Car Radio Bulb Repair

[@TheRadioShop]

John, nice repair. Thanks for sharing

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Thank you for commenting my friend. Regards John

[@raymondsmith6943]

Excellent video, subscribed

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Thanks Raymond 👍

[@SmiloDTech]

Nice repair mate ! Great job :-)

[@OrbiterElectronics]

+SmiloDTech Thanks Smilo mate.

[@arunask3689]

Great video, wondering where to buy/get those over bulb covers? My clarion has green backlight but I want to match my interior which is red. Any suggestions?

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Hi.. The ones I have in the video were actually part of the radio when new. And initially on seeing your question I wasn't sure if they were even still produced . However it seems so. If you do a search for "sub miniature bulb filters" it puts you on the right track.

[@arunask3689]

Thanks buddy, found them!

[@OrbiterElectronics]

@@arunask3689 👍👍

[@darrylnicholls75]

Please can you post a link for these green rubber bulb covers. Thanks

[@DextersTechLab]

Nice fix!

[@OrbiterElectronics]

+DextersLab2013 Thanks DL

[@zx8401ztv]

Ive also done the bulbs in a few car radios and cb radios, if there is one still alive ive tacked two thin wires on it, then read out the voltage, then remove that bulb and give it the same voltage, but through a ammeter. I have a rough idea what the bulb is then. Some bulbs seem brighter, even at the same current/voltage. Ive seen the red/orange/green and blue boots for the bulbs, leds have done away with bulbs, shame really as i liked there soft glow. have a happy xmas mate :-D

[@OrbiterElectronics]

I may bung LEDs in that radio in future, especially if the bulbs don't last 😊 Happy Christmas to you too mate John

[@tskedition]

Nice repair. I got Clarion bd239rg and its having same issue. I dont have any 12v bulbs so i was thinking of using 3v bulbs with resistor or maybe LED with resistor, should work in theory

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Thank you 👍.. Yes that would be worth a try

[@fixityourself1111]

Hi, any advice for the lost backlight on an old ford sound 2000...old 80s type. Works mint just very dim lcd with no green brightness, I have the wires correct as I have a diagram and the other areas light up when required . Any advice appreciated 👍👍

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Sorry for late reply.. If you have power & ground to the correct pins, you should have backlight. And as you don't have much of one, I would first check all the displays solder joints & that it has a good ground. If the solder joints look dodgy or you're in doubt flux & renew each joint. If there is access to the backlight LEDs/bulb its time to try and find replacements. If there's no access to the LEDs etc and its just an LCD, its time to Perhaps try & find a replacement LCD.

[@fixityourself1111]

Excellent I'll follow the advice and let you know how I get on...appreciate your help.👍👍

[@OrbiterElectronics]

@@fixityourself1111 You're welcome. Hope you get it going again 👍

[@1960livvy]

Excellent 10/10 I need to take the radio apart in my Jaguar XK8 and see if its the same arrangement 🙂

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Hope it all goes well for you 👍

[@1960livvy]

Cheers @@OrbiterElectronics

[@Roobotics]

Well that's fortunate, I just today noticed my radio backlight is being intermittent until I gave it a sharp flick with my finger, I wouldn't be surprised if it dies altogether soon and I need to do this! It has a separate security head unit just like this as well.

[@OrbiterElectronics]

+Reed Arnold Thanks for the comments.. Hope your lights keep going but I'll keep an eye out for your video in case they don't :)

[@NiGHTSaturn]

I wonder if this fix would work for my JVC Kaboom radio. The LED display used to have a yellow/orange backlit that doesn’t work anymore.

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Its a possibility, you'd need to have a look to see what is going on.

[@NiGHTSaturn]

@@OrbiterElectronics I’ll check the service manual again if there’s traces of bulbs like that! Thank you for your answer 😊

[@ToddFun]

Nice little fix. So how do you get the watermark on the full video? Do you do that in editing? if So what editor and feature does that?

[@OrbiterElectronics]

+Todd Harrison (ToddFun) Hi Todd. Thanks for the comments. Yes my watermark is done manually in Vegas Pro 13, although I'm sure this can be done in many other software's too. Basically it's just the orbiter8 text as a .png file which I import and stretch to the length of each video. The level (visibility) is then faded out using the levels setting and the position of the watermark is adjusted using the Track Motion feature in Vegas, although this can be done with EventFX too. Hopefully I'll be updating it soon so that it's animated at the start & finish of my vids. Here's a good link Todd which better explains how to do it in better detail kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4jagH56esasr5o Cheers friend John

[@TRXLab]

Hello John, yes a successful repair, well done! Do you use again a different flux?? Seems to work very good. Take care my friend!

[@OrbiterElectronics]

+TRXBench Thanks Peter.. Good to see you here my friend :) Yes I am trying some Chip Quick Flux. It seems to work very nice. Here is the link in case you are interested. Cheers John uk.farnell.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=15001&langId=44&urlRequestType=Base&partNumber=1850216&storeId=10151

[@TRXLab]

+orbiter8 (John) ah very good I will try with my next order. What about the rosin flux any negative experience??

