1985 720 dash and interior dimmer switch

[pdx720]

anyone tell me where to purchase a interior/dashboard dimmer switch? for a 1985 720

[PEZi]

for a part that obscure, the only place i could think of is the dealership. you may be able to find a used one at a junkyard or something though.

welcome to NICO!

[pdx720]

thx there is ONe left in the usa and its 188.00 do you know of a similar type of switch that I can fabricate? thx

[PEZi]

i'm sure someone makes a dimmer type switch that is pretty cheap at any electric store... making it fit would be the only issue

[fastboatman29212]

I certainly could be wrong, but I think an interior light dimmer switch is just a simple rheostat. If you can't find an original dimmer knob at the salvage yard, then another Nissan dimmer should work. I would even go as far as to say that other car makes would work too. I learned in school that a rheostat simply reduces the current going to the bulb. (Remeber the formula V=IR from Physics class? Maybe not? ) Let's see what happens and learn from this.

Update! OK, I've been doing some online reading. Older cars use a rheostat which is a variable resistor. Turn it one way and the resitance in the circuit increases and causes the lights to dim. Turn it the other way, - you get it.

Newer dimmers aparently turn the lights on and off very fast, so fast you can't tell and somehow save power along the way.

I still think you can find a resistor from another Nissan of that era and wire it up to work.

Keep us updated.

[synack7350]

yep just a variable resistor or if you wanted to do it in levels like a like a set dim pick up a resistor and solder it inline with a two position switch, you're just dropping the voltage to the lights. you'd have to do a little math to determine the right ohm'd resistor

[captainzeros]

Check a junkyard. I saw a guy on craigslist selling a whole dash gauges and all for $20 a few days ago in Salem, OR. I'm guessing you might be in Portland due to your name?


Alternatively, since it's just a resistor, if you don't mind maximum brightness just short the two wires together and omit the dimmer switch entirely.

[pdx720]

thanks everyone lots of great ideas

[flinterman2000]

A dimmer from any vehicle would work. Its just the connections to change to suit.

[pistolkeith]

I guess it's kind of on this topic, so here goes:

Are there kits out there to make the dash lights(speedo and tachometer mainly) brighter? Could I just put a higher wattage bulb in there? Did they ever come in green? Or just orange?

[spider2k]

I removed the dimmer switch and shorted the 2 wires together. this will make the lights full bright all the time and just a bit brighter than before as the factory switch will somewhat limit the ground to all the dash lighting.