1999 CRV: Keeping clock bright when lites are on?

I drive with my headlights on during the day (the '99 does not come with
DTRL), but the clock dims out when the lights go on, because there was
an assumption that lights only go on at night.

Is there a configuration somewhere within the CRV that allows for
"allways bright" on the clock?

If not, is there a wire that I can cut or short to make it always
bright? I'm assuming that at the very least there would be something on
the clock itself. Maybe 3 wires?----[ground, low, high] or maybe
[ground, Positive, lites-on] ?

Thanks!

PS. Before I thought to ask the question if there was another way, I
had asked here how to remove the clock. That damn thing is impossible
to remove! Stubborn little sucker----if you have any hints about that
too, I'd appreciate it.

--
Having a dog that is a purebred does not qualify it for breeding. Dogs
need to have several generations of clearances for various illnesses
before being bred. If you are breeding dogs without taking care as to
the genetic quality of the dog (again, being purebred is not enough),
you are what is known as a "backyard breeder" and are part of the
problem. Most of the congenital problems of present day dogs are
traceable directly to backyard breeding. Spay or neuter your pet
responsibly, and don't just think that you're somehow the exception and
can breed a dog without taking the care described.

Elmo P. Shagnasty coughed up:
> In article <b4BCe.2966$Zx3.233@trndny05>,
> "Thomas G. Marshall"
> . com> wrote:
>
>> I drive with my headlights on during the day (the '99 does not come
>> with DTRL), but the clock dims out when the lights go on, because
>> there was an assumption that lights only go on at night.
>>
>> Is there a configuration somewhere within the CRV that allows for
>> "allways bright" on the clock?
>>
>> If not, is there a wire that I can cut or short to make it always
>> bright?
>
> You talk about the clock, but you forget that the clock is part of the
> instrument lighting overall.

No I didn't. The clock is /not/ part of the instrument lighting. It is
under separate control, high and low based only on whether or not the lights
are on, and is not affected by the dashboard light dimmer.


>
> On some cars, the dashboard light dimmer switch has a position whereby
> it turns all the dash lights on full strength, plenty bright for
> anytime.



--
It's time for everyone to just step back, take a deep breath, relax,
and stop throwing hissy fits over crossposting.

On Sun, 17 Jul 2005 23:31:07 -0400, "Elmo P. Shagnasty"
> wrote:

>In article <EfFCe.4425$ij3.3951@trndny06>,
> "Thomas G. Marshall"
> . com> wrote:
>
>> The clock is /not/ part of the instrument lighting. It is
>> under separate control, high and low based only on whether or not the lights
>> are on, and is not affected by the dashboard light dimmer.
>
>Man, Honda is making things CHEAP. I guess that's their philosophy on
>the Civic-based line.
>
>More and more, it's obvious that the beancounters are in charge at
>Honda, and that engineers are way down the ladder.
>
>Damn shame.

Our Accord does that, except that there are other things that dim when
the headlights come on. I can leave it on daylight only (doesn't
matter if the headlights are on or off) by turning the odometer reset
knob. Found that by accident. I suppose if I had read the book it
would have explained it. :-)

Dick

On Sun, 17 Jul 2005 21:55:17 -0700, Dick <LeadWinger> wrote:

>On Sun, 17 Jul 2005 23:31:07 -0400, "Elmo P. Shagnasty"
> wrote:
>
>>In article <EfFCe.4425$ij3.3951@trndny06>,
>> "Thomas G. Marshall"
>> . com> wrote:
>>
>>> The clock is /not/ part of the instrument lighting. It is
>>> under separate control, high and low based only on whether or not the lights
>>> are on, and is not affected by the dashboard light dimmer.
>>
>>Man, Honda is making things CHEAP. I guess that's their philosophy on
>>the Civic-based line.
>>
>>More and more, it's obvious that the beancounters are in charge at
>>Honda, and that engineers are way down the ladder.
>>
>>Damn shame.
>
>Our Accord does that, except that there are other things that dim when
>the headlights come on. I can leave it on daylight only (doesn't
>matter if the headlights are on or off) by turning the odometer reset
>knob. Found that by accident. I suppose if I had read the book it
>would have explained it. :-)
>
>Dick

I think OP said that the dimmer rheostat doesn't affect his clock
lighting. That's why he's asking here if there's a way to keep it
fully illuminated with the headlights on.

