Blue main beam tell tale indicator problem

[Darkhorse]

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Gents, can't get the blue main beam indicator working.
I've read other posts, understand this is the only incandescent bulb in the cluster. I've not got the gear or knowledge to solder in led and resistors. I've got the old bulb out and it tested ok with a 9v battery borrowed from a smoke detector. Doesn't look to be similar bulb to the oem replacement however (which I think has defined polarity according to Haynes)
If I plug the bulb back into the cluster on the printed board, would I be able to test with the same 9v battery by touching the appropriate pin (think it was 1 or 2) without blowing anything to prove the board connection is good?

Any other ideas? Thanks in advance.

[CovKid]

easier to bypass any resistor in the circuit and just something like one of these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pre-Wired-LED ... BY12EArDWg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Makes no sense now to replace with regular bulb. You'll only have to replace it again.

Just keep the blue plastic cap so LED isn't too bright.

[Darkhorse]

Thanks for the link. So just hard wire + to the blue/white wire that runs to the pcb connector and - to an available earth?

I'm thinking as an interim and to get it through the mot to just externally fix the blue capped main beam indicator to the dash. The old man called it Heath Robinson. Then do a full and proper job as per your wiki listing when time permits. Cheers

[CovKid]

MOT merely requires some form of indicator. Mine went through MOT one year with a bulb on dash wired into full beam circuit. You can mess with dash clocks later.

[Darkhorse]

Got a 10cm blue led strip from Maplin for £1.29 which is stuck on the dash and wired to main beam circuit. Looks crap but should see keep em happy.

[CovKid]

Yes it will. It'll probably annoy you in the dark though. I swapped my dash binnacle for a diesel one and gained an additional orange light which serves as the high beam indicator. Providing you have a visual indicator and this could be a light or even a flag (could be fun), that will be acceptable under current MOT rules. In the end its only about reducing the likelihood of you blinding another driver, thats all. Just be glad you're not preparing a truck for testing - that really IS stringent.

[slowcoach]

I've a related question for this thread so I'll tag along here-

My blue indicator for main beam on my new late cluster doesn't work. I've just rewired the 14pin plug so i can for the late cluster in place of my early one. All good so far. When i bench tested all the indicator bulbs, i coukdnt light the blue one so im assuming it's broken.

My removed early cluster has a yellow led (not bulb) in place, which works. Can i take that out and put it in the new cluster which probably has a bust blue bulb? Or will it be overloaded?

[CovKid]

Yes it will. Most LEDS use a forward voltage of 3v so it'll go pop unless you add something like a 390 ohm resistior to it. All the MOT requires is that you have some 'visual' indication in the cab that shows you're on full so technically you could have a flag pop up as long as it works consistently. It doesn't have to be blue either, even if thats become a standard over the years.

Better with an LED for longevity. You can either trace the circuit and put a resistor in series, or as I did, made a small hole above the brake warning light and wired directly to high beam circuit with a resistor. Personally I find blue way too bright - mines orange DSo not under any circumstances opt for a high brightness LED unless you want your face lit up everytime you go on full. You can dip LED in black paint if it proves to be too bright.

If its for an MOT, as long as theres a light somewhere on the dash that comes on for high beam, they'll pass it.

[slowcoach]

thanks ralph, thought as much :/ I guess my early cluster has a different resistor inline than the later one meant for the filament bulb. ill sort this when i take out the new binnacle (agaaain) for when i get the tacho workng with the subaru.
cheers!