Panel Lights

[memphis]

Hello!

When I turn on my panel lights there is no light on the fuel gauge and the tach. Other gauges light up nicely and the red ignition light on the tach works.

There is a light attached "externally" on the fuel gauge holding bracket (bulb positioned in upper left corner?) that does work, but this only lights up and shows the gap between the edge of the dash pad and the wood dash panel. Maybe this is in the wrong position?

Should there be an internal light in the fuel and tach gauge? If yes, are these easy to replace?

New to Healey and British cars so really appreciate the help and advice!

Thanks!
Bob

 

[IanIrving]

Yes both gauges should have internal lamps which fit in holes in the back of the gauge, and yes they are easy to replace, screw in 2.2 watt 12 volt. Some people decide they are too dim and replace them with LED lamps if car has been converted to negative earth.

Ian

 

[memphis]

Hello Ian,

Thank you! I thought so, but laying on my back and looking up at the rear of the gauges, I can't see them. I can easily see the lights for the ignition (red) and the high beam (blue).

Sorry, to clarify, can I replace/check the bulbs without having to remove the gauges? Or best to remove the gauges?

Thanks again!
Bob

 

[IanIrving]

Hi Bob
Yes, the lamp holders just push into the holes behind the gauges with a kind of springclip arangement of the bulbolder, just pull them out and unscrew the bulbs and change them. You can do it by feel but lying on your back, whilst less comfortable, makes it easier to see.
Ian
.

 

[IanIrving]

Hi again Bob
If still not clear, email me on oui3@orange.fr and I'll flick you back a photo of how the bulbholder should look.

Ian

 

[memphis]

Thanks Ian, just sent you an email.
Regards, Bob

 

[memphis]

Pictures would be helpful especially showing the correct position of the fuel gauge bracket with the light bulb holder.

I did locate and check the internal upper bulb for the tach. It's a different type of connector than the lower bulb for the red ignition light.

My fuel gauge does not have an internal light bulb and no place for one? Is it illuminated by the external bulb that is attached to the "u" bracket which secures the fuel gauge?

If yes, should the bulb position be on the bottom or top of the gauge?

Thank you!
Bob

 

[IanIrving]

Hi again Bob
I haven't seen a gauge with no lamp fitting on a Healey before, maybe off a different model and changed at some point in the past. As per the pictures I sent you the tacho bulb hoder is different. If your car has an external illumination system, maybe someone else can explain it?
Ian

 

[memphis]

Hi Ian,

Thank you! Could you send me an email with pictures again?
I did not receive your first email??? Did you receive my email?
Thanks!
Bob

 

[memphis]

Looking at the Moss site... it looks like the earlier model fuel gauge had the light bulb externally located on the holding bracket, and the later models had the light bulb internal.

Can anyone confirm this?

Thank you,
Bob

 

[IanIrving]

Hi Bob
I've sent them again, check if its gone into you junkmail folder. My car is a 65 BJ8 like yours so the gauges should be the same. I'll look through my parts catalogues (UK) to see if there's a different lighting system.

Ian

 

[memphis]

Hi Ian,

So far nothing? Nothing in my junk or spam either. I will email you an alternate email address for me. Maybe it will work better?

Also, checking your parts book would be nice. I wonder if 1965 was a "change year" for the gauge?

Bob

 

[Randy Forbes]

The bulb is external to the gauge on the early cars, like my 100/6; the fuel and safety gauge are both illuminated in this fashion.

I believe the bulbs are orientated in the 2:00 position on one, and the 10:00 position on the other.

The speedometer and tachometer have internal bulbs, and they are a different socket type than the High Beam/Ignition lamp sockets.

 

[IanIrving]

Hi Bob
Pictures now sent to your work email address, hope you have them now. My parts catalogue does show a fuel guage with external lights on earlier models but one only shown for BJ8. I guess maybe a PO changed the gauge to the earlier type.
Ian

 

[AUSMHLY]

Hi Bob,
I took some photo of my 64 BJ8 to help you.

The fuel gauge has a brass tube sticking out the back that the bulb socket will press into. The stock bulb is a E10 filament 2.2 watt bulb. To help illuminate it better, you can replace the E10 2.2 watt with Ba9s 4 watt. I've done some research on finding a brighter E10 filament bulb, but the next wattage up was 5 watts, and that got too hot. I found 4 watt filament bulb that worked fine. However it is a Ba9s style. I replaced the E10 bulb holder with the Ba9s bulb holder.

If you'd like to illuminate the tack and speedo more, you can add another 2.2 watt bulb to the bottom right, about 5 o'clock, looking at the front of the gauge. The second bulb will help illuminate the face near the bottom, which in turn illuminates the entire gauge face.

That's how to improve the lighting in the gauges with filament bulbs. Or you could replace the filament bulbs with E10 LED bulbs. It's a plug and play if you car is negative ground. If you interested in doing that, search here on the forum, I wrote a piece about it. The light will almost double brilliance.

Here's how the photos go: (I'm using one Ba9s 4watt filament in these photos)
1. Back of the fuel gauge shows the brass tube where the bulb socket goes.
2. Photo shows were the light exits down from the middle of the fuel gauge.
3. Photo shows were the light exits up from the bottom of the fuel gauge.
4. Photo shows looking forward at the gauge.
5. Photo shows the 12v 4watt, Ba9s bulb and bulb socket.

Cheers,
Roger

 

[AUSMHLY]

Bob,

These photos show I'm using two 2.2 watt E10 filament bulbs.
Top bulb is stock position about 10 o'clock.
Bottom bulb is in the new hole I made and using a E10 base in the 5 o'clock position. (Clock position are when looking at the front of the gauge)

1. Back of speedo, (same as tach) shows stock E10 holder is about 10 o'clock.
and the new E10 bulb holder (brass) is 5 o'clock.
2. Front of tack, level position, two 2.2 watt bulbs being used.
3. Front of oil/water using one Ba9s 4 watt filament.
4. All gauges.

Hope this helps answer your questions Bob.
Cheers,
Roger

 

[memphis]

Hi Roger,

Thanks for the reply posts and pictures! Very nice! This helps greatly. Bob