There are ways to install DTRLs which means feeding a reduced voltage
to the high beam lamps all the time, but it's expensive and
complicated (for an amateur). I investigated it, and it most
definitely is not a job for the likes of me. I'd have to have it done
by a pro, and I think that parts and labor would run the price up to
several hundred dollars. That's the only way I've discovered to
overcome the problem with dash illumination in American Accords. I'd
call the Canadians lucky, but have you ever been there in the
winter?!? It's foolish of Honda America not to make DTRLs a standard
or, at the very least, an optional feature.

I'd love to hear the regular contributors weigh in on this question.

Ron

On Mon, 18 Jul 2005 16:43:00 GMT, Milleron
> wrote:

>On Sun, 17 Jul 2005 21:55:17 -0700, Dick <LeadWinger> wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 17 Jul 2005 23:31:07 -0400, "Elmo P. Shagnasty"
> wrote:
>>
>>>In article <EfFCe.4425$ij3.3951@trndny06>,
>>> "Thomas G. Marshall"
>>> . com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> The clock is /not/ part of the instrument lighting. It is
>>>> under separate control, high and low based only on whether or not the lights
>>>> are on, and is not affected by the dashboard light dimmer.
>>>
>>>Man, Honda is making things CHEAP. I guess that's their philosophy on
>>>the Civic-based line.
>>>
>>>More and more, it's obvious that the beancounters are in charge at
>>>Honda, and that engineers are way down the ladder.
>>>
>>>Damn shame.
>>
>>Our Accord does that, except that there are other things that dim when
>>the headlights come on. I can leave it on daylight only (doesn't
>>matter if the headlights are on or off) by turning the odometer reset
>>knob. Found that by accident. I suppose if I had read the book it
>>would have explained it. :-)
>>
>>Dick
>
>I think OP said that the dimmer rheostat doesn't affect his clock
>lighting. That's why he's asking here if there's a way to keep it
>fully illuminated with the headlights on.
>
>Ron

I was not talking about a dimmer rheostat. I was talking about a
switch that is connected to the odometer reset knob. It gives you the
option of having the clock dim with the headlamps or not. I was
suggesting this so that the OP could see if his CRV perhaps had the
same kind of switch.

Dick

Elmo P. Shagnasty coughed up:
> In article <EfFCe.4425$ij3.3951@trndny06>,
> "Thomas G. Marshall"
> . com> wrote:
>
>> The clock is /not/ part of the instrument lighting. It is
>> under separate control, high and low based only on whether or not
>> the lights are on, and is not affected by the dashboard light dimmer.
>
> Man, Honda is making things CHEAP. I guess that's their philosophy on
> the Civic-based line.
>
> More and more, it's obvious that the beancounters are in charge at
> Honda, and that engineers are way down the ladder.
>
> Damn shame.

I'm not sure that it /should/ be part of the dash dimmer. It has differing
requirements. It needs to be on both when the headlights are on and off,
and they need to be brightest during the day, and dimmed at night. At least
that would be the theory.


--
"So I just, uh... I just cut them up like regular chickens?"
"Sure, just cut them up like regular chickens."

Dick coughed up:
> On Mon, 18 Jul 2005 16:43:00 GMT, Milleron
> > wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 17 Jul 2005 21:55:17 -0700, Dick <LeadWinger> wrote:
>>
>>> On Sun, 17 Jul 2005 23:31:07 -0400, "Elmo P. Shagnasty"
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> In article <EfFCe.4425$ij3.3951@trndny06>,
>>>> "Thomas G. Marshall"
>>>> . com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> The clock is /not/ part of the instrument lighting. It is
>>>>> under separate control, high and low based only on whether or not
>>>>> the lights are on, and is not affected by the dashboard light
>>>>> dimmer.
>>>>
>>>> Man, Honda is making things CHEAP. I guess that's their
>>>> philosophy on the Civic-based line.
>>>>
>>>> More and more, it's obvious that the beancounters are in charge at
>>>> Honda, and that engineers are way down the ladder.
>>>>
>>>> Damn shame.
>>>
>>> Our Accord does that, except that there are other things that dim
>>> when the headlights come on. I can leave it on daylight only
>>> (doesn't matter if the headlights are on or off) by turning the
>>> odometer reset knob. Found that by accident. I suppose if I had
>>> read the book it would have explained it. :-)
>>>
>>> Dick
>>
>> I think OP said that the dimmer rheostat doesn't affect his clock
>> lighting. That's why he's asking here if there's a way to keep it
>> fully illuminated with the headlights on.
>>
>> Ron
>
> I was not talking about a dimmer rheostat. I was talking about a
> switch that is connected to the odometer reset knob. It gives you the
> option of having the clock dim with the headlamps or not. I was
> suggesting this so that the OP could see if his CRV perhaps had the
> same kind of switch.


