Ideogram Illumination Intensity Adjustment Potentiometer

[JerryH]

Okay everyone,

In the top center of my dash of my '76, I've got a control that the owner's manual calls an "Ideogram Illumination Intensity Adjustment Potentiometer". I don't know what this does.

I've also got what the manual calls a "Knob switch and rheostat for instrument cluster lighting" which adjusts the brightness of the lights in the instrument cluster--that one does what it is supposed to.

I'm in the middle of re-doing my dash, and I'm thinking about eliminating the "Ideogram Illumination Intensity Adjustment Potentiometer". Maybe I shouldn't because it has such a cool name...

Does anyone know what this controls?

Thanks,

-J

[adrians]

Warning No No No - Don't remove it ! ! !

That's the master control for the internal 'Flux Capacitor', every Spider has one !

[courtenay]

I thought it was the primary control for the seal beam valve...

[nelsonj]

It controls the ball bearings for the sphincter valve.

Ok - it controls the brightness for the guage lights in the dash. You can go all the way from very dim and hardly usable, to no light at all...

[seabeelt]

There should be two potientiometers. One for the dash lights, the other controls wiper speed of the delay circuit.

[theporsche]

My first post and I think I might be helping someone! It took me forever to figure this out.

The black knob with white lettering is for the dash/guage lights as others have mentioned. The horizontal "thumb" wheel in the center of the upper dash console (the one with absolutely NO markings whatsoever) is to control the brightness of the illumination of the green Hazard switch.

It must have been added as an oddball feature in our year (1976) without being incorporated into existing circuits. It works on mine. What a feature!

I need to get some good pics of my car and post to the introduction section. Will soon I promise.

Ben

[Zippy]

I always thought "Ideogram Illumination" and "instrument cluster lighting" were the same thing

[theporsche]

I hate to post if no one cares, but I also hate to be incomplete. I just confirmed that the thumbwheel controls more than just the green hazard switch. It also controls the (fiber-optic I believe) illumination of the heater control labels toward the back of the center console.

Hope this helps for future reference.

Ben

[RoyBatty]

I hate to post if no one cares, but I also hate to be incomplete. I just confirmed that the thumbwheel controls more than just the green hazard switch. It also controls the (fiber-optic I believe) illumination of the heater control labels toward the back of the center console.

Hope this helps for future reference.

Ben

This was my understanding also TP.
Don't ya love it though? A thousand unemployed comedians in any one city, and they are all on this forum!

[seabeelt]

Who said we were unemployed?? You have to try new material somewhere

[RoyBatty]

Heheheh,
Hey!?
I just checked my dimmer control, which seems to be inoperative.
The lights are on in the heater labels and the green light in the hazard switch, but the dimmer has no effect and when I disconnect it the lights all stay on.
Hmmmm??

[theporsche]

In response to this thread, I was inspired to post my first youtube video ever. Wow, it's a lot easier than it looks... plus I can now count myself among all of the other great people before me who have done videos of themselves lip-syncing Britney Spears! Whoohoooo!

Here's the video of me demonstrating what the two different switches do on my car. Be kind, it's my first... do I really sound like that? : )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvBZV2a5MV0

Enjoy
B

Oh yeah, I'm up because there was a light rail accident with a car outside my window (no one was hurt it looks like). YOU try sleeping through that.

[kilrwail]

In response to this thread....

OK, you've got my interest. What model/year of Porsche do you own? There are several others on this forum who also have a P-car.

[theporsche]

I'm actually trying to sell it... AND change my username on this board. I had signed up a little while ago and am just now getting around to posting.

I love the porsches but the Fiat just plain calls to me. Something about the styling as I'm sure all of you can relate, even the one's that do own porsches. I'll be listing the car for $9,500 OBO over at Pelican's forum this weekend.
It's a 1979 Porsche 911sc... runs much better than it looks and is a blast. But not as much fun, fun to work on, or "eye-grabbing" compared to the Fiats in my opinion. A 1973 Fiat 124 (RIP) was my first foray into classics and tinkering.

This time around (I just bought my current '76 spider a couple of months ago), I plan to be much more active in the community. All of the owners are so helpful... I don't know what I'd do without these forums. I've done a ton of stuff to my Porsche by just searching at Pelican and reading about others problems/fixes. I'll be doing the same here, but hope to offer my help as well where I can. There seem to be some really smart people on these forums.

JUST FYI, this will be my last post at ThePorsche. I'm going to re-register as BenjamminsFiat, and will post to the Introduction forum as soon as I can.

Thanks for the interest!
B

[kilrwail]

Thanks. Good luck with the sale.