My interior gauges go off occasionally and I have come to realize that its actually the dimmer switch next to the cruise control. Now I dont really give a crap about dimming the lights so instead of replacing the switch I want to bypass it so the lights are always light up when the headlights come on. The problem is that I tried to bypass it by connecting the red/brown and red together and leaving the ground in the switch, but not the lights dont come one at all. I tried just unplugging it but that clearly leaves a gap in the circuit. Anyone know what I could be doing wrong? I've looked at the wiring diagram and its pretty straight forward, Im not sure what to try now, thanks.

 

wheres the electrical gurus?

 

Not trying to thread crap, but I didn't want to create another useless thread for a problem with dimmer, but maybe you can help me. Where did you get the diagram?

I bought a EK and guage - ac dash lights didn't work. I checked the dimmer switch and come to find out it wasn't even connected. The plug that goes into the dimmer isn't even there. Can you help me find it or where it is run from or somehow ?

 

ha....
replace with original dimmer switch off a junkyard car.
sounds obvious but have you tried it?
Really it's just a potentiometer with a certain resistance value.. you could replace it with a radio shack part of equal spec.

if not. you got loose wiring somewhere around the switch.

 

hi guys, i just recieved another dimmer switch and its not working, i checked the fuse. it would be interior / dash fuse right?

so if its not the switch or fuse what can it be?

thx

 

Do you have a MultiMeter? Unless you have a MultiMeter, expect to spend a lot of $$$ and/or wasted time before you figure out what's wrong. You don't need the super-ultra-hyper ****.. a simple $20 analog model will be fine. All we need is something that can "detect" Voltage/Current/Continuity.

Just making sure, since many people simply do a visual inspeciton of their Fuses and say "I checked all my Fuses"... not good enough... You either have to replace the Fuse with a Brand New one, or check the Old one for Continuity to properly "test" for a burned-out Fuse.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by thavarin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The plug that goes into the dimmer isn't even there. Can you help me find it or where it is run from or somehow ? </TD></TR></TABLE>
http://img148.imageshack.us/im...5.jpg
The Fuse for the Dash Lights Brightness Controller for 96-00 models is #30 in the Under-Dash Fusebox (7.5A). The 3-Pin Connector for this Controller ("Dimmer Switch") is part of the Dashboard Harness, and is the only 3-Pin Connector on it (all 96-00 models). Other Connectors on this Harness are for: Gauge Assembly (up to 5 Connectors!), Hazzard Light, and Rear Window Defogger. The Connector (C506) is along the left side of the Dashboard, and should be next to the Cruise Control Connector, if your car is equipped with it.

You're gonna have to trace your signal. This is best done with a MultiMeter.
http://www.actron.com/product_detail.php?pid=16159
JasonGhostz

 

So you're saying I just need to get a multimeter and test for continuity on the fuse itself? I'm kinda new to this so bear with me. I suck at anything that has to do with cars. I'm just learning now....

How do I trace my signal?

Thx alot for the help so far.

 

Same thing happened to my car. Just unplug the plug going into the dimmer switch and use a little piece of wire to connect the red and black wire together. There were 3 wires for my car:

1. red
2. black
3. red/black

 

So take the plug from the dimmer switch and connect the wires red to black ?

Can you explain to me what this does? Thx!

 

Yep! Set your MultiMeter to its Continuity setting (Ohm), and touch the Test Leads to each of the Fuse Blades. If the Needle jumps to 1, the Fuse is good. If not, then
<FONT COLOR="white">NINJA</FONT> You can still put in a BRAND NEW Fuse to test your old one, for the time being...

Set your MultiMeter to read VDC (Volts of Direct Current), and touch the Red Test Lead to the part of Wire you expect to have Power. Touch the Black Test Lead to a Ground Point on your Chassis. The Needle should move to whatever voltage it senses.

For the Red Test Lead, make sure that it's touching a metal part of whatever you're testing (i.e. a Wire or Connector/Terminal). This means you might have to poke through the insulation and/or strip a little section to expose a Wire. If you strip some section, don't forget to cover it back up with Electrical Tape and/or Heat Shrink. It's really sticky, heat-resistant, and will insulate the wire. Don't use Duct Tape for anything electrical, as it has conductive properties.

For the Black Test Lead, make sure that the Ground Point is touching a bare piece of the Chassis. You can also touch it to a Stock Location (there's one near the left side of the Driver's Side Lower Dash Panel). You might want to use a metal brush to scrape away any dirt/rust.

Check this out...
http://home.howstuffworks.com/dimmer-switch1.htm

The basic premise is that you have Current coming from two wires. One leads to a connection to a highly resistant material. The other leads to the same, but you can adjust the distance along which it must travel through this material. The closer to the other end it goes, the stronger the resulting Current will flow into the end wire. This is the "Old Way", as the site explains, but uses similar fundamentals to what is probably going on in your car's Dimmer Switch (I've never taken it apart, nor do I want to)...

