so my in car clock dims when im turning lights on. its like its loosing power or smt...

lights off
[img]http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag458/scalmanx/590b3881-3d5d-4182-980e-5cce8b99e32c_zpswo7xumgx.jpg[/img]

lights on
[img]http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag458/scalmanx/d53e0648-7085-4f1d-8ae2-a97881351998_zps7uvbpfa6.jpg[/img]

its same engine off or on.

It's meant to do that. Most cars with LCD clocks are the same, I know my old Sierra was and my van is the same too. It's so the clock isn't too bright at night. During the day you need a higher contrast to see it clearly, but at night not so much. Most car radios should do something similar; mine doesn't and I find it far too bright at night.

Jon

i thought so too. but i cant see it at day at all and in night well only slightly. so its useless to use. its on side so it wouldnt distract me realy. itsjust those moments when someone in car ask me what time it is ..and im trying to look into in car clock and cant see notin

or i just need put there something like this
[img]http://www.uogos.lt/uploads/modules/discount/original/9289093.jpg[/img]

i saw those in markets, and they cheap too..

NO! The clock does not dim that much.. Or maybe it's only mine..
The dimming is like 10% of the overall back light..
And that is normal.
Go to electrician guy to measure the V that the alternator produces when it's loaded with consumers and when it's not.. It should be in norms, if it's not - then probably that is the problem..
ALL the back light dims at night when you turn the front lights on.The head lights are a big consumer and takes much of the V that the alternator produces so that's why all other electrician stuff dims a bit.
If you try it you will see it..
I bet the clock feels it more because of its internal components.Maybe there's something wrong with yours!?
The clock is plug and play, if you have a chance try a clock from another F and you'll see..
Cheers.

No, it is normal.

If turning the headlights caused all the electrics to run out of power your alternator is borked!. That and you wouldn't be able to add a single accessory like a radio, turn the heater on or even demist the rear window at night.

An alternator should push out enough power to run everything on the car plus an excess to charge the battery. If the alternator drops below enough to run the car with lights on things like the fuel pump start cutting out; yes this happened on my van with a duff alternator!! New one and bingo, van ran fine, at night with the air-con on.... and the clock still dims

I didn't said that it sucks the whole capacity but just a bit so the lsd feels it...
And from experience i can tell that cars start failing with peripherial circuits not with main..
Wich fuel pump is indeed main..
I didn't say that you are wrong, but if the alternator is bad this may happened..
Maybe scalman's alternator is bad and that is why there's much diference in the backlight of the clock..
Also now i see on the photos tjat he only put it in gauge mode not on short lights.. which i find strange.. they are not big consumers at all.. that is odd..

My alternator is ok. I changed new battery to car like couple month ago and they mesured my alternator. Its fine. so then its normal I guess. and it dims same day or night time no matter. I can change brightness for other lights in car but not for clock. They should put clock on it too. It dims more then half . Completely not visiable at sunlight.
maybe just clock dimming stuff broken or something. Wonder there must be way to make it not dimm at all...

there is a brightness switch if its dimming too much, it the the one next to headlight alignment switch

it does not affect clock as i said. its affects all other lights. but clock stays same.
if i wouldnt know what that does i would consider myself realy stupid one

mine changes the clock and dash lights, it could be a broken wire behind the clock on the dimming loop

could be. is it taking off easily ? with knife ?

other thing is my preford doesn't have the variable dimmer but my post ford does, I'm not 100% on whether using preford clock in post ford car would give the results you are seeing

i remember before that clock was ok i guess. so it must be something happened to him thats brightness dont work anymore. just wonder how its taking off without scratching stuff..

Yup, my bad.. the clock has dimer effect when lights on.. But yours is dimming more.. don't know the reason..
I saw the schematics on the clock last night somewhere on the internet..
As i said try another clock to be sure that the problem is from it..

I'm stripping the post ford and you can have the clock for the cost of postage, it works fine and is the one that works from the dimmer

But how clock going off ? It looks like its from inside.

Yep, you have to remove the panel in front.
The clock is mounted from the back side of it..

Haha that i was thinking off. Its not easy then. not that much need for now