I'm installing my boost gauge, and I need to tap voltage for its light from somewhere. I want to draw power from the circuit that provides light to the dash so that it gets lighter and darker with the dimmer. I tried to find info on this from a manual, but all the electrical diagrams are so cryptic. Can anyone tell me where to find the power for the dash lighting?

Under the gauge cluster, I found the dash lighting unit, and there are two brown wires coming out of it. I don't really know if these are power (I assume they are) but before I have to go test them with a VOM, if you know which one is which or what these wires are i'd really appreciate any info. Thanks

 

sombody has to know the answer

 

red with black stripe

you can find it at the dimmer switch or behind the radio, or at almost anything on the dashboard.

use a fuse, dont just hook it and hope it works.

 

right, thats what I thought my manual said, red and black wire. but is there only 1 universal red and black that has the same voltage all over?

what kind of fuse do i need?

 

 

 

i checked the voltage over multiple red-black wires under dash/center console, none read the proper voltage. where should I find this wire, exactly? if you could give me one location, that'd be great

 

pop out the dimmer switch on your dashboard.. the one the controls how bright your guage cluster is.... it should be there.

that way you can control how bright your gauge is as well....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by manson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
that way you can control how bright your gauge is as well....</TD></TR></TABLE>

the solid red wire at the dimmer controls the resistence to the ground side

the red/black is a 12 volt whenever the parking lights are on.


Modified by doublethink at 6:16 PM 3/13/2005

 

thanks for the reply, but i'm kind of confused still :[
what do i do with that solid red wire or the black/red wire?

 

You would take the red/black wire (ignition postive power) and hook it up to the "power" on the boost gauge. This will turn it on when the ignition comes out. Next take the solid red wire (instrument light ground) and connect it to the the "ground" wire on the gauge.

Have phun!

 

why dont you use the parking light output on the fuse box

 

but im not sure if it dims

 

Danger Penny Robinson!!!! (picture robot with arms flailing around)

Everybody should re-read what doublethink is saying!!! He is totally correct, but unless you understand what is happening it may be mis-leading.

Red/black is the power.

Solid red is the variable ground reference.

You need a gauge that has two separate wires for the light. Each of the two wires noted above have to be hooked up to the light.

You can NOT hook up the solid red line to the gauge body. This will cause the gauge to not work correctly. Plus the body of the gauge may also ground out to what you are mounting it to. Which would cause the gauge lights to be bright all the time.

The two "grounds" HAVE to be kept separate and this may not be possible on some gauges.

Wes V

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Wes V &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Danger Penny Robinson!!!! (picture robot with arms flailing around)
</TD></TR></TABLE>

lol, great show.

yea, if the guage has a GROUND make sure you run it to the chassis of the vehicle, if it has an IGNITION input make sure you run it to the vehicles ignition, and if it has a PARKING LIGHT input, that goes to red with black stripe.

basically dont use the red solid unless your really sure the device supports it. its a good way to blow fuses and short things out if your not sure what your doing.

also use a 1 or 3 amp fuse on that parking light input to protect from shorts, also there is a parking light output on the fuse panel. its one of three blade terminals on the fuse panel, makes for a cleaner install then tapping off the red with black, but it accomplishes the same thing.

happy wiring.