Thread: Instrument Lights

I have read thru the Forum trying to understand how the circuit board works that controls instrument lighting. My instrument lights don't work. They have the orange tube which runs around the instruments. What is this? Is it a neon tube? Is it a fiber optic tube? No indication from the wiring diagram. I have checked voltage output from the circuit board and it appears that there is a voltage which comes from the little black box on this board that has two black wires which connect to the orange tube in the instrument panel. My compass and fuel tube red LED's work and I see that these are powered by a separate 12v line out of the circuit board titled "compas". Does anyone have diagrams or info on this "mystery" circuit board?

Just order the tube and replace it. The orange tubes were bad about failing. I've had to replace a few. It takes a little while to get it all rapped around. They don't cost that much. tom

Thanks Tom. Any words of wisdom regarding installation of this tube? Anything to do or not do or installation directions? I guess not kinking the tube is important after reading some threads. Is there a possibility that there is a kink somewhere that I can "un-kink" and make the tube work? Just asking this question to see if I can save some work by not installing a completely new tube. Still am wondering how this tube works? Pretty sure that it's not fiber optic since there's not a light source feeding into it. JFM??

I replaced mine with some lights that John had at Sebring. Much better and the instruments didn't sit as far back as they did with the ring.

Roger

Roger, the local CT distributor has installed the same rings you mention on one of their older CT's. They seem to be the better way to go but I thought I'd give the "orange tube" a 2nd chance if there's any hope for it. Thanks.

The orange light rings are terrible and break very easy. They are too fragile. Stay with the blue ones or replaces your gauges with gauges that have the light built in.

Mine don't work either... never have since hour 20 (maybe before). I believe the yellow "tube" is really EL wire... aka electroluminescent wire. Problems are likely pinches or bad solder connections. I'm pretty sure the problem is that the way they were put together, they act like that bad string of Christmas lights (one bulb out kills the whole string). There is much info about EL wire, how it operates (simple), and how to solder it... on the web.

Tim

i bought my ct with a night lighting package but the right panel had no lighting.

i get by with flashlights and was thinking of some suction cup lights

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The orange light rings were trash. The newer blue are better.