OK, in my camaro under the center vent (Rights above the stereo/heat controls), at the back there is a piece of plastic screwed into the vents.

I was looking for a place to mount a 6" neon tube, and I thought this would be perfect (kinda hidden, centered, etc...). So I thought this plastic piece would let me take the vent off, so I unscrewed it (Not to mention I can't get the damn screws back in. It's like they're the wrong size now) and a light was attached to this thing. I couldn't believe it, because this light seems to serve NO purpose.

What is this light for? I'm thinking of tapping into the light for my neon tube's power. Anyone see any problems with this?

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Trevor
87 Z28 - LG4 - 305
Hedman Headers, Y-Pipe, Dynomax Exhaust, K&N Open Air Filter

http://immortaltk.tripod.com/z.html

 

My 89 Formula had a similar light. GM called it an ashtray light, and had discontinued it. I would think a neon light wouldn't pull alot of amps and you should be safe plugging in there, but I'm not an electrician, and have never put neon in a car. I've put many Neon's behind my car, ok bad joke. If you can, trace that back to the fuse block, and id the amperage on the fuse itself. If I'm right it'll be on a 20 or higher and you should be fine. If it's less than a 20 amp, I would consider another source. My $.02 Good luck, let us know how it turns out!



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Chris G
91 TA WS6


See more of her here!
Wise man once say "Red ones go faster!"

 

Maybe it's the Devil!!!!


ok. maybe not...could it be a misplaced backlight that lights up the AC/vent controls??



------------------
89CamaroRS
Power Rating: 1.21 Jigowatts
Mods:Flux Capacitor
Future Plans: Time Travel

 

No, it's for the ashtray.

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1989 IROC-Z 5.7L
NOS 5151 150HP kit
ProBuilt 700R4, PI Vigilante 2800 stall lockup
Baer Brakes 12" Sport System

 

Yea I have that light on my 91RS too...not sure whats purpose is since you can't even tell there is a light there unless you put your hand an inch away from it.

 

my light actually helps to light up the fan switch & the location of all the heater controls. Not very well but it helps.

John

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G O D BLESS AMERICA
87 Formula Yellow/Black

5.1 TPI Automatic
Baer 12" brakes 4 wheels, KYB AGX Adjustable Shocks & struts, Custom Leather interior, WAAAY TOO MANY MODS TO LIST

87 Formula TPI (5 Speed) Yellow/Gray STOCK

1967 Buick Riviera 430hp Turns high 14's (Not bad for 4300 lbs)

83 Camaro (Parts)
83 T/A (parts)

http://www.3rdgenformula.com

 

Ashtray light? But this is near the vents right under the dash...Isn't that a little far away from the ashtray?

On a side note, anyone put some Neon in this place? Seems ideal, since it's out of the way, has power to it already and centered...

------------------
Trevor
87 Z28 - LG4 - 305
Hedman Headers, Y-Pipe, Dynomax Exhaust, K&N Open Air Filter

http://immortaltk.tripod.com/z.html

 

This light here??



arrg, if it doesn't show, here's the link
http://fire089.freewebspace.com/imag...%20drawing.jpg
Isn't that controlled by the dimmer?

------------------
Stock 2.8 MPFI auto w/ Flowmaster 80 Series, More to come......
Pioneer DEH-11
Targa E-910 7-Band Equalizer w/ crossover
2x 10" Pioneer subs powered by 300 Watt Jensen amp
2- 6x9" Pioneer (rear)
More to come..... (hey, i dont got a job yet)

[This message has been edited by 89V6FBIRD (edited September 28, 2001).]

 

Another thing you'll probably need to take into consideration with tapping into that light for powering your neon, is how do neons take be controled by a dimmer.. I'm pretty sure that light dims with the rest of the lights in there..

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89 RS Camaro, LO3 305 TBI
Autometer Air/Fuel Ratio Guage
Cooling Fan Overide Switch
L69 Duel Snorkel Intake
Dynomax Ultra Flo SS Cat Back

 

The factory service manual calls this light the "Heater-A/C Control Head Light." It is connected to the dimmer circuit.

 

I checked out this ash tray light on my '88 IROC. There was no light bulb in the receptacle. Could it be a #161 light bulb? I checked my oner's majual for the replacement bulb numbers, but none pointed to the ash try light. Does anyone know what is the proper light bulb?

 

The reason you didn't find an ashtray light listed is because there is not one. Try looking up HEATER A/C CONTROL, it's a #194.

 

I wish I had a dig. camara to show you guys. It's not like the one in your pic, my dash is totally different from that...


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Trevor
87 Z28 - LG4 - 305
Hedman Headers, Y-Pipe, Dynomax Exhaust, K&N Open Air Filter

http://immortaltk.tripod.com/z.html

 

Hey I got that light in my car. But mines didnt work. So I had an extra light laying around that was blue. And was the same size. So I put in the blue light and now it lights up the all the way to the shifter area. Looks pretty cool.

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Chris
91 RS 305 TBI
Eternal Rev

I am sad my car is hurt...

