Thanks to all who responded. I'll tie those wires together! Cliff, you are correct in that it's not a rheostat with windings. I just didn't know what else to call it. "Dimmer" probably would have been more generic. My interest in repairing this part would just be to have it "right," if not for me, then for some potential future owner. For me, this location does look prime for mounting some other, to-be-defined, more useful control in place of the dimmer! Since you've actually managed to get some of these working, I'd like more info from you on the earlier questions in my original post if you wouldn't mind emailing me off-list. Specifically, I would like elaboration on your phrase "glue the broken shaft parts." My guess is, if the little disc is in the proper spot and not flopping around, the little copper wipers will work properly again. Marv #10820 AZ-D --- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Cliff Schmucker <cliff@...> wrote: > > On the dimmers I have disassembled and repaired, it is not a > conventional "rheostat", and would be impossible to rewind, as there > is no "winding"! > > it actually uses narrow width copper traces on a PCB (printed circuit > board) rather than a wire winding to create the variable resistance > for the voltage reduction to the dash lights > > on the few that I have repaired, have had to glue the broken shaft > parts, and clean the dirt and grim off of the wiper contacts and PCB > contacts - all works fine now, no problems > > perhaps there are two versions, one with a conventional "winding" and > the PCB style I have encountered? > > Cliff > > > On Sun, 23 Apr 2006 18:55:40 -0000, David Teitelbaum wrote: > > >You can, as Mark points out, just bypass the rehostat and connect all > >3 wires together. You lose the ability to dim the dash lights. The > >dimmer doesn't work all that great anyway. When you dim the lights, > >just when you get to about the spot you like it, the lights go out. > >When I first got my car I thought the dimmer was bad. I bought a new > >one (not cheap) and when I put it in I was very disappointed that it > >did the exact same thing! One day I may rewind the element in it or > >try a different one. > >David Teitelbaum > >vin 10757 > > > > > >--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Marc Levy <malevy_nj@> wrote: > >> > >> Yes. I have been running 1860 this way for 4 years. > >> > >> > >> --- Marv Hein <marvhein@> wrote: > >> > > >> > A final question: I found an old DML post that > >> > suggests the rheostat > >> > c > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address: > >moderators@... > > > >For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com > > > >To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews > >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address: moderators@xxxxxxxxxxx For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: dmcnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/