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Car Forum / Volvo Cars / March 2005

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Mini dash lights ... where to buy?

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Allan Shearer - 21 Mar 2005 19:59 GMT
Hi Everyone

Where can I buy a pack (bulk) of the mini lights for the dash
components.  e.g., radio, illuminated switches, etc...

Recently I bought a 2nd-hand Volvo radio for my V70 and it had some
lights burned-out ... so, I scavenged the ones from my old radio and it
worked perfect.  Now ... I'd like to get more lights and replace all
burned-out lights elsewhere.

Thanks in advance.

Yours,

Allan Shearer
Canada
~^ beancounter ~^ - 22 Mar 2005 00:22 GMT
i have had to get mine @ the dealer...they are funny
little bulbs.......
Allan Shearer - 22 Mar 2005 00:30 GMT
I've been shoppin' around in my wee town today, and sure enough, no
auto-parts store carries these bulbs. Guess I'll have to go straight to
Volvo.

Thanks

Allan

>i have had to get mine @ the dealer...they are funny
> little bulbs.......
James Sweet - 22 Mar 2005 03:45 GMT
> I've been shoppin' around in my wee town today, and sure enough, no
> auto-parts store carries these bulbs. Guess I'll have to go straight to
> Volvo.

What do they look like? I regularly replace oddball bulbs with LED's, they
never burn out again.
Allan Shearer - 22 Mar 2005 04:16 GMT
They're very (very!) small - well, I guess the same size as an LED.  I
believe they're referred to as 'capless bulbs'.

In the Volvo, they are actually clear - but you slip on a soft-rubber
(blue) shieth which gives it a softer colour when illuminated.

I suspect (so far as I've found to date) that all of our illuminated
switches, dash components, etc... are all powered by these little bulbs.

And they're quite easy to replace!  Just, a little difficult to find online.

I'd like to buy a WHACK of 'em so that I can go through my car and
replace and/all bunrt-out bulbs.  Right now I'd estimate that I have
about 10 bulbs burnt-out.

Allan

... and James Sweet spake, saying:

>>I've been shoppin' around in my wee town today, and sure enough, no
>>auto-parts store carries these bulbs. Guess I'll have to go straight to
>>Volvo.
>
> What do they look like? I regularly replace oddball bulbs with LED's, they
> never burn out again.
James Sweet - 22 Mar 2005 07:56 GMT
> They're very (very!) small - well, I guess the same size as an LED.  I
> believe they're referred to as 'capless bulbs'.
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Allan

Sounds like a "grain of wheat" lamp, try doing a search for that, also look
on ebay. Those are the same type I've replaced with LED's in Saab window
switches and similar stuff, if you use the little 1/8 W resistors they fit
quite nicely, just mind the polarity.
dragon - 22 Mar 2005 13:35 GMT
> Sounds like a "grain of wheat" lamp, try doing a search for that, also look
> on ebay. Those are the same type I've replaced with LED's in Saab window
> switches and similar stuff, if you use the little 1/8 W resistors they fit
> quite nicely, just mind the polarity.

You mean something like these?
http://www.cablesandconnectors.com/24000-24.HTM

ahmet
Allan Shearer - 22 Mar 2005 15:19 GMT
Yup, that looks like 'em.

I've learned a few specs about the specific bulbs I'm looking for:

 - 4.6mm (height, I guess)
 - 1.2watts
 - 12volt (well, I guess that's a given)
 - generally referred to as 'capless bulb'

... and from experience, I know that you can buy either the bulb by
itself or with it's plastic/twist-in enclosure.  However, while in my
'98 you can easily remove and re-feed-in a new bulb into these
enclosures, I don't think you can in the newer models (2000+ ?) since
they have melted two spots on the back of the enclosure to keep the bulb
leads in place (for no reason, I'm sure - other than to prevent misers
like me to reuse what's not broken <grin>).

The wattage seems significant ... as the other 'grain of wheat' lamps
I've found can be VERY low wattage (e.g., for model railroad use), yet I
think we need 1.2 watts for that soft/gentle illumination and yet,
*enough* illumination.

I think $1-2 per bulb is a little steep ... don't you all?  I'd like to
buy in bulk and get 'em for .50 ea, or less.

Maybe I should look to my model railroad store and see if they have
slightly higher wattage bulbs!  I'll keep you posted.

Thanks

Allan

... and dragon spake, saying:

>>Sounds like a "grain of wheat" lamp, try doing a search for that, also
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> ahmet
hank - 22 Mar 2005 14:30 GMT
I spent several hours shopping for those bulbs online and was never
able to find them. I did realize a small chance that you could remove
the bulb from the cradle and replace it with a bulb from autozone, but
i didn't risk it. I paid $9.81 at the dealer for 1 bulb.

Vadis lists three PN's for the bulbs: 9459780, 9472403, and 9472549.
~^ beancounter ~^ - 22 Mar 2005 17:28 GMT
there is small.....then small small....then damm small....
then there are these volvo bulbs....."mini bulbs".....the
good news is it is the 1st time i have swung by the dealer
for parts and not dropped a butt load of $ on the counter
for whatever i needed    .....
Allan Shearer - 22 Mar 2005 19:32 GMT
Just left a message at a local Volvo dealer (well ... for me, 'local' is
1 hour away!) ... will soon know what the going price is on these
little-guys.

Allan

... and ~^ beancounter ~^ spake, saying:
> there is small.....then small small....then damm small....
> then there are these volvo bulbs....."mini bulbs".....the
> good news is it is the 1st time i have swung by the dealer
> for parts and not dropped a butt load of $ on the counter
> for whatever i needed    .....
bgarver - 26 Mar 2005 00:33 GMT
ipdusa.com

great place for all kinds of Volvo supplies and parts
bajaman - 26 Mar 2005 17:01 GMT
I just replaced several of these in my '99 S80 T6.  There are two different
bulbs, one with a gray socket and one with a white socket, and yeah...they
are $10 bucks a piece....what a ripoff!

> ipdusa.com
>
> great place for all kinds of Volvo supplies and parts
ac - 26 Mar 2005 18:02 GMT
> ipdusa.com
>
> great place for all kinds of Volvo supplies and parts

IPD has a great catalog and all, but for a lot of parts,
I much prefer FCP Groton's prices and selection.  I'm not
affiliated with them, just a customer.

www.fcpgroton.com
Rusty - 27 Mar 2005 05:06 GMT
I buy most of my parts from Nick at FCP, but I don't think they sell the
mini bulbs...

RS

>> ipdusa.com
>>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> www.fcpgroton.com 
Alfred - 27 Mar 2005 05:49 GMT
I buy 12volts X-Mass tree lightbulbs a dozen for 2$ after x-mass and
adapt them to the socket

Rusty a écrit:
> I buy most of my parts from Nick at FCP, but I don't think they sell the
> mini bulbs...
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>>
>>www.fcpgroton.com
Allan Shearer - 27 Mar 2005 16:53 GMT
Curious ... what's the wattage on those bulbs?  Might then not be too
high?  If so, I'd worry about heat-build-up over time.

And, are they really that small?  Never having a Xmas tree myself, I
don't have any in the house - so don't really know them.

Allan

... and Alfred spake, saying:
> I buy 12volts X-Mass tree lightbulbs a dozen for 2$ after x-mass and
> adapt them to the socket
 
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