CC Dash Dimmer Switch

[Joe Cannarozzi]

My problem is the overhead lights in the cockpit aren't going on. The lower dash lights up with that switch but no upper switch lights or panel lights. The dimmer that controls that is CC installed and they located it down by the park brake button. It is a standard late 80's GM parking light head light dimmer switch.

I have got the switch where I can test it and it works so I am thinking there is a relay in there somewhere because of the large # of lights that go on up in all those panels above the windshield?

In the electrical bay the whole back wall is an shallow electrical box and all the way across the bottom are those little square black 5 pin relays.

I suppose it is here. I guess I could go down the line and check them all before and after turning those lights on.

Am I on the right track here?

This is a 91 XL CC

[mike kerley]

Joe,

Sorry I didnt see your question sooner. Did you resolve the problem? If not, give me a call or an e-mail and we'll chat.

Mike K. 772-201-7344

[Joe Cannarozzi]

That's alright Mike lets resolve it right here so everyone can learn.

The wires are numbered to the dimmer so I checked all those relays and those #'s aren't there. I need to check the breakers now, a large section of that electrical box houses them. I have never seen one of those 12 volt breakers fail but I suppose that it could, usually when they get weak they start tripping in and out.

I also noticed when you set the dimmer at 1 specific spot that rheostat starts glowing like a cigarette lighter

I replaced it and for the record it is for a 85 Buick La-Sabre .

Now whadya got for me Mike?

[flyu2there]

Joe,

You really need to hunt up the schematic. All of the coaches are delivered with them and hopefully you have one. CC changed that electronics bay every year until the late 90's when they announced it to be a motherbooard/daughterboard system, doubt that is in there....and doubt your problem is there anyway...that is mainly for the house systems.

CC uses a number of the Prevost inputs, both 12 and 24V....have a look in the panel below the drivers side window. Trouble is that the Prevost stuff (no pun intended) is mostly 24V, the is a volt drop mounted in mine for that purpose, send it down to 12v for some of the lights. A Buick rheostat screams 12V and run 24 through it....may well light up in time.

Failing all of that, send me the wire numbers in question and I will see if I can cross reference. CC is good about using specific colors and specific numbers on every wire in the coach.

John

[mike kerley]

Joe, Its my guess, and thats all it is, that a cable running from the bay under the drivers window to the overhead has a bad connector. They used those plastic plug in block connectors that had a habit of loosing a crimp or just getting dirty and not making a good connector. They would bunch about a dozen of them together and tie wrap them. I've cut the tie wraps on most of mine and pulled them apart to clean and sometimes replace with a simpler spade connector. On my 93, I'd say at least 10 of those have failed over the years and been by passed. There are some also in the overhead on mine, so look around good. I doubt that there is a separate relay just for that part of the feed.

My dimmer failed also. Grabbed one out of an old radio transmitter. Heavy wire rheostat.

There's nothing quite like chasing wires around these busses!