Electroluminescent

[Rooster27]

Hey guys and gals hope all is well with you and your families! I my wife and I recently inherted a 66 Charger. When i got done cleaning the inside up a bit and dropped it back off to my father-in-law. The electroluminescent cluster was working and was absolutely beautiful! We got the car back and the clusters no longer work and the heater does not either. I checked fuses and they all seemed good and in working condition. I'm not very good with electronics but I'm willing to learn. I do know there is a capacitor that can get worn out and could need replacing. I just find it weird that the heater stopped working at the same time, unless that works off the same capacitor. The radio and dome lights all still work so the NOS box still seems to be good. Any guidance is much appreciated!

 

[twecomm]

Hey Rooster, Hopefully you have a wiring diagram and voltmeter. There are basically what are called " welded connections " or splices of sorts, under the dash. These are "star" distribution points. One is the "ignition circuit" that supplies multiple switched 12 volt source wires to things that only get power when key is on and car is running. The other is other is "battery +12 circuit " or volts star distribution point that provides multiple source feeds to things that can be operated with car off such as interior lights, lighter, ect.
Strange that you had the two failures at the same time. Based on your description I don't see what would cause both to fail at the same time. I can tell you that the power packs +12 V source is on the orange wire at power pack connector just under glove box. That orange wire is sourced from the headlight switch. If lights are on, headlight switch inst panel rotary dimmer is FULL BRGHT position. you should see +12 volts between orange wire and ground.
The capacitor you refer to, is inside and part of the power pack circuit that generates the nominal 240 volts AC that powers the EL lighting items, gauges, radio dial, clock and shifter indicator. That hi voltage is on the white wire of the power pack. A short in any single EL item will take down that power pack and kill ALL the EL lit items. When the power pack is operating, you can hear a low volume high pitched squeal if you are close to it. Good luck with it..

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Question.

EL system still works but gauges not? Or backwards? Or any of both work?

As far I recall ( dunno the 66/67 very well ) the fuel gauge gets built in the Voltage limiter for the gauges. 67s got it separatelly.


Now, heater and gauges should work with ACC source. Do you have any other ACC source working?

EL system works with lighting system which should work from batt, straight from charging circuit.

 

[440 4 speed]

66/7 Chargers were the same with their limiter, which was built into the fuel gauge. If this fails all the gauges will be fried. If this happens, it could cost 1000.00 or so to repair.
Good idea to convert it to an external converter. There are quit a few postings and comments on how to do this on different sites and in some of the magazines in the past.
Some of the guys on 66-67charger.com have done this. Someone was using a variable limiter I believe.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

oh! Dunno why I thought thats was a diff between 66 and 67 and that made the under dash harnesses non interchangeable! Sorry my bad!

 

[440 4 speed]

oh! Dunno why I thought thats was a diff between 66 and 67 and that made the under dash harnesses non interchangeable! Sorry my bad!

 

[440 4 speed]

oh! Dunno why I thought thats was a diff between 66 and 67 and that made the under dash harnesses non interchangeable! Sorry my bad!

The harnesses are different, 67s didn’t have a el radio, and had wiring for 4 way flashers, no console EL and I believe there are other differences. I marked all of the 66 and 67 wires.

 

[RJRENTON]

A link to the electroluminescent power supply site

Www.66-67charger.com/sourceguide/EL.html

The site shows the power supply schematic along with troubleshooting procedures. On the site is a Person who rebuilds the power supply should it have failed. Its basicilly a multivibraitor that makes 12v DC into approximately 250 volts AC for the EL devices.......check it out....
BOB RENTON

 

[Rooster27]

Hey Rooster, Hopefully you have a wiring diagram and voltmeter. There are basically what are called " welded connections " or splices of sorts, under the dash. These are "star" distribution points. One is the "ignition circuit" that supplies multiple switched 12 volt source wires to things that only get power when key is on and car is running. The other is other is "battery +12 circuit " or volts star distribution point that provides multiple source feeds to things that can be operated with car off such as interior lights, lighter, ect.
Strange that you had the two failures at the same time. Based on your description I don't see what would cause both to fail at the same time. I can tell you that the power packs +12 V source is on the orange wire at power pack connector just under glove box. That orange wire is sourced from the headlight switch. If lights are on, headlight switch inst panel rotary dimmer is FULL BRGHT position. you should see +12 volts between orange wire and ground.
The capacitor you refer to, is inside and part of the power pack circuit that generates the nominal 240 volts AC that powers the EL lighting items, gauges, radio dial, clock and shifter indicator. That hi voltage is on the white wire of the power pack. A short in any single EL item will take down that power pack and kill ALL the EL lit items. When the power pack is operating, you can hear a low volume high pitched squeal if you are close to it. Good luck with it..

