Interior light

bighairypict · Post by **bighairypict** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:41 am

I must admit to being lazy asking rather than tinkering

but here goes anyway

My main interior light is slow to come on and dim when it does - is that normal, have I a weak battery or a worn out tube?

I'll do something about it at the weekend but any clues would be welcome if they would save me some time.

maxheadroom · Post by **maxheadroom** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 2:03 am

sound like the tube wants replacing. Theres a video on youtube.com on how to change it and if memory severs me right it's star is Ian AKA top banana

brorabongo · Post by **brorabongo** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 2:07 am

Mines the same just now. I though I got the right tube through my works, but it is a couple of mm's too long

The wrong one I got is classed as 6w and 220mm long. I think the wife might of frown out the old one.

The Bongo shop sells them.

MountainGoat · Post by **MountainGoat** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 2:13 am

Ian sells these tubes in the club shop. Choice of White or Blue, the blue is a bit more expensive. Alternatives are a web shop or your local Maplins if you have one.

Just changed mine and it made a hell of a difference.

brorabongo · Post by **brorabongo** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 2:19 am

The tubes in their nature, will deteriorate with use, over a period of time.

B*Witched Blingo · Post by **B*Witched Blingo** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:19 am

Yup mine dull. Guess I will have to order a new one before the new season really starts going. Only notice the other night...

stringman · Post by **stringman** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 12:20 pm

I would check the earth before spending your money. Mine was playing up like this when I got it, I cleaned the earth conns and it is fine now

Steve

brorabongo · Post by **brorabongo** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 12:39 pm

Good thinking Steve.

The other thing I've just thought, is to clip the ends off the pins, on my new one to make it fit.

Wifes away with the bongo, so will have to try later.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 2:43 pm

Mine responded to jiggling and resettling......after I'd bought a replacement thinking it was knackered. I think they are prone to poor electrical contact so it may not be the tube at all. If you do need a replacement, they can be got cheap from camping shops, Maplins etc. as they are a standard item. I found that out after I'd bought a Bongo one at a Bongo price.

hey ho

steamydave · Post by **steamydave** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 3:54 pm

Hi Folks,

Long time since I've bee here!

Slightly different light story here. The light in the roof of my Bongo had never worked. Over the Christmas holiday (whilst recovering from the food mountains), I started to fiddle with the cover thinking about replacing the bulb. Couldn't easily get the cover off, (may have been a little tiddly) so just sat looking at it.

Suddenly, ping! The light came on! I switched it off. Switched it back on and again - nothing, but after about 10 seconds, ping, it came on.

Pondered about the bulb having a weak link in it, but then thought, maybe it was the switch.

Quick squirt of WD40 into the switch, and after a couple of on-offs, problem solved.

I guess there is a sprung-loaded contact in there that got a bit gunged up over time. Although the switch was thrown, it obviously took a little while for the contact to spring.

Wonder how may "duff" bulbs have been thrown away like this!!!

Dave

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 4:09 pm

Good thinking SDave, I must try that on mine - never thought to

stringman · Post by **stringman** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 5:36 pm

Be a bit careful spraying WD40 on electrics as it does conduct so could cause a short circuit

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 5:51 pm

Thnks for that stringman. Will do. I might actually try some fancy spray I bought for cleaning out electric motors (in model airplanes etc.) and see what that does

Rhod · Post by **Rhod** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 7:51 pm

Poor contacts seem to be a common problem with this light. If you remove the light unit from the roof & look at the internals (best to disconnect it first..) You may find that pne of the metal clips which acts as the contact for the pin of the bulb has partially broken it's solder connection with the circuit board. Mine responded to a bit of re-positioning - but only after I removed it - so re-soldering is still on the "to-do-sometime" list.

Rhod

Blutac · Post by **Blutac** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:31 pm

hi

just took my interior light to bits and two of the contacts need resoldering. i'll get it done at work tomorrow and then test it. hopefully i wont need to get a new bulb

Interior light

Interior light

Delay action bulb!