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interior light

Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 5:18 pm
by mad as cheese bongo man
Merry Christmas All,

Just a quick question ...

my interior light (the one in the middle of van that normal comes on when the sliding door opens) has stopped working. It sort of half comes on but is very dim. I've messed about the switch - still the same.

I assume this could be the bulb, although it is strange as it is on, just not very much

Any ideas?

cheers

Rob

p.s

Re: interior light

Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 5:26 pm
by westonwarrior
florescent(spelling) bulb they do that,


new buld needed

Re: interior light

Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 5:32 pm
by francophile1947
Also, neon tubes are dim when it's very cold (and boy has it been cold :roll: ) - may just need a couple of minutes to warm up.

Re: interior light

Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 6:01 pm
by missfixit70
It could be an indication ther battery is getting low too, is it running of a leisure battery?

Re: interior light

Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 6:01 pm
by g8dhe
The florescent tubes have two heaters (one each end) normally one will eventually go and then you just get a dim result - you can normally see one end is lighting properly. If both ends look equal then it might just be because its so cold and it needs a little while to warm up.

Re: interior light

Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 8:36 pm
by triathlondave
After you have tried changing the bulb.

If it is still dim.

try taking the lamp off and checking the contacts at the the end away from the switch are in place.

Mine had moved. Simple job undo all the screws and a quick bit of solder on the contacts when they are back in place and hay presto it works again.
Did it myself today :D

Thanks to the helpsheets for that one. As everyone says best 12£ they have spent

As miss fix it keeps telling us they are free this month.

Hope it's just the bulb.

david
busy filing away at my spolier to make it fit around my bike rack. (measure 20 times file once) long job. :shock:

Re: interior light

Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:19 am
by mikeonb4c
Is yours the earlier model simple simple light? Mine is and I had this on mine when I got it, and I bought a new tube but shouldn't have bothered (if you need one by the way they are dead cheap from some camping shops but dearer if bought as 'Bongo tubes'). I seemed to have to take the cover off and jiggle it / make sure it was properly 'plugged in' and it would be bright again. After a couple of sessions like that it has stayed bright ever since (now nearly 3 years ago!). Weird!

Have a good Christmas and see you maybe in 2010

Mike 8)

Re: interior light

Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 6:39 pm
by jaylee
triathlondave wrote:After you have tried changing the bulb.

If it is still dim.

try taking the lamp off and checking the contacts at the the end away from the switch are in place.

Mine had moved. Simple job undo all the screws and a quick bit of solder on the contacts when they are back in place and hay presto it works again.
Did it myself today :D

Thanks to the helpsheets for that one. As everyone says best 12£ they have spent

As miss fix it keeps telling us they are free this month.

Hope it's just the bulb.

david
busy filing away at my spolier to make it fit around my bike rack. (measure 20 times file once) long job. :shock:
Had the same problem back in the summer.. The tube was shot, got a new tube, was a little slow to kick in. :? Noticed the solder on one of the contacts gone in the same place. (The end away from the switch, one furthest from the door.) Pulled the unit apart, re soldered.. & it come back brighter!!
... The old tube was still shot though..! :D

Re: interior light

Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 3:11 pm
by mad as cheese bongo man
cheers all, i'll have a look at it in a bit ....

have a good one

Re: interior light

Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 4:12 pm
by mad as cheese bongo man
it seems as though there are two types of bongo cabin bulbs, one's for pre 97 models and a U shaped one.

As expected, it looks like the bulb that I need is the expensive 'hard to find' U shaped one (My Van is 99)

Can anyone confirm that the standard one at £4.50 won't fit before I shell out on the dear one.

cheers

Rob

Re: interior light

Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 4:35 pm
by g8dhe
If its a U shaped one then the straight one won't fit! The club shop does both types.

Re: interior light

Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:27 pm
by mad as cheese bongo man
Thanks g8dhe, i didn't know the pre 97 one's we're a straight fit, I might have known my would be the expensive one!

cheers All

Re: interior light

Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:08 pm
by james1508
mad as cheese bongo man wrote:Thanks g8dhe, i didn't know the pre 97 one's we're a straight fit, I might have known my would be the expensive one!

cheers All

Hello mine went last year, i have just searched for my post but it no longer exists for some reason ? There was a pic on there of the u shaped tube. I emailed various company's and searched for ages on the internet but couldn't find a cheap one. In the end i just went for it and paid around £30 plus i think on the Fury site.

james

Re: interior light

Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:57 pm
by g8dhe
The club price has dropped now, another source was found at a much better price.

Re: interior light

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 10:44 am
by james1508
g8dhe wrote:The club price has dropped now, another source was found at a much better price.

Timed it wrong as usual :roll:

tried for weeks last year too, to find one.

Thanks