 

yeah my camaro has the same light and i found it the same way you did when i was trying to mount my neon light. it is called the ash tray light it doesnt put off that much light so i just left the bulb out. and dont tap into this for a neon light because it is not 12 volts, when you turn down the brightness of your gauge lights the voltage goes down and a neon would not work when you turn the lights down

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89 Rs camaro
305 tbi
3in flowmaster muffler
manderal bent pipe
no cat

ELECTRONICS

viper alarm
pioneer 4-way 6x9's
15' orion sub in a bandpass box
150x1 kenwood amp
140watt aiwa head unit

 

I tried a #194 bulb earlier and it will not fit the "ash tray" light under the dash. Anyone know of the proper size?

 

I know what you're talking about. Did yours have a light bulb in it? I checked my '88 IROC and there was no light bulb in the receptacle.

If you did have a light, what size is it? A #194 does not fit. A smaller bulb is required.

 

OK, guess I'll run a lead off of my deck then for power to the neon tube.

Blackberi - Give me a day or two and I'll take that piece out again and check for a lightbulb number for ya (I know there was one there)



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Trevor
87 Z28 - LG4 - 305
Hedman Headers, Y-Pipe, Dynomax Exhaust, K&N Open Air Filter

http://immortaltk.tripod.com/z.html

 

Hey BlackBari - for me the light wasnt even a bulb. It was enased in some case thingy. It wasnt working so I broke it open for the hell of it. And on the inside it didnt have a 194 bulb in it. Hmmm..maybe mines differnet O_o?

------------------
Chris
91 RS 305 TBI
Eternal Rev

I am sad my car is hurt...

 

in my 92 rs i pulled that light out to see what kind of bulb to put in it, i wanted to put a colored one in or something. but now that i took it out it dosnt light anymore . the light plugs into the other wires and i was wondering if there were colored lights like that or if i have to rig a new one out up or something

 

My 91RS has the "ashtray" light. If you take off the dashpad you can see where it plugs into the factory wiring harness. It's a funky little thing and doesn't really have a bulb of any normal type. It does have a little lens/cover that yellows with age. If you take off the dashpad, unplug the thing, & remove it from the dash, then you can carefully pry off the old yellow lens. Then put everything back together. It will now be a little brighter (probably as bright as it was brand new) but is still very dim. The heater/ac & radio controls are back-lit so I doubt that this light was installed for lighting those components. Most people refer to it as an "ashtray light" because it points directly at the ashtray (although hardy lights it up whatsoever). Another theory that I read (from a post on this board a long time ago) is that the light serves to define the rightmost edge of the console that holds the instruments (speedo, tach, ect.) at night so that there is less mental trickery in depth perseption. This makes sense in the newer style dash layouts. I'm not familiar enough with the older dashes to conclude about this theory for them. Anyway, I think that, if you wanted to change the bulb or color, you would have to get another (different) bulb holder and bulb and wire it in. I also think that it wouldn't be a good idea to use that wiring to hook up neon tubes (the hole, however, would be a good place to run a new wire (from the fusebox, ect.) to the neons).

 

Anyone figure out what kind of lightbulb fits in this receptacle yet?

 

Who knows what that bulb is actually for since it is damn near invisible even when lit. My 91 rs has one and my brothers 91 rs does not have one. It does not light up the heater controls at all, they are lit from behind the controls. That light is not a 194, its much smaller than that. What I did was go to autozone and buy a black rubber turn signal socket for a 194 bulb. I drilled out the hole on that plastic cover to be the exact same size as the bulb. I then glued the new socket to the cover, wired it to the existing wire and put it back in. Now i have a red bulb which matches the guages.

------------------
Jeremy
91 rs, convertible, K&N, Edelbrock open element cleaner, 3.73, B&M mega-shifter, goodmark cowl-induction hood,tinted windows,MacEwen Overlays
Coming soon...non red interior with 4th gen charcoal/grey seats

 

Anyone find out the light bulb size yet?

 

Like I said, I don't think it is a light bulb. It is more like a LED. If you want to put a bulb in there ... go buy a bulb socket that is about the right size, get a bulb that fits the socket you just bought, then wire the new socket in place of the original. This is about all I can tell you ... unless you simply replace your unit with another one that is exactly like the factory original (which you would probably get from another f-body from a junk yard).

 

Did you say you're going to power a neon off of your deck? That better be a deck of cards you're talking about, cause I wouldn't want the amplified noise that light can make going through my speakers. Dj feelgood and the blue light specials.... No. Not good.

 

" curiosity killed the cat"

I unscrewed mine to see what it was , I did not know , now I cant get it back in lol

 

We've had this discussion before, and we can never come to a conclusion about what it is really there for. We know that it is listed as a light for the heater/ac controls, but none of us has a light that is bright enough to light up anything. It's one of the Unsolved Camaro Mysteries.....

 

It is a 74 bulb.

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1989 IROC-Z 5.7L
NOS 5151 150HP kit
ProBuilt 700R4, PI Vigilante 2800 stall lockup
Baer Brakes 12" Sport System

 

Thanks Omar, I'll go look for that light bulb.