You got my hopes up. The odometer reset does not turn. Nor (just to be
clear) does the illumination dial do anything other than ramp up and down
the dash lights sans clock.


--
http://www.allexperts.com is a nifty way to get an answer to just about
/anything/.

Milleron coughed up:
> On Sun, 17 Jul 2005 21:55:17 -0700, Dick <LeadWinger> wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 17 Jul 2005 23:31:07 -0400, "Elmo P. Shagnasty"
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> In article <EfFCe.4425$ij3.3951@trndny06>,
>>> "Thomas G. Marshall"
>>> . com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> The clock is /not/ part of the instrument lighting. It is
>>>> under separate control, high and low based only on whether or not
>>>> the lights are on, and is not affected by the dashboard light
>>>> dimmer.
>>>
>>> Man, Honda is making things CHEAP. I guess that's their philosophy
>>> on the Civic-based line.
>>>
>>> More and more, it's obvious that the beancounters are in charge at
>>> Honda, and that engineers are way down the ladder.
>>>
>>> Damn shame.
>>
>> Our Accord does that, except that there are other things that dim
>> when the headlights come on. I can leave it on daylight only
>> (doesn't matter if the headlights are on or off) by turning the
>> odometer reset knob. Found that by accident. I suppose if I had
>> read the book it would have explained it. :-)
>>
>> Dick
>
> I think OP said that the dimmer rheostat doesn't affect his clock
> lighting. That's why he's asking here if there's a way to keep it
> fully illuminated with the headlights on.
>
> There are ways to install DTRLs which means feeding a reduced voltage
> to the high beam lamps all the time, but it's expensive and
> complicated (for an amateur). I investigated it, and it most
> definitely is not a job for the likes of me. I'd have to have it done
> by a pro, and I think that parts and labor would run the price up to
> several hundred dollars. That's the only way I've discovered to
> overcome the problem with dash illumination in American Accords. I'd
> call the Canadians lucky, but have you ever been there in the
> winter?!? It's foolish of Honda America not to make DTRLs a standard
> or, at the very least, an optional feature.

Hmmmm..... In my circles, this kind of thing in computing hardware (and
consumer electronics) almost always means that there's a configuration
/somewhere/ , even if it is purely unintentionally and accidentally left in
for the american models, that can be tweaked, turned on/off, or shorted.


>
> I'd love to hear the regular contributors weigh in on this question.
>
> Ron



--
http://www.allexperts.com is a nifty way to get an answer to just about
/anything/.

motsco_ _" <"motsco_ _ coughed up:
>> Thanks!
>>
>> PS. Before I thought to ask the question if there was another way,
>> I had asked here how to remove the clock. That damn thing is
>> impossible to remove! Stubborn little sucker----if you have any
>> hints about that too, I'd appreciate it.
>>
>
> -------------------------
>
> Here's a better link to an article about the '99 clock:
>
> http://www.hondasuv.com/crv/viewtopic.php?t=66
>
> 'curly'


Ok, here's the thing. When I've asked before how to remove the clock, the
answer was always the same: insert a knife under the clock.

The point is, you don't do that (apparently according to that link you just
gave). You put the knife underneath the entire center vent assembly (which
hold vents+clock+emergency switch).

I've tried that too now, and started to bend the butter knife. Gonna have
to try something else.

Where do those four pairs of wires hook into the main system. I'm not lucky
enough to have them near the fuse block am I?



--
Everythinginlifeisrealative.Apingpongballseemssmal luntilsomeoneramsitupyournose.

On Mon, 18 Jul 2005 23:28:08 GMT, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com> wrote:

>Dick coughed up:

>> I was not talking about a dimmer rheostat. I was talking about a
>> switch that is connected to the odometer reset knob. It gives you the
>> option of having the clock dim with the headlamps or not. I was
>> suggesting this so that the OP could see if his CRV perhaps had the
>> same kind of switch.
>
>
>You got my hopes up. The odometer reset does not turn. Nor (just to be
>clear) does the illumination dial do anything other than ramp up and down
>the dash lights sans clock.

It was worth a try anyway.