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider

84FC35 "Ruff Diamond"

Duncan, Oklahoma

At 02:09 PM 1/21/2008 -0800, you wrote:

Hi,
folks--

Gee, it's been since Saturday that we sent in some
questions on this, but not a single reply from the group. Was really
hoping to get your input because many of you have so much more expertise
on these matters than we do. . .we're a bit daunted by some of this. .
.

Here are our technical problems/questions: On the
dashboard of our '83 FC 35', some of the heater rocker switches don't
work, and a few small blue lights are out. On the left side of the
instrument panel, the backlighting has gone out. Plus the odometer seems
to be working only intermittently. We read the one thread of messages on
opening up the dashboard in the archives (beginning at message 15,762),
but that was pertaining to a '78 FC 33'. Does anyone have any advice on
opening our dash and replacing these components, please?

Thanks again very much in advance for any help/advice you can offer!

Jo-Ski and Stew

'83 FC 35' RB

"The Bird Abides"

Blaine, WA

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1/21/2008 9:39 AM

A note on the electro-lum part, in addition to the inverters that
have been mentioned, the EL can also go out if the "elements" within
the dash are damaged. On my old FC, half of the lower dash was out
because a corner had somehow gotten crimped, probably on a previous
dash removal for some reason. It can also happen if someone drills a
new hole for some reason. Once it is damaged, it is toast.

Scott Forman
86 PT38
Memphis

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Jo-Ski" wrote:
>
> Hi, folks--
>
> Gee, it's been since Saturday that we sent in some questions on
this, but not a single reply from the group. Was really hoping to get
your input because many of you have so much more expertise on these
matters than we do. . .we're a bit daunted by some of this. . .
>
> Here are our technical problems/questions: On the dashboard of
our '83 FC 35', some of the heater rocker switches don't work, and a
few small blue lights are out. On the left side of the instrument
panel, the backlighting has gone out. Plus the odometer seems to be
working only intermittently. We read the one thread of messages on
opening up the dashboard in the archives (beginning at message
15,762), but that was pertaining to a '78 FC 33'. Does anyone have
any advice on opening our dash and replacing these components, please?
>
> Thanks again very much in advance for any help/advice you can offer!
>
> Jo-Ski and Stew
> '83 FC 35' RB
> "The Bird Abides"
> Blaine, WA
>

On a 91 EL dash that was out partway, I rubbed the lines with an
eraser and the dash glowed once again. if there is a rehostat check
voltage in and out while spinning the dial. The rehostat regulate
voltage to the inverter. It goes from battery ;to head light switch
(;to relay);to rehostat ;to inverter to ;el lites.

With one bad inverter on my 94, I used a radioshack inverter to run
the dash for a test. The '94 inverter looks like a brick and cost
$400.00 each. Units earlier than 94 have several small inverters.
The EL lghts run off of 110 volts so the mini invereters change 12
volts to 110 for the glow. The problem with the radioshack/pepboys
inverters is they do not blow enough HTZ (whatever that is) so you
cant get a bright glow

At a recent tailgate I bugged a '04Prevost neighbor to look at my
Dash after dusk. He agreed to check it out if I would not play the
MusicalHorn anymore. He missed out on seeing quite a beautiful dash

EL is a subject for StephenB and CurtS. careful with 100 voltage
after the inverters.

GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Forman" <sforman@...>
wrote:
>
> A note on the electro-lum part, in addition to the inverters that
> have been mentioned, the EL can also go out if the "elements"
within
> the dash are damaged. On my old FC, half of the lower dash was out
> because a corner had somehow gotten crimped, probably on a previous
> dash removal for some reason. It can also happen if someone drills
a
> new hole for some reason. Once it is damaged, it is toast.
>
> Scott Forman
> 86 PT38
> Memphis
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Jo-Ski" wrote:
> >
> > Hi, folks--
> >
> > Gee, it's been since Saturday that we sent in some questions on
> this, but not a single reply from the group. Was really hoping to
get
> your input because many of you have so much more expertise on these
> matters than we do. . .we're a bit daunted by some of this. . .
> >
> > Here are our technical problems/questions: On the dashboard of
> our '83 FC 35', some of the heater rocker switches don't work, and
a
> few small blue lights are out. On the left side of the instrument
> panel, the backlighting has gone out. Plus the odometer seems to be
> working only intermittently. We read the one thread of messages on
> opening up the dashboard in the archives (beginning at message
> 15,762), but that was pertaining to a '78 FC 33'. Does anyone have
> any advice on opening our dash and replacing these components,
please?
> >
> > Thanks again very much in advance for any help/advice you can
offer!
> >
> > Jo-Ski and Stew
> > '83 FC 35' RB
> > "The Bird Abides"
> > Blaine, WA
> >
>

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Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum

Jo-Ski

lcondosta

Ralph L. Fullenwider

Scott Forman

Gregory OConnor