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Console switches

Started by AMG69, 03 July 2007, 03:44 AM

frikkie

Quote from: s class on 03 July 2007, 03:17 PM
Frikkie, yours are the same more rounded type as mine - correct for a late model car.  Our late model rounded switches are still smooth black and differ from the textured ones others have shown.

Ryan

Yeah, I reckon that's what might have confused me. The switches shown in Oscar's post look very much like the switches in my dad's W123 - had a squizz tonight.

oscar

Frikkie.  Thanks sooo much   :)  I gotta admit I'm looking at yours thinking are they square are they round.  Maybe my ebay pics show the much more rounder later later style ??? :D

Anyway, one thing we can definitely say to identify illuminated switches is this - they have a translucent disc around the icon. Hopefully ;)
1973 350SE, my first & fave

nathan

oscar,
never mind...my sunroof switch in silver 6.9 was worn out when i buoght it...i bought a near new square sunroof switch at the wreckers...i removed the top bit with label only and tusck it on the round base as the rest of the switch worked fine...kept my round finish but gave me the new label look!
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

oscar

"Perhaps there's three types" said Oscar timidly, as the crowd started throwing rotten tomatoes.

I'll post my pics later but my square switches have a translucent icon (I think) but without the round disc.  Plus the rear compartment light switch that everyone has has a pair of wires cut from it.  ::)  I may be asking for some more humble pie soon.
1973 350SE, my first & fave

oscar

I've had a revelation of sorts BC.  Scratch Agenda Item 1 and save your tomatoes.  EVERYONE is illuminated.  ;D

OMG how wrong I was.  And how blind I must be.
- I have old switches, squarer corners and no disc icon but - they ARE illuminated

How the hell have I not noticed this.  Forget the cut wires I talked about.  The rear light switch was obviously connected to auxillary lights somewhere, it doesn't matter.  What is important is that the light for these switches are by way of FIBRE OPTICS.  Yeah that's what I thought. WOW!!! Has anyone said this before.  Surely somenone has and I missed it. 

Anyway, check the photos out.  I don't know where the light source comes from but the end of this looks like FO and the wire is stiff.  The 280S has the same except the FO are covered in blue insulation and the FO is very dim that the switches don't light up.

As soon as the headlights or parking lights are on, the FO's light up.  For switches like the rear compartment light switch, the icon is brighter when the switch is turned on because it rests closer to the end of the FO. 

Are they FO's? or just tiny bulbs at the end of the wire?  I reckon they're FO's.  I not going to budge this time ;D










1973 350SE, my first & fave

nathan

oscar,
me and my mate thought and refer to them as fibre optics but i thought this was only recent technology?!  maybe the germans have had it for years and kept it quiet!
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

oscar

Nathan, are you saying you knew they were fibre optic cables?  You could've told me and put me out of my misery earlier.  ::)

If not,
I had to read back thru to see what others have said again.  There's mention of the "wires" and "drawing their illumination" from a main source and sclass mentioned "illuminating optics".   But no mention of fibre optic cables/wires.

I looked closely at your photo Nathan which now makes more sense. . The yellow arrow shows the thin black wire who's end dangling down below is just like the end that I pictured leading to a switch.  I'm dead certain these are optic fibre cables.  Do I have to cut one to convince you guys or is everyone satisfied what they are and how they work?

FWIW, Frikkie.  I also pulled the switches on the 280se which have disc shaped icons just like yours.  Same thing, black fibre optic cable and they illuminate.

Poor AMG69, a simple "Yes" would've sufficed. :)

So what's the solution to buttons that aren't lighting up?  The fibre optic end has to be mounted correctly and close to the source light and the other end embedded into the switch so the metal crimp isn't visible. Unless the cable is damaged that should work.
A suggestion for improvement; PatB might have already done this and not told us but I know he's a fan of LED's.  Replace the source globes with bright LED's rated at the same voltage then glue the ends of the optic cables with a dab of clear resin.  The LED will still be dimmable via the dash mounted potentiometer.
1973 350SE, my first & fave

s class

Oscar,

YES they are fibre optics

NO LED's are not dimmable, well not really - not in the sense of light bulbs.  LED's are current controlled, not voltage controlled.  They can operate typically between 10 and 20mA.  Below about 10mA they don't shine at all.  Above the threshold of typically 10mA they are 'ON'.  Increasing the current to 20mA will cause a marginal increase in brightness.  Exceeding 20mA will usually cause them to pop. 


[color=blue]'76 6.9 Euro[/color], [color=red]'78 6.9 AMG[/color], '80 280SE, [color=brown]'74 350SE[/color], [color=black]'82 500SEL euro full hydro, '83 500SEL euro full hydro [/color], '81 500SL

koan

Quote from: nathan on 04 July 2007, 07:59 AM

me and my mate thought and refer to them as fibre optics but i thought this was only recent technology?!  maybe the germans have had it for years and kept it quiet!


The 114 I had used fibre optics for heater control illumination.

koan

Boogity, Boogity, Boogity, Amen!

AMG69

Thanks everyone - my job for next weekend is to pull out all switches and check the fibre optics and how athey are attached!
sigh....sitting back contemplating the next purchase..!

Sev

Quote from: WGB on 03 July 2007, 09:58 AM
The rounded edge switches look more like 126 switches to me.

Bill

Negative. w126 Switches were vertical, not horizontal like w123/w201 switches