Roof light - whoops

N

NZCol

VIP Member
Messages
375
Location
Edinburgh
Vehicle
T6 Beach 150
I was poking around with our roof light as it stopped working and i bought an LED replacement. After removing the screws and looking there is a connector block that doesn't fit thorugh the holes. As i moved the light around the blocks separated and now the other end is somewhere in the roof of the van behind the hole. Anyone solved this - i am expecting some amateur laparoscoptic surgery with a plastic crochet needle !
 
I think a piece of wire and long nosed pliers is the answer.

I had to change the lamp as the gooseneck broke away from the plastic base and had a similar problem.

Some forum mebers have swapped out the lamp for a 12V DC socket. You can then plug a lamp in if you want. I think it involves enlarging the hole in the bulkhead slightly. There is a thread on it somewhere.

They do seem to be prone to accidental damage, so the next time I break it I will probably fit a socket.

rob
 
The connector block is too big to pass through the round hole in the body.
Used a flat needle file to square off the hole so the connector will pass through once you have retrieved it. Then reconnecting the lamp connector and refitting the whole item becomes easy. The base of the lamp will cover the modified hole.

Alan
 
It appears that VW, themselves, now produce an LED version of the flexilight with 7 LEDs at the end.
Has anybody got the Part Number?
Has anybody got one?
(in which case: what's it like?)
Thanks
 
hotel california T5 said:
Dutch site, but seems this light looks like to fit on the original place...check the mounting bracket
http://www.vwcampershop.nl/verlichting/led-verlichting/led-leeslamp-130mm.html

Is there not a replacement for just the inside of the original lamp , halogeen to led?
Click to expand...

I think you might be right but many bits of the flexi bit, the switch and the bit holding the bulb have died.
Steve from SMG tells me VW now DO market a 7LED replacement at £64.99 inc VAT.
 
WelshGas said:
The original light is made by Osram, the Copilot.
Osram now have the LED equivilent, on Amazon £19.99.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KYK6DPW/?tag=eliteelect-21

View attachment 9098

I believe Osram make a number of versions with various lengths of flexible neck. This one is 370mm long.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that.
I'd be a bit nervous going with whoever designed the original since it was so bad in many respects.
Maybe they've learned since then?
It doesn't look as though the one marketed by VW now is the same as this one because it looks quite different especially at the 'light' end: it's three times the price, though :(
 
If mine ever should fail to work or break of , it wil be a 12v socket conversion.
Belive they sell the same flexilights to plug in...
 
hotel california T5 said:
If mine ever should fail to work or break of , it wil be a 12v socket conversion.
Belive they sell the same flexilights to plug in...
Click to expand...

You mean VW sell the same 7-LED flexilite they market for a replacement for the roof light as a plug?
There are several plug-ins on the market that I've seen but none that resemble the one now supplied by VW.
But I could well have missed it ...
 
Not sure if they are VW , but seen it somewhere
 
After 3 failed attempts to repair the OE flexi stem to base interface I'm throwing the towel in.
Which 12v bulkhead socket are you guys using?
 
Bought the Osram LED unit, been knocking around the van for 2 years, finally got around to fitting it this am ( file hole out to accommodate plug, find plugs on Osram and OE are both female, cut off both unions and fit to work with OE socket, black to green, red to brown) and... doesn't work! I'm assuming I've damaged the Osram during the past year so have ordered a replacement. Does anyone have any observations please?
Oh, btw, haven't blown the fuse, it runs off the internal lighting fuse, and they're all ok.
 
Mike Frost said:
Bought the Osram LED unit, been knocking around the van for 2 years, finally got around to fitting it this am ( file hole out to accommodate plug, find plugs on Osram and OE are both female, cut off both unions and fit to work with OE socket, black to green, red to brown) and... doesn't work! I'm assuming I've damaged the Osram during the past year so have ordered a replacement. Does anyone have any observations please?
Oh, btw, haven't blown the fuse, it runs off the internal lighting fuse, and they're all ok.
Click to expand...
Swap the wires around.
I presume your Osram is LED? LED requires correct polarity, normal bulbs don't.
 
WelshGas said:
Swap the wires around.
I presume your Osram is LED? LED requires correct polarity, normal bulbs don't.
Click to expand...
Welsh Gas! With surgical precision you identified the problem. Hitherto, I was not aware of that particular sensitivity of LED lights; thank you for educating me and resolving my problem.

Best regards

Mike
 
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