Digital Dash power supply - any interest in having new ones made?

[Boostmeister]

After living with the lights in my DD being intermittant for about a week, I pulled the electronics and found an intermittant connection on the piggy-backed power supply board. Its all better now. But, I was wondering if there would be any interest if this board was redesigned with modern technology? It could be a direct solder in replacement. It looks to be any easy project since there is 12 volts in, 5 and 18 volts out plus an on/off control. A dual output switcher with control is all thats needed. Who would want one?

 

[FJM568]

I know at one time Casper's did that repair on the dig dash...I had my power supply replaced...

 

[8tsixt]

what would it cost to repair?

 

[Boostmeister]

FJM - i believe Casper still repairs them. I don't know if he swaps a bad for a good or troubleshoots the board to component level.

8tsixt - I wasn't offering a repair service. i was just wondering if I spent the time to reverse engineer and design a new solder-in replacement power supply board, would there be any interest.

there probably are enough parts dashes out there right now to supply the repair market need, but i will probably RE the board anyway for the future.

 

[ITSAV6]

....

There might be more interest if you had an approx cost. Caspers charges $299 and stops the 85 mph blink.

 

[GNVenom]

I once did a "switcher" design for the power supply, but never put it into production because I found out, some time ago, that the OEM parts were still available - after I spent the time to RE it!

I have enough parts on hand to last several years, so it's really not an issue. The supply is a common problem with the digital dash clusters. Also of note, the odometer display is prone to breakage when the reset knob is pushed in too far; the reset switch itself has a breakage issue; the dimmer resistors "melt" themselves off the PC board; the interconnects corrode and lose proper contact; the microprocessors have been obsolete for years and no longer in production, and some other "aging" issues.

These clusters are 20+ years old now, so you can expect some aging problems. When I upgrade the module, I replace the microprocessor and go over the whole dash, so it's at least restored to that point.

FWIW, I also repair the analog dash "tach-boost" modules. Same aging issues there as EVERY SINGLE ONE MADE will self-destruct and lose its calibration because of poor design.

Sheesh, these cars...

-John

 

[my85grandnation]

Can you fix the tach/boost module where all of the lights will work again. Some of mine seem to be burned out. the bottom RPM lights work till about 2k and then there are about 4 bars that dont work then they start working again. Some of my boost lights are the same way.

 

[GNVenom]

The LEDs that they used back then were very unreliable. I've seen many of these with burned out segments. I have tried to source the LED bargraph segments in the past, but they don't make the "low profile" style any more. I do have several dozen of the units that I use as cores, and can repair yours with the use of parts from the cores.

That module is another one where it has genetic defects from the factory.

-John

 

[esinger]

Hi John,

I was reading this post and when you mentioned the dimmer resistors melting I had to chime in. A few months back I went to turn on my headlights and suddenly smoke started coming out from my digital dash. Once the smoke cleared everything worked great except when I turn on the parking or headlights the dash becomes almost unreadable and the dimmer wheel doesn't do anything except cut on the overhead light. Would this be the dimmer resistor issue? I haven't pulled the dash out yet to inspect what really burnt up, but I imagine that's what happened.

If that sounds to you what happened to mine, what resistor ohm and watt resistor should I replace it with?

Thanks