Heater Control Bulb Replacement

This DIY is in need of some photos, If you attempt this project please take some photos that we can add to this "How To"


Purchased the lamps at Radio Shack. They were in the LAMP drawers and not the LED drawers as the LED's were rated 3.6v and produce a cool bluish white light.

The bulbs are part #272-1154
12v 50mA
Bi-Pin Lamp
Cost - $1.69 each (at time of publishing)

The lamps are slightly smaller but just as bright and unlike an LED the light is emitted all around rather than directional

Just unsolder the existing lamps from the circuit board, bend/trim the pins on new lamp into shape with small needle nose pliers and solder in place.

Remove the bulb and the plastic housing it is in (discard both), re-solder the new bulb in it's place. The polarity doesn't seem to matter either with the new bulb.

DONE! Works like a charm and can be done quickly!

Another individual added the following hints:

To pull everything apart, you have to start with the silver bezel and after that, you pull off the plastic part that surrounds it. I got a plastic fork from Harbor freight that is used for panel removal.

You have to put the gear into drive to have more space to pull of the middle unit. Also, to get it off easier, I unscrewed some of the hexagon nuts around the radio.

You have to pop up the bottom of the plastic rim around the radio. You have to pull it kind of hard to pop it out. The fastener is in the middle. After that it is easy for you to just pull the middle part off.

The biggest wire was kind of hard to take off from the back, but others were easy.

I used three 12V 50mA Bi-Pin Lamps for the three dials, for the rest I used 12V 60ma -wire terminal base bulbs.

I got both from Radio Shack.
model numbers 272-1092 $1.69
272-1154 $1.79 for a pair.