Backlight On Digital Clock (not The Bulb!)

[Ex-Galaxy person]

Hi All,

 

I've searched and read all the threads on this topic; my problem is that the backlight on my digital clock doesn't work (and hasn't in the 3 months I've had the car).

 

To date, here's what I've done:

 

1. Replaced the bulb - still dark.

2. Check the wiring - 12V juice is there (via pin 4 - thanks to Andeeeh for info) going in the the back of the connector, when the lights are switched on, and not when they are off (i.e. expected behaviour).

3. Checked a replacement clock unit from a breaker with a good bulb - exactly the same problem.

 

I'm now thinking it's the connector that goes in to the clock not making the right contact with the pin on the clock itself; my other idea is to take the clock right apart and bridge the PCB between the pin and the bulb mount.

 

Any other ideas/experience before I get the soldering iron out?

 

The final option is to just live with it, but now I know it should be backlit it's bugging me...... ;)

 

cheers,

 

Phillip

[Vanbursta]

Hi Phillip,

 

Could be a badly soldered pin on the board (unlikely as it happens with both) or more likely the wrong type of bulb has been fitted, or the correct bulb has been fitted but the contacts on the bulbs base are not making good contact with the circuit board. I had the same when I changed the bulb (both bulbs looked identical) but it was only on close inspection I realised that the contacts on the bulb base were in different positions, a quick trip to Ford to get the proper bulb and all was sorted, I compared the correct bulb with all those available in the local motor factors and NONE were the same contact wise as the bulb Ford supplied.

[Guest HairyPlateEater]

Twin pack of bulbs from Halfrauds worked fine on mine. If you are getting current in all the right places, have you checked for a good earth? Seems like power is going in but not able to go out anywhere so stopping things working. Seems strange to be a problem with cct board if another clock didnt work also. This would lead me to it being a problem with wiring before the clock unit.

[Vanbursta]

I simply meant there are several different bulbs that will physically fit, but not all of them will work, I know of 7 different bulbs that look identical (or similar) but there is only 1 type that will fit and work. By way of example I have photographed the 4 (out of the 7) I have as spares. Note that some are similar, but they are not interchangable.

 

[AndeeeH]

This may be a long shot but when I recently fitted a Fiesta digital clock into my Maverick I needed 2 live feeds. The 'power' wire only made the LCD figures work. The backlight didn't work nor could I change the time using the buttons. The clock kept time but could not be altered. My initial thought was dodgy clock so I tried another one, same thing happened. Looked at TIS for the function of the 4 wires leading to the clock and found, as well as the power and earth, the the third one provided the 'alarm active' flashing icon and the fourth one completed the PATS circuit. This fourth wire was also live so I connected this to the same feed as the power wire and lo and behold the clock lit up and I could change the time. The clock was permanently back lit but was not too intrusive so I left it alone. <_< Andy.

[Gadgetoid]

Haven't confirmed this by looking at the wiring diagram, but I would bet a large sum of money that the illumination is a separate power feed - if only because this can then be controlled by the instrument panel dimming dial, so iluminations lights are all on the same circuit routed through this. Be rather odd to have the clock function connected to a rheostat - you could then make it run faster or slower with the dimmer dial :ph34r:

 

I am of course refering to the Mark II - but I presume the Mark I also has the illumination dimmer dial somewhere :D