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Need help ID'ing a tiny bulb, please

1351 Views 17 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  93trooperpooper, 
JoeIsuzu
This bulb is used in the switches surrounding the instrument cluster on '88-'95 Pickups and 1st Gen Rodeos. It's also used in the mirror control switch on several Isuzus. Of the three I checked, all were bad. Can anybody identify it?
244B6341-8C90-447A-AF1E-FF8154BF8215.jpeg

The socket had a "TS" (definitely not "T5"), but my search came up full of useless results.
8B3A64D6-C9EC-49F8-804C-FE9E8DB2FA1C.jpeg

Thanks.
Jack

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Oro
I just repaired the same on my 90's turbo volvo. I posted about it on a volvo forum, actually. I will try to link that.

Bottom line:
get the lights cheap off ebay, then twist them in with a pick and tweezers. It's really easy.

They are ID'd by the base width. That is very likely 3mm. Take a micrometer and measure the width of that spade on the bottom. Then you know what to order.
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93trooperpooper
i bought a bunch of different size led bulbs from e-bay , in different colors. took them out of their holders and installed them into the oem isuzu bulb holders. they are polarity sensitive. takes a little bit of fine wire bending, but all the switches and lamps in my '93 trooper are led.

why replace the switch, if all it needs is a bulb ?
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JoeIsuzu
Oro said:
They are ID'd by the base width. That is very likely 3mm. Take a micrometer and measure the width of that spade on the bottom. Then you know what to order.
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Thanks, I'll do that!

Yes, an LED woutbe great if I can find a suitable one.
93trooperpooper said:
why replace the switch, if all it needs is a bulb ?
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I'm not planning to replace the switch. It's for an '83 P'up that didn't originally have power mirrors. I just got the switch from my local salvage yard.

Jack
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93trooperpooper
i was talking like an oem parts supplier...they show that the entire switch needs to be replaced , if the bulb burns out in it...
but myself, being the guy i am, took the switch apart carefully , and replaced the bulb, not the switch...
some of the switches have multiple detent balls / springs inside...watch out they dont get lost when you open it up !!
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Enemigo
Sounds like working on a firearm. Do it inside a large bag so anything that goes flying is easier to find.
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JoeIsuzu
93trooperpooper said:
i was talking like an oem parts supplier...they show that the entire switch needs to be replaced , if the bulb burns out in it...
but myself, being the guy i am, took the switch apart carefully , and replaced the bulb, not the switch...
some of the switches have multiple detent balls / springs inside...watch out they dont get lost when you open it up !!
Click to expand...
Enemigo said:
Sounds like working on a firearm. Do it inside a large bag so anything that goes flying is easier to find.
Click to expand...
No, this is definitely designed to be replaceable. The bulb holder pops right in/out of the back of the switch. In the pic below, the bulb and holder are lying on the switch, outlined in orange. They even have the word "LAMP" below where it goes, with an arrow pointing to it.
switch_back.jpg

Jack

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93trooperpooper
some of the light bulbs in isuzu switches are not meant to be replaced...the twist in ones are an obvious easy replacement, then there are the rubber mounted bulbs that are fairly easy to replace as well...
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JoeIsuzu
93trooperpooper said:
some of the light bulbs in isuzu switches are not meant to be replaced...the twist in ones are an obvious easy replacement, then there are the rubber mounted bulbs that are fairly easy to replace as well...
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Yes, if I could only find one. It is the same bulb as used in the small twist-in assemblies.

Jack
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93trooperpooper
some model rail-road products use the same bulbs; maybe a hobby shop might have some?
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Oro
Did you measure that spade base on the stock bulb?
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chuckthebull
Leds need a current resistors in series if it does not have one built in. Just add a 220 up to 470 ohm, high output leds operate around 3 volts, unless they are specifically designed for 12 when you buy them, so they need that resistor if it's a bulk type item and not just a auto store kind,,just fyi
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S
This is a industry standard leaded grain of wheat lamp. MouserElectronics.com
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chuckthebull
Shawn Anthony said:
This is a industry standard leaded grain of wheat lamp. MouserElectronics.com
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That's what i was thinking too. Any twelve volt equivalent should work fine.
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JoeIsuzu
Shawn Anthony said:
This is a industry standard leaded grain of wheat lamp. MouserElectronics.com
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Thanks, Shawn. Never heard of that until now.
chuckthebull said:
That's what i was thinking too. Any twelve volt equivalent should work fine.
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Well, of course. But I couldn't find one that size, so that's why I asked,

Jack
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S
JoeIsuzu said:
Thanks, Shawn. Never heard of that until now.

Well, of course. But I couldn't find one that size, so that's why I asked,

Jack
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Measure the length and diameter of the lamp. Then call Mouser Electronics & speak with a lighting sales rep you will need to tell the sales man that the lamp is a 12V between 3W and 5W. The sales man will do the rest of the work for you.
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chuckthebull
JoeIsuzu said:
Thanks, Shawn. Never heard of that until now.
Well, of course. But I couldn't find one that size, so that's why I asked,
Jack
[/QUOTE
It's well known in electronic repair circles those little grain of weat bulbs had been used in alot of electronics back in the day,,, but yeah I should not assume everyone would know.. Shawn sounds knowledgeable though, maybe pay me no mind.

BUT I have a lightning store near me that has shelves and draws of all kinds of bulbs, they had the bulbs for a rare broadcast electronics unit used in the recording industry I was repairing, still to my surprise they had them, (stores been there a long time) , might have a store near you specializing in light bulbs? Just a thought. Or I'll pop in and see what they have if you don't locate any,,maybe I can actually help beside just talking.
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93trooperpooper
i bought a bunch of different led bulbs / styles from e-bay and made them work....
some of them i had to remove from the provided socket, and install into the isuzu socket... a little retro-fitting, but i have led bulbs in all my switches.
i had installed white, but even with the dimmer turned all the way down, they were too bright, and burned too hot, and burned out. i switched to red led in the switches, blue concave led 194 in the dash, a green led for the a/c switch...
white led color is not a ''natural'' color in the led spectrum...it is more manipulated than the other natural colors to make ''white'' light, therefore burns hotter.
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