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A/C Panel Backlight



I have an '87 16V with A/C. Unfortunately, my A/C panel backlight bulb has
died, and it evidently costs $60 - $80 to replace the whole panel, since
the backlight bulb is not removable. Well, I don't have that kind of
money, but I still hate fumbling around in the dark to try and find the
A/C control levers and fan switch. In my quest to be as cheap as possible, 
I've cut, sliced, wedged, and dremeled my current panel to oblivion. In
the process I've discovered that:

1) Yes, the white part does seperate from the black part. Not easy, but
   possible.
2) The bulb is barely visible through the tab on the side near the
   assembly, if you look hard enough. Its a sort-of oval shaped bulb.
3) On models without the removable bulb, the bulb is -soldered- to the
   connector :(

My plan is as follows: I've already cracked apart the black and white
plastic pieces, at least half way... and I've already succeeded in
breaking the bad bulb into a thousand little pieces trying to pull it out.
I just finished dremeling out the o-shaped "tunnel" that the bulb slides
into, to form a u-shaped "tunnel". I also removed most of the excess
plastic around the copper fingers that the old bulb was soldered to, this
will allow me easier access with a soldering iron. To do this, I used a
special dremel attachment..basically a small barrel with sandpaper all
over it, the kind of sandpaper you use on wood. This takes off the plastic
but not the metal. That way you can grind and grind and not worry about
grinding off the copper fingers. After I buy the bulb I will set it in the
u-shaped "tunnel" and solder its leads to the copper fingers. Then I will
wrap the whole tunnel thing in several layers of white electrical tape to
keep the light from leaking out, and reassemble the panel. I might have to
glue it to keep the black and white pieces together, in which case i'll
only use a drop or two on the short edge to hold it in place.

I'm -hoping- this will work. And if it does, and it isn't total crap, I
will post pictures of the proceedure, or at least part of it, and the best
excuse for instructions possible.

Anyhoo, the reason I'm telling this to you all is I need to know what kind
of bulb to buy to replace the one that I broke to 1000 tiny bits. The
A2_Vent_Control_Light file on Jan's VW page says that for Corrados and A2
Golfs/Jettas, the bulb is Sylvania "European Lamp" 2721. While its
probably the same, it'd be nice to have one of you who has the kind of
plate you can replace the bulb in to check and see what kind of bulb you
used. Or if you have any suggestions or other information. Yeah...

Thanks,

-Toby

--
'87 Flash Silver Metallic Scirocco 16V

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