Vanity Mirror

[nod7]

So, I'm supposed to be taping off the top of the van getting ready for paint but, as I was driving to pickup some more tape, I realized that I missed some bulbs in my recent massive conversion of bulbs to LED lights in the Wasty. The vanity mirror on the passengers side. There's bulbs in there and I want to convert them.

This should be easy I thought. Should only take a min... I've been resarching for an hour and a half now and got nuttin. It's not obvious by looking at it. I don't want to pull at it and break it. Bentley has nothing to say that I could find. Searching on here for vanity was in vain. Google gave me no love either.

How do you get at those bulbs in the passengers side visor?

-nod7
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[syncrodoka]

http://www.vanagonauts.com/Visor-Mirror172.htm
I think that they are the same as the map light bulb.

[nod7]

Thanks Syncrodoka. I forgot to search the mailing list. That did the trick. I was able to get it off with gentleness and patience. They do indeed appear to be the same bulb as the map light.

In my search on the boards here, I saw someone mention a drivers side sun visor that had vanity mirror with light. What year did they start doing that? Because, of course, I'll have to have one now.

-nod7
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Propane Rework & Rust Prevention
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House Battery, Yandina, Xantrex & Atwood Install

[syncrodoka]

I think that is a euro spec option.

[The Carrot]

I just completed the replacement of the vanity mirror bulbs with warm white LED festoon bulbs from superbrightleds.

3022-WWHP4-V2

Removing the mirror took some patient finessing with a couple of miniature flat screwdrivers, as mentioned in the link provided above. Push from the bottom upward until the lower tabs clear the base, then drop the mirror assembly down to disengage the upper tabs.

Be advised that the bulb base contacts required some gentle bending to accept the new bulbs due to the irregular shape of the components on the back of the bulbs circuit board.

Once you have the first bulb installed you can verify if the polarity is correct by bridging the contacts on the bulb base assembly without needing to reinstall the mirror/switch assembly, then install the second bulb in the same orientation. Saves the wear and tear on the plastic tabs of the mirror assembly.
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1990 Orly Blue Carat

[Dana Champion]

[professorplumb]

I just did this today and took a couple pics to help out future folks, since the vanagonauts link above appears to be down.

Popping out the mirror frame (1/8" flat screwdriver, insert under frame and twist gently):

What it looks like underneath:

Note the position of the small plastic tabs on the bottom of the frame; one is just left of my thumb.

I'll throw in another freebie: once you connect it back to the van, the lights will only turn on if the visor is in the open position. There's a contact in the plastic joint (hidden unless you dissect the visor) which disconnects the ground wire if the visor is up. This caused me a lot of consternation until I discovered the solution by accident.

[Steve M.]

No improvement in this lighting is going to make me prettier!
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