Ok so as im preparing to get delivery of my M3H i was getting a bit antsy about how bright the LEDs are on the front of the Wall Connector.
As my WC is near my driveway facing towards the house i didn't like how it lit up the front of the house and created a glow thru the windows. It looked like the opera house on New Years Eve!
I searched around looking for how the lights could be dimmed in the software (they cant as of this writing) and other methods such as disconnecting the lights altogether.
I still wanted to have the lights to show me whats going on, i just didnt want them so bright. Also, to remove the cable for the lights you have to get into the waterproof section of the WC, something id like to avoid. I didnt want to just stick tape on the outside either.
Ok, So it turned out to be kinda simple, but as these things can be daunting, here is my step by step guide.
Things you will need:
1. Isolate the power. Either turn off the circuit breaker and tag it out so no one turns it back on, or isolate via the isolator near the WC. Ensure the WC is off!
2. Using one of these star screw bits, undo and take out the 4 screws holding the WC to the base. They are on the top and bottom on each corner. Put them somewhere safe and dont let them roll away under the car like me.
3. Pull the whole WC forward and it will disconnect from the base. While i was working out what to do next i put it face down on the coiled up cable. In this photo im pointing at the next screws you need for step 4 (yes, its my finger!).
4. Moving somewhere else where i had a towel and the neighbors were not giving me sass i used this weird looking allen key that i found in a nearby pot plant to undo those two screws down the bottom. My normal driver thing couldn't reach into those deep holes so you might need something similar. The screws have a smaller head than the other 4 you just took out. weird how that allen key had not rusted or anything, but whatever.
5. Undo the 2 screws, and be careful to not drop them on the floor and roll under the workbench like i did. I did find them eventually but there was also a big redback spider under there that could have killed me, making this whole project moot. It didnt kill me so i got the screws back and kept going.
Push the front plate down, and it will come off.
In this photo the base bit is upside down which might be confusing, but i took the photo so im including it. You can see the slit that the light goes thru.
6. Ok, time to get creative. I googled for a while what colours mixed with other colours make what colour. Ideally i wanted the light to stay green, but i didnt have any white tape. Plus it turns out there other colours LEDs so it all got a bit confusing. In the end it came down to the only tape i could find, which was blue so i had wasted a fair bit of time. And i got sidetracked answering messages and playing with the dog. Bam, tape stuck on like a pro.
6.5 This is what the guts looks like. You can see the ribbon cable you could remove but if you haven't picked up by now - i aint going there..
7. Ok so i wont tell you how to suck eggs putting this back together but the thing to remember is to line up the face plate and gently push up so these clips engage.
what are we up to? ohh
8. Slide the plate back on, put the screws back in using the weird allen key (i had dropped a screw putting it in and i stepped on it too which i dont recommend) and put the allen key back in the pot plant. The whole shebang can then be chucked back on the mount. You have to kinda lean on it a bit to get those 4 screws back in. I reakon thats so that the weather proof seal makes good contact.
9. Flick the power back on and bobs your aunty.. The lights are now dimmed and you didn't die from a spider or electrocution = win! Go make a cup of tea.
Any questions or suggestions just sing out.
As my WC is near my driveway facing towards the house i didn't like how it lit up the front of the house and created a glow thru the windows. It looked like the opera house on New Years Eve!
I searched around looking for how the lights could be dimmed in the software (they cant as of this writing) and other methods such as disconnecting the lights altogether.
I still wanted to have the lights to show me whats going on, i just didnt want them so bright. Also, to remove the cable for the lights you have to get into the waterproof section of the WC, something id like to avoid. I didnt want to just stick tape on the outside either.
Ok, So it turned out to be kinda simple, but as these things can be daunting, here is my step by step guide.
Things you will need:
- Some tape
- Some star torx bits and driver (see photos)
- A blanket.
- A pot plant.
- Some patience.
1. Isolate the power. Either turn off the circuit breaker and tag it out so no one turns it back on, or isolate via the isolator near the WC. Ensure the WC is off!
2. Using one of these star screw bits, undo and take out the 4 screws holding the WC to the base. They are on the top and bottom on each corner. Put them somewhere safe and dont let them roll away under the car like me.
3. Pull the whole WC forward and it will disconnect from the base. While i was working out what to do next i put it face down on the coiled up cable. In this photo im pointing at the next screws you need for step 4 (yes, its my finger!).
4. Moving somewhere else where i had a towel and the neighbors were not giving me sass i used this weird looking allen key that i found in a nearby pot plant to undo those two screws down the bottom. My normal driver thing couldn't reach into those deep holes so you might need something similar. The screws have a smaller head than the other 4 you just took out. weird how that allen key had not rusted or anything, but whatever.
5. Undo the 2 screws, and be careful to not drop them on the floor and roll under the workbench like i did. I did find them eventually but there was also a big redback spider under there that could have killed me, making this whole project moot. It didnt kill me so i got the screws back and kept going.
Push the front plate down, and it will come off.
In this photo the base bit is upside down which might be confusing, but i took the photo so im including it. You can see the slit that the light goes thru.
6. Ok, time to get creative. I googled for a while what colours mixed with other colours make what colour. Ideally i wanted the light to stay green, but i didnt have any white tape. Plus it turns out there other colours LEDs so it all got a bit confusing. In the end it came down to the only tape i could find, which was blue so i had wasted a fair bit of time. And i got sidetracked answering messages and playing with the dog. Bam, tape stuck on like a pro.
6.5 This is what the guts looks like. You can see the ribbon cable you could remove but if you haven't picked up by now - i aint going there..
7. Ok so i wont tell you how to suck eggs putting this back together but the thing to remember is to line up the face plate and gently push up so these clips engage.
what are we up to? ohh
8. Slide the plate back on, put the screws back in using the weird allen key (i had dropped a screw putting it in and i stepped on it too which i dont recommend) and put the allen key back in the pot plant. The whole shebang can then be chucked back on the mount. You have to kinda lean on it a bit to get those 4 screws back in. I reakon thats so that the weather proof seal makes good contact.
9. Flick the power back on and bobs your aunty.. The lights are now dimmed and you didn't die from a spider or electrocution = win! Go make a cup of tea.
Any questions or suggestions just sing out.
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I used to do that with my modem
