Picked up this little gem on E-bay around $10 delivered http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370318163643&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT batteries for the lcd clock and temp..12v power for the backlight I couldn't stand being early constantly and had to return to my regular fashionable lateness (too lazy to look at my watch.. I'm driving dammit) Since it was ridiculously warm here to day I installed it... Ran the outside temp probe into the cabin fresh air vent behind the pass side headlight (theres about 3 -4ft of wire so theres plenty of options but this seemed easiest )...mounted in the wiring cover I had made over the center console...haven't run the constant 12v to the backlight yet as it got dark and cold on me,and I ended up having to recover my door-panels...I had a screwdriver in my back pocket and backed into the fabric panel and tore a nice gash riht through the door card the fabric store had no matching fabric so I bought a slightly lighter colour and redid it all have to take better photos my phone camera makes the tweed look like an old sweater.....,OH just picked up the new shifter knob you can see in the pics(weighs a nice 1lb or so and feels real nice shifting with the weighty throw..it's ridiculous how much better the shifting feels) it actually lights up 6 blue LEDs in the top when you push the center button..I cannot confirm the light function as the batteries in it are dead it was regularly $25 on sale for .96cents so the chimp part of me that likes flashing lights , loud noises and shiny objects couldn't resist it at that price
Don't know about you but checking my watch while driving my mini is about as easy as drinking coffee on a bumpy road..to much agro I wasn't going to get one unless it lit at night without me touching it...your has a compass too?? grrr lol
I did at first and zap no more backlight:frustration:...(I had just snipped the cigarette lighter adapter off and hard wired it...not a good idea as the resistor was in the adapter) I ended up just wiring a few 12v leds into the case to backlight only when the headlights are on...the LCD display runs off 2 button cells...should last at least a year on a set of batteries
So I guess the trick would be to remove the resistor from the adaptor and wire it inline to the 12v+ source? I just ordered 2 of these, and don't want to take up my cig lighters for either one.
Exactly what I should have done,and my reason for doing so the same as yours..hate cigarette plug ins they take up too much space and clutter the cab with wires...I've opened up many of the adapters over the years and can't believe I forgot that resistor was in there..
I wouldn't have thought that there was a resistor in there. Now I know! I'll file that away for future reference.
Wow, I guess I've been lucky! I have taken those things apart lots of times and just run 12v to the wires. What does the resistor look like? I am not an electronic-type guy. Have seen fuses in there, but I assume this does not look like a glass mini-fuse?
just looks like a little solid tube with a stiff wire coming out each end..simple enough to see where the pos. and neg. should be soldered to
Cool, thanks. Will be a little while in shipping to me--it's coming from Hong Kong. Will let you know how it works out.
Wish that clock/tmep unit was the same physical size as this http://cgi.ebay.ca/Blue-LCD-Digital...ultDomain_0?hash=item3a58117afa#ht_3015wt_958 z
Combo of the two...clock,in-out temp and now with a voltmeter built in http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.35152
Good point. If you zoom in real close to the picture of the packaging there looks like something that might say "C/F" on there but I can't be sure.
Yeah. Thats for a different model. It lists 3 different models on the back. Its a little mis-leading.
No it's celcius and farenheit...look at the bottom right picture there is a button to change between the 2
LOL. True that! Although in the next to last picture on the front of the box it says "Easy Fixing". Not sure what that means... can you enlighten me?
I guess it means if you smash it with a hammer you can glue it lol I think they mean fixing in the British term ...as in mounting. That's my best guess
It REALLY GOOD ENGRISH. Not a spelling mistake!! Some translations leave alot to be desired. My rims say "for ultimate satisfation and gratification". Sounds like something you would read on a truck stop rubber dispencer!
Love this one...when you grow sick of growing your "FLEET?" of Hippocampus????...you feed them to the baby??? http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.36315
OK, update. I got them both, modified the wiring (all soldered) to use the resistor, and the one I installed in the Mitsu worked fine for about 2 weeks, then I let the truck sit outside for a day in almost 100 degree weather, and when I went back to put it in the garage, it had no display. Thought maybe it would "cool down" and be OK by morning, but no such luck. I have the background light, but no display. Did I fry it? The other I installed in my 94 Pontiac Bonneville, but I think the little internal battery went dead, and I have not had a chance to modify the wiring and hardwire it yet. I may be a serial killer!
I wouldn't think the heat would kill it...mine goes to 120 f then just says HH......I have found that the batteries for the lcd display need to be installed in a certain way or they won't work
i know some LCD's die if you put them in too much direct sunlight. but they dont appear blank, just a solid black. atleast i think. been years now.
