Polo 9n3 interior lights

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morribiscuit
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Car Model: Polo TDi SL
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Polo 9n3 interior lights

Post by morribiscuit »

If anyone can please help me!!

Decided to "upgrade" my interior by changing the vanity lights, reading lights and convenience lights to led ones.

At first the reading lights were shining brightly, but when I changed the convenience globe, it sparked near the connector and then all went dead.

Changed the fuse (#28) and the lights are now all working, except they are extremely dim.

Anyone experienced something similar? Brightness on auxiliary power or when car started is the same.

Car is a Polo TDi btw.

Please and thank you

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vee4410
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Car Model: Polo 9n3 1.9 TDI, 9n 1.6
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Re: Polo 9n3 interior lights

Post by vee4410 »

Possibly defective bulbs. Try changing back to original bulbs and see if that makes a difference.
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rob_hey
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Re: Polo 9n3 interior lights

Post by rob_hey »

Try the bulbs directly on a 12V source and see if they are still as dim. Maybe they are just not very bright LEDs, not all LEDs are created equal....

I upgraded the interiors on my 9N3 TDI and they are super bright.

Used these in the front:

http://www.4x4direct.co.za/car-replacem ... -5630.html

and these in the back:

http://www.4x4direct.co.za/car-replacem ... -leds.html

With the front, the 2 x T10's were so bright I didn't bother replacing the festoon between them, just left the bulb out.

Didn't do the vanity ones under sun the visors, never use them.
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Re: Polo 9n3 interior lights

Post by rob_hey »

whoops, just re-read your post and you mentioned that they were bright before the short. It's possible that some the the electronics in the bulbs were damaged in the short, but strange that they are now all dim. Try them direct on a 12V as I mentioned and also do as vee4410 says and try an original incandescent bulb to see if it's bright. Maybe also try get hold of a new LED bulb of the same type that you got originally and see if it is brighter than the others. If it is bright, sounds like the bulbs may have got damaged.
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morribiscuit
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Re: Polo 9n3 interior lights

Post by morribiscuit »

rob_hey wrote:whoops, just re-read your post and you mentioned that they were bright before the short. It's possible that some the the electronics in the bulbs were damaged in the short, but strange that they are now all dim. Try them direct on a 12V as I mentioned and also do as vee4410 says and try an original incandescent bulb to see if it's bright. Maybe also try get hold of a new LED bulb of the same type that you got originally and see if it is brighter than the others. If it is bright, sounds like the bulbs may have got damaged.
That's the strangest part, I bought a good few so I had spares and they are all the same brightness!

Except the ones for my number plate which are super bright!

When I put the standard bulb back in it doesn't light up at all.

It's as if there isn't enough power getting to it? As un-electrical as that sounds. Any idea if they're all in series or parallel?

As originally mentioned, the led ones initially worked brilliantly, but as I put the festoon in and it sparked, it's gone downhill since.

Image

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morribiscuit
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Re: Polo 9n3 interior lights

Post by morribiscuit »

rob_hey wrote:Try the bulbs directly on a 12V source and see if they are still as dim. Maybe they are just not very bright LEDs, not all LEDs are created equal....

I upgraded the interiors on my 9N3 TDI and they are super bright.

Used these in the front:

http://www.4x4direct.co.za/car-replacem ... -5630.html

and these in the back:

http://www.4x4direct.co.za/car-replacem ... -leds.html

With the front, the 2 x T10's were so bright I didn't bother replacing the festoon between them, just left the bulb out.

Didn't do the vanity ones under sun the visors, never use them.
They are working 100 %. And very bright! The ones in my number plate are magic, but inside its as if they're on 10% brightness.

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Re: Polo 9n3 interior lights

Post by rob_hey »

Hmmm, that is strange. I don't see how the wiring or tracks in the roof light would be affected by the short. The fuse would have (and did) popped quickly so as to save to wiring. Maybe someone on the forum with more electrical knowledge could shed some light? Have you tried one of the "dim" LEDs direct on at 12v source (car battery)? Are they dim or bright?


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Re: Polo 9n3 interior lights

Post by Kavi4GP »

You could have blown the dimmer unit. Hence its running lowest output , happens every once in a while.

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Re: Polo 9n3 interior lights

Post by rob_hey »

Ahhh, good point. Forgot that they dim as they shut down. Not sure where this unit is located or if it's replaceable?


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morribiscuit
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Re: Polo 9n3 interior lights

Post by morribiscuit »

I think that sounds extremely likely!

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morribiscuit
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Re: Polo 9n3 interior lights

Post by morribiscuit »

Kavi4GP wrote:You could have blown the dimmer unit. Hence its running lowest output , happens every once in a while.

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Any idea where this dimmer unit is located?

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Re: Polo 9n3 interior lights

Post by Kavi4GP »

morribiscuit wrote:
Kavi4GP wrote:You could have blown the dimmer unit. Hence its running lowest output , happens every once in a while.

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Any idea where this dimmer unit is located?

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Think its in the front light unit.

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morribiscuit
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Re: Polo 9n3 interior lights

Post by morribiscuit »

So an update, still looking for the dimming unit

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