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AE Electroluminescent Dial Light Repair

Started by stub, January 23, 2011, 06:33:40 PM

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stub

Hi all,
      This is what I do to the Starlites to get the light to work again. It has worked for me several times and JonnyR just tried it and it worked for him.
       Get 1 rear defroster repair kit(auto parts store $13.99 here ) and get one tube of powdered graphite and some 5 min epoxy. Mix the graphite into the repair paint till it will not run when a drop is placed on paper. On the front of the dial ring where the metal connection tabs are bonded to the ring itself is where you place 1 drop of the paint mix. Use a toothpick to apply paint with power to the ring with clip leads. This is A C and it will bite , do both tabs . When you get the right tab the ring will light up. Let this dry and mix up small amount of epoxy and smear it on where you put the paint. Then turn it over and coat the base of the connection tabs where the insulators are with the epoxy. This will keep the tabs from moving when you reconnect them. When all of the epoxy is dry, reassemble and enjoy!! If anyone has any problems send me a  e-mail and I'll see if I can help .            stub



 

Kenneth Stubblefield

Phoniac

Stub, Are you using the graphite as a conductor? That's a pretty slick trick.

stub

 Phoniac ,
               Yes and to make the paint a little thicker to keep it from running and shorting out the other connection.  stub 
Kenneth Stubblefield

GG



That's maximum clever.  The auto rear defroster repair paint is probably somewhat conductive too, in order for a paint trace to conduct electricity into the defroster grid on the window.  But adding graphite thickens it while retaining (or enhancing), rather than losing, the conductivity. 

Re. assembling resistors:  I'd suggest not potting them in epoxy until you have run the setup for a couple of hours powering a couple of dials, and touched the body of each resistor to see that it's not getting hot.  It shouldn't get more than mildly warm, otherwise sealing it into epoxy will let the heat build up and could be a risk. 

JorgeAmely

Jorge

GG



I just picked up a couple of boxes of misc AE at the show yesterday, including a handful of Starlites in turquose and the newer darker green ... one of which has an electroluminescent dial .... which as I expected (at $10 - 20 each for these) isn't working.  So I'll be testing your repair technique soon. 

BTW, have you noticed one of the differences between Canadian AE and USA AE, that on an 80, the hookswitch plungers on the Canadian ones have about an inch or more of extra free play in the cradle, compared to the US ones?  Try pinching the top of the plunger as if it's an exclusion key and lifting it.  Compare US to Canadian.  Canadian housings also appear to be stamped "GTE Automatic Electric" in the newer-style font compared to the old "Northlake" font. 

stub

GG,
      " Re. assembling resistors:  I'd suggest not potting them in epoxy until you have run the setup for a couple of hours powering a couple of dials, and touched the body of each resistor to see that it's not getting hot.  It shouldn't get more than mildly warm, otherwise sealing it into epoxy will let the heat build up and could be a risk."   
       
        There was no mention of putting epoxy on anything but the light ring mounting tabs .  stub
Kenneth Stubblefield