Hot dimmer on dash 1

[jerry1423]

I am a mechanical guy, and I have an electrical concern with my car that I cannot figure out.

The dial on my dash that controls the brightness of my dash lights gets extemely hot when it is turned up. I have been keeping it turned down all the way, and it is fine, except that it is hard to see my gauges at night. It gets so hot that I cannot touch it.

Should I replace the dial control? or any other suggestions?

 

[Skogsgurra]

Sounds like your dimmer is a rheostat. They have a maximum "hot setting" somewhere around half brightness (because they drop maximum power there).

If you add anything extra to the load side, it will heat the dimmer extra. So, before replacing it I think that you should try and find that extra load. Perhaps it doesn't need dimming?

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...

 

[Compositepro]

I would suspect a loose electrical contact if max heat is generated at max brightness. There is probably obvious visual evidence of discoloration on the wires attached to the controller. Otherwise, as Gunnar said there would not be much heat.