[@OrbiterElectronics]

+TRXBench Hi Peter? If you mean the Rosin flux I used last time?... That's great stuff, and I still have loads of it.. EXCEPT I think it may be deteriorating a little (its still usable though.) And it smells great :) The Chip Quick stuff I used here is very tacky flux so it doesn't run all over the place which can be helpful.

[@PoJoWo]

Hi John just wondering if you know how the buttons were back lit on this one. My dad's car radio is a bit dangerous in that none of the buttons illuminate in the dark, it's also a clarion. Im curious as to whether I might be in with a chance of bringing them back to life. Cheers!

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Hi.. You can normally tell if the buttons numbers etc are not just painted on, but instead look transparent. If you can't tell just by looking at them then the only way is to open the radio up and look for the bulbs/LEDs and the clear plastic light pipes that direct the light from the bulbs into a specific area. Cheers John

[@jdrs4214]

You’re better off switching out all those micro lamps. Sooner or later they all fail. Or do an LED retrofit upgrade on it.

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Indeed buddy. That would have been the next plan had the bulbs failed again, however I sold the car not long after making the video 👍

[@Jmitch7702]

I have exactly one of these cd player, and i wish to led upgrade it, but i can't find how to do that and what i need, do you know? I've tried just to put a led lamp in it but it doesn't light up at all. I'm grateful for answers.

[@MaKNiJa]

Hi! I have a question. Is it possible to put LEDs instead of those old bulbs since it might be a challenge to find them? Also, does this mean that the radio will light brighter with the LEDs? Thank you in advance, I have the same problem with the same type of radio, hope your answer will help me!

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Hi, You can indeed, and yes they will likely be brighter depending on the LEDs you choose. But it will take a bit of work. Firstly make sure you use 12v LEDs. Also, you will need to limit the current to each LED by using an appropriate value resistor, which will mean fiddling around with small wires and a bit of soldering etc. Standard type LEDs you see only operate on a very small amount of current, so if you just put LEDs in place of the bulbs they would likely burn out immediately. So the current needs to be controlled or restricted to each LED via a resistor. I have attached this video which will explain what I mean far better than I can in a paragraph.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKDdk2uqa8lkjs0 Hope this helps John

[@darrylnicholls75]

These bulbs are available from CPC www.farnell.com SC00339 12V

[@AamirKhan-vi6sb]

Sir can haw Hmf-5114 car storeo only panel wairing plizz

[@mohamedelgml950]

hello is changing this LED will solve the problem of unseen words at car radio cassette , i mean that their an illumination but song name isn't appear especially at morning ? thanks

[@OrbiterElectronics]

A cassette tape does not give the readout of songs.. Just the play time etc. If you mean will it fix the CD info, then no unfortunately not. This repair will only revive the backlights for the display. The LCD display should always be there unless there is a fault with the decoding IC etc. The info may actually be on the display.. you can check by shinning a torch at the display.. If the info is there, you just need to repair the backlight as in this video.

[@mohamedelgml950]

@@OrbiterElectronics ok thank you , there is data at screen but can't be seen at sun light thanks again

[@darrylnicholls75]

This is the same problem I'm in the middle of repairing an Audioline 550 car stereo from 1987 and I have 2 of these radios plus 1 for parts. I have the same issue as you have with the bulbs are they 12v or 6v if anybody on here has the same radio there is 2 bulbs fitted on the far right of the board with a 12v supply but,,,,,, these 2 bulbs Re in series so I'm stuck but the bulbs are identical to your video and I would love to know where I can get those little green rubber covers. Can anybody help me on here 12v or 6v

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Don't know if you can get the covers anymore but have a look here to see if there's anything useful.. www.rapidonline.com/barthelme-21101240-micro-filament-lamp-clear-57-6827

[@Turbo-X]

Hi, i like your video, but i have some question how do you know which voltage and amperage are burn-out bulbs? When i measure voltage on the circuit board it is one reading, when i put one new bulb, voltage reading is different, with second new bulb, again different value. How to determine which amperage are burned bulbs? Could 12V 25mA bulb exchange a 6V 50mA bulb, are they equal? Some bulbs are in serial connection, if one burns out, second will not work too. I tried to measure some voltage and amperage, to calculate current, resistance, but it is too confusing to me.

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Hi.. Thank you for your comments. Bulbs that have burned out will be open circuit, this means if you set your meter to 'continuity test' it will not beep when you touch the bulbs wires with your probes. I actually can't really remember the circuit voltages now but I know that the bulbs I used for my radio were 5v and 0.3watt bulbs. Hope this helps Regards John

[@Turbo-X]

@@OrbiterElectronics How can you determine Amperage when all bulbs are burnt?

[@OrbiterElectronics]

@@Turbo-X To work out current (Amperage).. The formula is Watts divided by Volts. However in this radios case we have an open circuit with 4 bulbs missing and no schematic to tell us what the bulbs ratings are supposed to be. I just used bulbs I had available to see if they would be suitable. They were a bit dim but better then having no lights at all 🙂

[@Turbo-X]

@@OrbiterElectronics Thanks.

[@ckca7180]

Hi, I got a car audio display that suffers from a light leak problem. I watched your video and consider that your repair method may work on my unit. Is it possible for you to charge and repair it for me. Thank you.

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Hi, I'm really sorry but I don't take on external repairs at preset.