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Sold
by simon8201 - 09/09/26 01:46 PM
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Wales
by Joske Vermeule, September 1
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Forums39
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Jun 14th, 2026
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Joined: May 2014
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Talk Morgan Expert
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OP
Talk Morgan Expert
Joined: May 2014
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So up at the crack of dawn this morning to go to the Bicester Scramble.. Usual prep rigmarole whenever we go out, dog, house locking up, moving cars ( I have a single garage) etc etc..
Get a mile up the road and I find all my dash gauges not working..pull over and check fuses, firstly the diagram on the cover says block A and block B.. Good old MMC, they are the other way round! So finally discover the instrument fuse blown.. A quick change and 2 fuses later reveals I have a dead short.
So nothing to be done but back home and check it out.. Half an hour later I've found the culprit. The dash dimmer! The body of same offending article has 2 flats on it.. Ideally the hole ought to have the same so prevent it from turning.. No.. Again good old MMC in their wisdom just drill a hole. Consequently the whole body of it turns and with it the wiring. So one of the wires(typically the live one) had come off and gone to earth..hence the blown fuses and my lack of any instruments.
So, quickly removed the dimmer and all is well for now.
The dimmer is the nastiest bit of cheap Chinese rubbish available.. Just a look at it and the connectors fall off.. Also clearly the spindle has been hacksawsed off to fit the knob ..just left ragged , not good workmanship I would say on a car that's £40k+.
Anyway, an hour late starting I went off to Bicester, the day wasn't a right off. Got back home and wired in a switch for now so that I have panel lights..
I have an old Lucas potentiometer from a TR somewhere, that'll be better quality for sure ( and that's saying something!) so might use that. I can't be bothered to do anything under warranty, it'll cost more going to and from the dealer and the last thing I need is another rubbish dimmer switch fitted.
Hey ho..
Steve
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Joined: May 2014
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Black Rat Charter Member
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Black Rat Charter Member
Joined: May 2014
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Do you know I don't think I've ever used my dash dimmer, just as well perhaps 
Keith
2013 narrow bodied + 4 Ruby.
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Talk Morgan Expert
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Talk Morgan Expert
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No don't touch it Keith!
Also seems daft to me that they wire them to be on all the time under ignition day or night.. Unless you dim them.. And the clock doesn't seem to be in circuit, stays bright.
I shall do it differently.
Steve
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Joined: Jan 2011
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Very worrying news about the dimmer switch. Why oh why do we keep coming up with examples of very, very poor workmanship with Morgans? They are such brilliant cars and yet, time and again, examples of corner cutting crop up.
You can buy any number of "normal" cars which will run for years and years with no "silly" problems. Are we all daft????
Reg
Here for a good time not a long time!!
Reg
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Member of the Inner Circle
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Member of the Inner Circle
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It looked pretty crap when you showed me the remains Steve!
As I said....mine is dim or very dim, so much so that I need a torch to check my speed! I'm going to replace it but wonder why there are three wires to it. Anyone got a clue?
Jays
Former Morgan owner. Gone but hopefully not forgotten!
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Joined: Apr 2014
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Talk Morgan Addict
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Talk Morgan Addict
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Return and Power across the pot then the third is the voltage off the wiper?
Mark - No Longer driving Archie the Old English Sheep Mog........... 2010 Roadster 3.0 V6 (S3) 
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Joined: Jul 2007
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Member of the Inner Circle
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Member of the Inner Circle
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Mine is OK but then again I never touch it.
Steve sorry to hear you have this in your beautiful plus 4
JohnV6
2022 CX Plus Four
2025 Renault Scenic Alpine etech "Yvette"
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Joined: May 2014
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Talk Morgan Expert
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Talk Morgan Expert
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It looked pretty crap when you showed me the remains Steve!
As I said....mine is dim or very dim, so much so that I need a torch to check my speed! I'm going to replace it but wonder why there are three wires to it. Anyone got a clue? John , One is live, one is the 'resisted feed' and the last is ground. For now I bridged the live in and the out via a switch, full brightness but working.
Steve
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Joined: Aug 2013
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Formerly known as Aldermog Member of the Inner Circle
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Formerly known as Aldermog Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Aug 2013
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Surely there is a better way than a 1950s wire wound potentiometer?
Oh yes, it will cost more than a shilling.
Peter,
66, 2016 Porsche Boxster S
No longer driving Tarka, the 2014 Plus 8...
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Joined: Aug 2013
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Charter Member
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Charter Member
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Do you know I don't think I've ever used my dash dimmer, just as well perhaps I'd had my car for a few months before I discovered I had one. Never bothered touching it since finding it's I can't think why I'd want to dim it!
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