Club 80-90 Forums

What was the row of blanks for under the existing warning lamp array?

I'm considering doing a CJH on this and using it for good informative indication.

I've never seen it in an original VW application

You mean the two LED locations behind the perspex window, or the four rows below that window?

One of the two LEDs is used as a glowplugs lamp in the diesel models, but I think the sixth one was just there for symmetry, or for 'just in case'. Our vans weren't the only models to have 'spares'. The Golf from the same era seems to have had an entire row of spares:



If you're referring to the panel with four rows that look like they ought to have LEDs, I suspect that was VW simply making that panel look more interesting than a flat panel.

It would be good to get some ideas on what to use the spares for. I've thought of a couple, and I've prepared the wiring ready for connecting them up. My list so far:
1) Trailer indicator repeater - a buzzer or lamp is a legal requirement I believe, and the buzzer in my towing relay is a bit hard to hear sometimes.
2) A fan indicator - not needed for the high speed fan (you always know when that's running), but it could be useful/reassuring to know when the low speed fan is powered.

What else?

CJH wrote: 2) A fan indicator - not needed for the high speed fan (you always know when that's running), but it could be useful/reassuring to know when the low speed fan is powered.

It will be on most the time your driving, the fan windmills and generates enough to light an LED.

bigherb wrote:

CJH wrote: 2) A fan indicator - not needed for the high speed fan (you always know when that's running), but it could be useful/reassuring to know when the low speed fan is powered.

It will be on most the time your driving, the fan windmills and generates enough to light an LED.

Yeah, that crossed my mind. A friend of mine did the same on an old Scimitar and had that exact same problem.

Useful one if you do the PWM blower upgrade would be a "left on" indicator. Can't think of anything else on a stock engine but might apply with an engine conversion. Still working on my "quick the engine bay is in flames" alarm. Works ok, just need it to alert the driver now.

I'd like to have a 'low fuel' warning light. It ought to be possible to build a circuit to light an LED when the fuel sender resistance passes a certain threshold, but circuit design isn't one of my strengths.

I think a rule for these warning LEDs is that they should only light to indicate an abnormal or occasional condition - they'd get very annoying if they were lit all the time.

CJH wrote:I'd like to have a 'low fuel' warning light. It ought to be possible to build a circuit to light an LED when the fuel sender resistance passes a certain threshold, but circuit design isn't one of my strengths.

It is just a voltage comparator with smoothing to stop the light flashing as the fuel slops around. I did buy a kit from Maplins many years ago, when the loft is cool enough I might see if I can find it.

bigherb wrote: It is just a voltage comparator

That's easy for you to say. If it's an easy enough circuit (with not too many components) I'd be interested in adding it to a future iteration of my dashboard PCB.

I've been caught out a couple of times by an empty tank - too used to cars with a warning light. I've learned the warning signs now though - my electric fuel pump starts to make quite a racket when the fuel's really low, but it's usually too low by that stage to get to a petrol station.

Here we go - this looks simple enough. I might have a go at mocking one up on veroboard to feed one of my spare LEDs.

CJH wrote:You mean the two LED locations behind the perspex window, or the four rows below that window?

The four below
Im astonished tbh
That no one has developed this space

I use the spare ones, one for brake fluid, a super bright red and a standard brightness red for the handbrake. The transparent brake warning symbol is moved and sits below the other four symbols. Normally a single bulb is used for both handbrake and fluid level which is located in the rectangular housing but having differing brightness as the handbrake function switch has a series resistor.

Interesting that there are quite a few functions that could be assigned

CJH wrote: I might have a go at mocking one up on veroboard to feed one of my spare LEDs.

Since I was placing an order for the tachometer conversion PCBs this evening anyway, I made a little add-on board according to the above circuit - the major cost of ordering the circuit boards is the shipping, and adding 10 little add-on boards increased the cost by only $5. That's as cheap as a single piece of veroboard - if they work I'll have 10 of them, if they don't it's cost me very little.

With the LED and the limiting resistor already on my dashboard PCB, the circuit simplifies quite a lot (I hope!).





It should fit behind the dashboard PCB and screw down with one of the mounting screws via a spacer.

AngeloEvs wrote:I use the spare ones, one for brake fluid, a super bright red and a standard brightness red for the handbrake. The transparent brake warning symbol is moved and sits below the other four symbols. Normally a single bulb is used for both handbrake and fluid level which is located in the rectangular housing but having differing brightness as the handbrake function switch has a series resistor.

Interesting that there are quite a few functions that could be assigned

I used the brake warning light from a Porsche 924 944 I think and just moved one pin in the plug to use the original location and style. I just had to transfer the the 924 guts to the t25 housing and it drill for tiny holes to realign the locating holes for the new lens. It was all push clips and done with just a small screwdriver.

P/N 171919235D