Thanks for all the info! I got the heater working just a **** fuse, I replaced all the fuses with new ones today and still no EL. Fuel guage still works, speedo still, temp gauge, and the alternator. The only Guage that doesn't function is the tachometer.

 

[Rooster27]

Question.

EL system still works but gauges not? Or backwards? Or any of both work?

As far I recall ( dunno the 66/67 very well ) the fuel gauge gets built in the Voltage limiter for the gauges. 67s got it separatelly.


Now, heater and gauges should work with ACC source. Do you have any other ACC source working?

EL system works with lighting system which should work from batt, straight from charging circuit.

EL doesn't work but garages do except the tachometer

 

[Rooster27]

EL doesn't work but garages do except the tachometer

Gauages*

 

[Rooster27]

A link to the electroluminescent power supply site

Www.66-67charger.com/sourceguide/EL.html

The site shows the power supply schematic along with troubleshooting procedures. On the site is a Person who rebuilds the power supply should it have failed. Its basicilly a multivibraitor that makes 12v DC into approximately 250 volts AC for the EL devices.......check it out....
BOB RENTON

Thanks! I actually found this page the other night and bookmarked it

 

[Rooster27]

Question.

EL system still works but gauges not? Or backwards? Or any of both work?

As far I recall ( dunno the 66/67 very well ) the fuel gauge gets built in the Voltage limiter for the gauges. 67s got it separatelly.


Now, heater and gauges should work with ACC source. Do you have any other ACC source working?

EL system works with lighting system which should work from batt, straight from charging circuit.

Question.

EL system still works but gauges not? Or backwards? Or any of both work?

As far I recall ( dunno the 66/67 very well ) the fuel gauge gets built in the Voltage limiter for the gauges. 67s got it separatelly.


Now, heater and gauges should work with ACC source. Do you have any other ACC source working?

EL system works with lighting system which should work from batt, straight from charging circuit.

Also all my lights and such are working properly and interior courteousy lights as well,radio turns on but with static which I think is due to the antenna cable being unplugged.

 

[Demonic]

There's good info in the link. You'll need a good multimeter to check DC 12 input and AC 200 +/- output on the white electroluminescent power pack wires. After verifying the Power Pack, unplug all the whites and reconnect one at a time - including the console and radio. If one lights, it's good. If a section is shorted, they'll all go out.

 

[Rooster27]

So reporting back, I located the power pack under the dash below the glove box and unfastened it. I tried like the dickens to disconnect the plug to be able to start testing stuff and that was a no go. I'm guessing the metal connectors and seized together, I tried working it back and forth and loosen it but still no go. Any advice on how to unstick this would be great. I did notice while I was under there the white wire coming from the power pack going into the connector has blue/teal corrosion.

 

[Billccm]

Spray some DeOxIt into the connector and let it sit overnight.

 

[Rooster27]

Spray some DeOxIt into the connector and let it sit overnight.

Thank you!

 

[Rooster27]

Alright so, update on this post. I was down the road at the store and the owner wanted to come.out and check out the charger. He asked if the lights still worked and I said he'll yeah bun and turned the on. I put the parking lights on first and wouldn't you know the ******* EL started working. Pull the level to turn the headlights on and the EL went out. As soon as I shut the driver door the EL came back on. So now my troubleshooting has gone another way, im guessing a loose connection or one that needs to be cleaned up. Let me know what you guys think. I'll start at the headlamp pull lever and work from there

 

[Billccm]

Maybe a solder connection.
DeOxIt all connectors and contacts and switches.

 

[Rooster27]

Maybe a solder connection.
DeOxIt all connectors and contacts and switches.

Will do, that was kinda my plan!