dimmer switch override?

[Vonlard]

Anyone else got fed up of replacing headlight switches because their dash lights require constant fiddling,
Mine have just given up completely and I think I am on switch 5 in 3 years so figured there must be a better way of powering the dash than the dimmer.
I'm gonna have a play with it in the morning when I sort the list of other probs it has developed lately but was wondering if anyone on here had done any simple mods or knew of resistors to use or what wires to bridge.

[Tim_R]

Can't say I've ever had to replace the headlight switch for any reason at all in the 9 years I've had the car. Instrument bulbs, sure but I tend to leave the instrument lights at full brightness and draw maximum current and generate the most heat.
I wonder if you have something shorting out that's causing more current draw than the switch is designed for and the rheostat is the weak link and dieing before anything else does.

Think there is a total of 10 bulbs in the circuit, instruments and all the switchgear, if each bulb is rated at 5 watts then its going to 50 watts at 12-14 volts which gives a current draw of 4.1 - 3.5 amps. Might be worth trying to put an ammeter in series in the instrument lighting circuit and see what you get. My calculations are only a rough guide cos I'm not certain that all the bulbs are 5w, the ones in my instrument cluster certainly are though.

[ianaudia4]

The dash bulbs that the dealer supplies are 1.2w.

[Tim_R]

Hmm, I'll have to go check mine now, 1.2w would make more sense as i thought the current was a bit high! They came from the dealer some while ago so was going from memory which obviously can't be trusted any more!

Ok so if all 10 bulbs work then they should be drawing between 0.8 and 1 amp.

[Vonlard]

Great thanks for the info, Didn't get a chance to have a fiddle this weekend as I got sidetracked with the bug then getting the GTX to run right and sorting some oil leaks but hopefully get a chance to pull the switch out one morning in the week.