Mini dash lights ... where to buy?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Allan Shearer
  • Start date Start date
A

Allan Shearer

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
 
i have had to get mine @ the dealer...they are funny
little bulbs.......
 
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
 
Allan Shearer said:
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.
Click to expand...

What do they look like? I regularly replace oddball bulbs with LED's, they
never burn out again.
 
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:
 
Allan Shearer said:
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
Click to expand...


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.
 
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.
 
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:
 
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 .....
 
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:
 
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
Click to expand...

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
 
I buy most of my parts from Nick at FCP, but I don't think they sell the
mini bulbs...

RS
 
I buy 12volts X-Mass tree lightbulbs a dozen for 2$ after x-mass and
adapt them to the socket

Rusty a écrit:
 
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:
 
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