instrument lights don't light

[okielaker]

None of my round-gauge lights are working... the lights for the water temperature
and depth guage work fine. The gauges themselves all work (not impressed with
the fuel gauge, it read more than half full, and I added 49 gallons). I think I read
(this forum) that the little dial knob underneath the panel is a dimmer for the instrument
lights, so that's where I expect to find the problem, or at least to begin sectionalizing
it.

Had a hard time getting the cover back on the backside of the instrument wiring,
last time I had it off, so I thought I would get a second (third, fourth) opinion here
before taking things apart. Anyone else run into this?

[Ytmsn]

Okie there is a direct correlation to bad dash lights and murky lake water. The god of the sea thinks if you cant see anything in the water then why bother with seeing gauges at night? But I'll give you a pass because you're close to Texas and it runs off on you sometimes.

Seriously, I have no idea, and that was the best I could come up with. Hope you get it sorted out!

[okielaker]

Okie there is a direct correlation to bad dash lights and murky lake water. The god of the sea thinks if you cant see anything in the water then why bother with seeing gauges at night? But I'll give you a pass because you're close to Texas and it runs off on you sometimes.

Seriously, I have no idea, and that was the best I could come up with. Hope you get it sorted out!

YT, I'm on Grand Lake this week, and the water isn't much clearer than what I'm
used to on Texoma (the water level here has been within 3 feet of top of dam for
a couple of weeks). Still, it's very nice.. we watched the sun set from the middle
of the lake without another boat in sight this evening. Wind came up last night,
blew about 15 mph until noon, cleared a ton of debris off the lake. I see the corps
still isn't letting any water out of Tenkiller... how high are they going to let it get?

[Ytmsn]

They haven't open the gates for 2 and 1/2 months at Tenkiller, and I expect electric flooded now through Labor Day. It's crazy..

I'm going to go up and get the boat in the next week or two and bring it home so I can go to some of these other Lakes. I haven't been out one time yet!

[okielaker]

Well, it's been a wet, cool spring, but it's definitely time to be on the water, now.
C'mon down to the REAL water.... the red color won't permanently stain your hull.

[Driller]

None of my round-gauge lights are working... the lights for the water temperature
and depth guage work fine. The gauges themselves all work (not impressed with
the fuel gauge, it read more than half full, and I added 49 gallons). I think I read
(this forum) that the little dial knob underneath the panel is a dimmer for the instrument
lights, so that's where I expect to find the problem, or at least to begin sectionalizing
it.

Had a hard time getting the cover back on the backside of the instrument wiring,
last time I had it off, so I thought I would get a second (third, fourth) opinion here
before taking things apart. Anyone else run into this?

Yep, mine is under the helm. I think it is a rocker switch or a button to hold in, not a knob. No knobs under my helm. If some of the gauges are lit and some are not, this may not be your problem, but maybe the others are just dim.

[OlinOvid]

Hi...the lighting circuit has hardly changed from one year to the next and in fact is very similar to other more modern Triumphs like the Spitfire. The Red/Green wire from the light switch goes to the fuse box and you can check there for a blown fuse or bad connection.
From the fuse box it goes to the front and rear lamps, so if you have any of those, the fuse isn't the problem. The line leads from a splice in the harness to the dimmer rheostat. This thing is a real problem and often dies by too high resistance.

[okielaker]

Instrument lights started working, the next time I was out close to dark... I will wait
until they fail again before trying to trouble shoot, unless I have another reason to be
back in that under-the-seat under-the dash hole again, at which time I will pull, push,
and wiggle everything that looks likely.

[AsLan7]

Hi...the lighting circuit has hardly changed from one year to the next and in fact is very similar to other more modern Triumphs like the Spitfire. The Red/Green wire from the light switch goes to the fuse box and you can check there for a blown fuse or bad connection.
From the fuse box it goes to the front and rear lamps, so if you have any of those, the fuse isn't the problem. The line leads from a splice in the harness to the dimmer rheostat. This thing is a real problem and often dies by too high resistance.

.
Hey thanks for chiming in on this O2. Feel free to post pics of your Cobalt (past, present, or future) if you got ‘em. We love them here.

...and welcome aboard mate!

.

[akorcovelos]

Hi...the lighting circuit has hardly changed from one year to the next and in fact is very similar to other more modern Triumphs like the Spitfire. The Red/Green wire from the light switch goes to the fuse box and you can check there for a blown fuse or bad connection.
From the fuse box it goes to the front and rear lamps, so if you have any of those, the fuse isn't the problem. The line leads from a splice in the harness to the dimmer rheostat. This thing is a real problem and often dies by too high resistance.

This happened to me last time out, need to source a new dimmer. I unhooked it for now because it got so hot you could smell it.

[okielaker]

akor, if/when you do source a new dimmer, share the info?

thanks.