355 console switch disassembly and bulb change | FerrariChat
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355 console switch disassembly and bulb change

Discussion in '348/355' started by vincentf355, Oct 12, 2017.

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  1. vincentf355

    vincentf355 Karting

    Feb 24, 2010
    118
    Taipei
    Full Name:
    vincent tseng
    #1 vincentf355, Oct 12, 2017
    Dome light switch backlight failed. Switch is disassembled by pulling the cap off. Now I know! Inside are a 3mm green LED bulb and a resistor.

    Original bulbs of instrument cluster, third brake, HVAC I have ever worked are all incandescent, not LED. Why?

    LED is replaced while keeping the resistor. It is the negative side of LED that resistor should connect to.

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  2. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    14,260
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    #2 Qavion, Oct 12, 2017
    Considering the car's age, these cars were probably in the transition phase from incandescents to LEDs. Perhaps they weren't so cheap back in those days. Also, as you can see, older LEDs require resistors (otherwise they will blow with 12V applied to them), so there is a space and manufacturing complication consideration. There were no plug-in, 12v-compatible LEDs in those days, so, for simplicity, they stuck to incandescents, especially in the instrument binnacle.

    LEDs will normally outlive incandescents, but they are not always 100% reliable over the life of the car. I'd rather change a non-polarity sensitive bulb than get out a soldering iron in a confined space.

    Hope this makes sense
    Cheers
     
  3. vincentf355

    vincentf355 Karting

    Feb 24, 2010
    118
    Taipei
    Full Name:
    vincent tseng
    #3 vincentf355, Oct 12, 2017
    Thanks for the explanation.
     
  4. vincentf355

    vincentf355 Karting

    Feb 24, 2010
    118
    Taipei
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    vincent tseng
    #4 vincentf355, Nov 16, 2017
    It turned out to be a inconsistent color tone.
    [​IMG]
    A green bulb cover is added. OK now.
    [​IMG]
     
  5. vincentf355

    vincentf355 Karting

    Feb 24, 2010
    118
    Taipei
    Full Name:
    vincent tseng
    #5 vincentf355, Sep 20, 2024
    Seven-years-old thread with very few reply and attention, I would still like to give it a update with a new finding.

    Especially more and more f355 parts are discontinued and NLA and less and less new old stock and used one come with a crazy price, it is nice to have it fixed by ourselves which is very easy and much more cheaper.

    The bulb blown after seven years and I had changed the bulb again this year. But then I realized there are two kind of green bulb which I did not know at that time.

    One is deep green and one is fluorescent green. I was using fluorescent green bulb which is wrong so the light turned out be inconsistent color tone compared with other switches.

    If it is the light failed, no need to get a switch to replace and, if you did, do not throw away the old one. It could be fixed.
     
    Carmellini, C'dwic and phrogs like this.
  6. vincentf355

    vincentf355 Karting

    Feb 24, 2010
    118
    Taipei
    Full Name:
    vincent tseng
    #6 vincentf355, Sep 20, 2024
    phrogs thank you so much for liking the post as a response..
     
  7. vincentf355

    vincentf355 Karting

    Feb 24, 2010
    118
    Taipei
    Full Name:
    vincent tseng
    #7 vincentf355, Sep 21, 2024
    c'dwic thank you so much for liking the post as a response.
     
  8. vincentf355

    vincentf355 Karting

    Feb 24, 2010
    118
    Taipei
    Full Name:
    vincent tseng
    #8 vincentf355, Sep 22, 2024
    Carmelline thank you so much for liking the post as a response.
     

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