Author Topic: test lights of central instrument cluster.  (Read 3379 times)

jan lauwers

  • Full Member
  • Senior
  • ***
  • Belgium, Antwerpen, Geel
  • Posts: 162
test lights of central instrument cluster.
« on: January 09, 2021, 14:31:01 »
Gentlemen,

I have restored the central instrument cluster. Since it will be long before I can start the car again (I am in the middle of a full restoration), I d like to test the lighting of the cluster before I put it back in. For that I am thinking of putting 12 V on 2 of the 12 pins of the plug. Which pins are the right ones? I see that one of them has a white marking (see foto) perhaps that is the 'plus'?

Thanks again guys!

Jan
Jan Lauwers, Geel, Belgium 

White 280 SL 1969

WRe

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • Germany, Hessen, Seeheim-Jugenheim
  • Posts: 1453
Re: test lights of central instrument cluster.
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2021, 08:47:15 »
Hi.
here you can see the pin connections.
...WRe
« Last Edit: January 11, 2021, 09:55:04 by WRe »

jan lauwers

  • Full Member
  • Senior
  • ***
  • Belgium, Antwerpen, Geel
  • Posts: 162
Re: test lights of central instrument cluster.
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2021, 10:18:30 »
Vielen Dank!!
Jan Lauwers, Geel, Belgium 

White 280 SL 1969

Pawel66

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • Poland, Mazowieckie, Konstancin-Jeziorna
  • Posts: 5492
Re: test lights of central instrument cluster.
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2021, 10:38:06 »
WRe, this is a fantastic document of a "to be in Tech Manual" type!

Thank you for sharing.
Pawel

280SL 1970 automatic 180G Silver
W128 220SE
W121 190SL
G-class

WRe

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • Germany, Hessen, Seeheim-Jugenheim
  • Posts: 1453
Re: test lights of central instrument cluster.
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2021, 10:24:30 »

Pawel66

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • Poland, Mazowieckie, Konstancin-Jeziorna
  • Posts: 5492
Re: test lights of central instrument cluster.
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2021, 21:17:11 »
Thank you on behalf of all those who will save hours trying to figure this out!
Pawel

280SL 1970 automatic 180G Silver
W128 220SE
W121 190SL
G-class

sandcrab59

  • Full Member
  • Silver
  • ****
  • USA, MA, Lunenburg
  • Posts: 443
Re: test lights of central instrument cluster.
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2021, 01:51:55 »
WRe:
Great drawing for the instrumental cluster plug.

#29 for the bottom of the steering column for the turn signal, did you make a drawing
of the male and female plugs.
I made my own but I see 1 or 2 sets of wires come in to the male side  one color and go out the female side a different color.
Of course I am talking about a  male pin and the opposite female hole.
I am wondering if I need a better set of glasses.
Since my 280SL is one of the last cars produced in 1971 they may have changed colors and they are not on the 1970 color schematic
that I acquired a few years ago at Blacklick.
Hope you have one.
Tom M



71 280SL-8  Euro
67 250 SL
72 220 D
1982 300 SD
1983 300SD
1985 300SD
1931 Model A Ford Roadster
1997 Corvette C5

66andBlue

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, CA, Solana Beach
  • Posts: 4734
Re: test lights of central instrument cluster.
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2021, 05:27:11 »
WRe:
Great drawing for the instrumental cluster plug.

#29 for the bottom of the steering column for the turn signal, did you make a drawing
of the male and female plugs.
I made my own but I see 1 or 2 sets of wires come in to the male side  one color and go out the female side a different color.
Of course I am talking about a  male pin and the opposite female hole.
I am wondering if I need a better set of glasses.
Since my 280SL is one of the last cars produced in 1971 they may have changed colors and they are not on the 1970 color schematic
that I acquired a few years ago at Blacklick.
Hope you have one.
Tom M
Hello Tom,
there is already a picture of the column switch plug and connector, male and female: https://www.sl113.org/wiki/Electrical/SteeringColumnSwitch
Scan down to see it.
The wire colors within the connection do not change but make sure that you are looking at the correct opposite pair. Each pin on the plug and the connector has an associated number on the housing but since the connection is a handshake the numbers 1 and 2 on the male plug, for example, are at the entrance of the cable and on the female connector at the opposite end.
Some times the colors at the wire ends have faded so much that they are very difficult to see, especially purple (violet).

Also, there was no color change in the wiring, they are all the same for 230SL, 250SL and 280SL including your 1971 car. What may have changed during the production years is how the primary and secondary colors are arranged, that is parallel or spiral (see attached photo). Also the wire insulation on later cars is thinner although the copper core diameter has not changed.

Alfred
1964 230SL manual 4-speed 568H signal red
1966 230SL automatic 334G light blue (sold)
1968 280SL automatic (now 904G midnight blue)

sandcrab59

  • Full Member
  • Silver
  • ****
  • USA, MA, Lunenburg
  • Posts: 443
Re: test lights of central instrument cluster.
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2021, 20:01:01 »
Alfred:
Thanks for the reply.
I will check the pin wires to my plug  drawing and see where I might have made a mistake in
tracing colors.
Tech manual has a great write up.
Thanks
Tom
71 280SL-8  Euro
67 250 SL
72 220 D
1982 300 SD
1983 300SD
1985 300SD
1931 Model A Ford Roadster
1997 Corvette C5