Dash Light Fuse Keeps Blowing!

[Big_John]

Here's how it works
Rheostat - rheostat definition, construction, symbol and applications

 

[Ghostultramarine]

Looks like I may owe you another beer!

 

[Ghostultramarine]

Now that I`m home with a keyboard: How should the spring be attached in?

It was loose and flopping around when I took the dimmer out of the dash. I cleaned the metal areas and put the spring in and it kept just popping out. I knew it was a rheostat and that as you turn it the coil would make the lights dim.

It is NOT connected at both ends - just the one - to the flat piece of metal that obviously is the "full on" position.

Should both ends be connected?

I figured that as it was turned towards the end farthest from the "full on" it would lessen the light intensity - and that is what it does.

If both ends are connected then it would just be a completed circuit that may dim in the middle and then rebrighten as it is turned to the end.

I found this:

dimmer switch repair help please

 

[Devinism]

I see from a previous post that you repaired the dash light dimmer switch and that got your lights back on, correct? If that is the case I would pull the switch panel back out (unless you can see the switches from underneath the dash) and see if something came loose. The rheostat coil, or something touching it. If all looks good start looking at your orange wires. Those are all controlled by the dimmer. Touching ground somewhere? Wrong bulb in any of them? Was anything changed or repaired after the dash lights worked?

 

[Gerald Morris]

If you shop CAREFULLY for an NOS replacement, you might get lucky. Mind you, always KEEP the old one! I did this and so far all is SWELL!