Superlight Dashboard - Savage switches

[Graham King]

Folks, would appreciate some advice from those that have already done or understand what needs to be done.

 

I'm going to replace my ratehr tired looking dash and switches on my 99 SL. I'm weighing up wether to change to the later dash layout that uses the Savage Motorsport Aluminium switches. I've read up on the threads I can find on this but many of them reference websites that are no longer available.

 

I appreciate that the Savage switches are 6A not 12A like the current standard switches and I've read the posts that talk about the amount of wiring that has to be done but can anyone explain what I would need to do for each switch please. Do I need to wire in a resistor into each switch circuit or does each one need a separate relay or some other setup. I am initially trying to work out the approx cost to do the job and if I can do it myself. The switches are approx twice the price of standard switches so overall don't add that much to the cost.

 

Any advice appreciated.

 

Graham.

[rj]

Sorry if it sounds arrogant, but if you don't understand what it means that a switch only takes 6A rather than 12, then I think you'll get into trouble.

 

The layout and functionality of the switches is completely different, hence you need to understand how to construct electric circuits to make it work.

 

The Caterham dash has a relay board behind the switches. I /think/ all CCs switches are monetary rather than latching as you'd normally use for an on/off button. If you need two steps like for the wipers you need either electronics and relays or two switches to obtain it.

[MartinH]

The cars with the Savage switches have a bespoke circuit board that works with them to operate all the functions they control. See here

 

I think I remember some people re-implementing some of the functionality of the board with their own electronics but its not for the faint hearted. Basically the Savage switches are all 'momentary' and effectively send a signal to the board which says 'I've just been pressed' and the board decides what to do. That is how it achieves things like the different wiper speeds and full beam/dipped/off lights etc. - i.e. the board remembers the current state of each function. I have dabbled with the switches a bit on mine - swapping the left and right indicator buttons for a self-centering toggle switch for example but a full installation from scratch would be quite a challenge. Good luck if you decide to tackle it.

 

Martin

 

[Graham King]

RJ/Martin, thanks for the responses, I think you've shown me enough to prove that it's probably a) beyond my schoolboy electronics knowledge and b) would work out more expensive than I'm prepared to do. I think I'll revert back to the original plan of replacing the dash with original switchgear.

 

Thanks again.

 

Graham.

[MartinH]

There is probably an opportunity for someone to design and build a kit that could facilitate the job you are trying to do - i.e. 'shim' some new technology in between the old configuration with rocker switches and relays and the new switches - along with instructions etc. I bet there would be a lot of takers. Or...you could just skip that generation altogether and go straight to the new R620's style which seems to be back to plain old metal toggle switches with little protectors either side (to be IVA compliant I assume?)

[rj]

Quoting Graham King: 

I think I'll revert back to the original plan of replacing the dash with original switchgear.

 

Sounds clever.

 

Unless you've got fairly good skills you could easily introduce a lot of trouble into your loom. Apart from the electric circuits you also need to know what you do to make it last. I have seen a few horrors. I have even had to fly over from Denmark to sort someone who had been playing out.

 

About 30% of the DNF's in racing are caused by electrics.

 

Another thing is that I am not a huge fan of the "new" dash layout.

[SLR No.77]

Another possibility ....

 

I'm currently in the process of losing the dash toggle switches to be replaced with momentary push button switches, not the Savage versions but ones similar to the indicators fitted to the R500 steering wheel, with the proviso that for absolute reliability it will e simply a plug in job enabling reverting back to standard switches at any time if needed. The replacement buttons will all be steering wheel mounted rather than dash.

 

With the help of another club member I'm already trialling an indicator module controlled by 2 steering wheel mounted push buttons and it now has self cancelling facility, time out etc.

 

Using a bank of relays to keep steering wheel wiring to a minimum, the the next step is to add push buttons for start/stop (using a Catstart module), flash, single wiper action, horn and oil/coolant temp gauge switching ... 7 buttons in total.

Ideally I also want to lose the high/low beam toggle switch and combine it with the new flash button, press for flash, but if held for more than a second it swaps to high beam, low beam if pressed again. This should be easily achievable with a simple timer circuit.

 

The ultimate would obviously be to combine all the features into one "plug and play" module that would convert a vehicle with an old style dash. The dash would retain gauges, warning lights and rocker switches but no toggle or push switches.

 

Stu.

[MartinH]

Sounds nice Stu. Can you post some photos of your wheel and dash when its ready?

[SLR No.77]

 

Stu.

[Shaun_E]

I had my old rocker switches replaced with the savage switches when I had the car rewired and it was a major undertaking. It is not true that they are all momentary switches - they are all available in single latching versions as well. You can use the single latching ones to replace most of the normal rockers but you need to use a relay for every one. For things like 2 speed fan you will need an additional switch - I used some metal toggle switches. It's all doable but in hindsight I wish I hadn't bothered.