Adding a Jumper Wire will take the "Resistor" out of the circuit and give the behavior you want. I can't confirm which Wires to connect, but here's what I know... Power from the Under-The-Dash Fusebox comes from a Red/Black Wire (Red Wire with Black Stripe) to the Dimmer Switch. Black is Ground. I don't know EXACTLY where the Red Wire would lead, but if it works, then

Check up on the "Electronics" section @ HSW.com...
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/
Also check here....
http://the12volt.com/

Lastly...
Buy a Helm Manual!
Don't touch anything with Yellow Tape or Yellow Looming. Those denote SRS circuits, and you can injure or kill yourself messing with the wrong wire. Just be careful around them...

Hope this helps!
JasonGhostz

 

To bypass the dimmer, connecting the red to the black on the dimmer connector is 100% correct. that will turn on the dash lights to full brightness when the lights are on.

1. red - dimmer output
2. black - ground
3. red/black - park lights 12V

the red wire is the output of the dimmer that controls the negative side of the bulbs, the positive of the bulb is the red/black wire that is the park lights.

the dimmer raises the negative side of the bulb to lower the brightness of the bulbs. (higher voltage on the negative line makes for less voltage across the bulb, thus lower output from the bulb)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Relic1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the red wire is the output of the dimmer that controls the negative side of the bulbs, the positive of the bulb is the red/black wire that is the park lights.

the dimmer raises the negative side of the bulb to lower the brightness of the bulbs. (higher voltage on the negative line makes for less voltage across the bulb, thus lower output from the bulb)</TD></TR></TABLE>Just to make sure I'm understanding things correctly (I readily admit I'm still a noob, especially with electronics)...

Connecting the Red Wire with the Black Wire means we connect an "Output Wire" to a "Ground Wire". In which direction does Current (if any) flow along this connection? If the Switch controlls how much Current/Voltage is output to the Red Wire, and there's an inverse relationship between Current/Voltage along that Wire and the Brightness of the Dash Lights, then couldn't we just cut the Red Wire from the Switch Connector? Why doesn't (wouldn't) this work? I'm confused between Current and Voltage, but I understand the part of raising the electric potential of the negative side of the Bulbs to dim them...

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Relic1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">1. red - dimmer output
2. black - ground
3. red/black - park lights 12V</TD></TR></TABLE>What's being "output" along the Red Wire? I always confuse "Ground" with "Negative", "Power" and "Positive" and "Current" and "Voltage", and never really got a firm grasp on "Inputs" and "Outputs", and how Current flows from one to the other, and a bunch of other stuff...

Also, my Helm Manual shows the "Dash Lights Brighness Controller" as having its power coming from the #30 Fuse (P.23-73, for 96-00 Civic). This 7.5A Fuse is listed as for the "Dash lights, option (dash lights)" on P.23-65, with "Front parking lights, taillights, license plate lights" being Fuse 32 (which is also 7.5A, also with a Red/Black Wire)... Are we talking about the same car (96-00), or am I misunderstanding/misreading something?

Thanks in advance for the help, as well as for the pointers already given!
JasonGhostz

 

the output wire, is the output of the dimmer, the adjustable point for the negative side of the bulbs. Current flows from the red/black wire to the red wire... now to the black wire.
(at least that's the conventional flow, electron flow is the other way... but I'm not trying to confuse you even more) lol

Simply cutting the red wire would disconnect the negative side of the bulb from everything, thus zero potental across the bulb. Connecting the red wire to ground will put the full 12V across the bulb. It's kind of difficult to explain, the ETM (pages 114 & 114-1) explain it way better than I ever could with words. See below.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What's being "output" along the Red Wire? I always confuse "Ground" with "Negative", "Power" and "Positive" and "Current" and "Voltage", and never really got a firm grasp on "Inputs" and "Outputs", and how Current flows from one to the other, and a bunch of other stuff...</TD></TR></TABLE>
some take 4+ years to study it and still never have a firm grasp on it.
howstuffworks.com is a decent place to look things up.

my take on the terms you mentioned...
ground = zero or reference power potential
negative = lower voltage potential compaired to something else.
power = typically wattage, voltage times amps.
positive = opposite of negative
current = how much electricity flows though a point (amps)
voltage = how much electrical pressure is on a point

those are not 100% accurate since every circuit and it's designer puts it's own twist on things in various ways, but in general it works.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Also, my Helm Manual shows the "Dash Lights Brighness Controller" as having its power coming from the #30 Fuse (P.23-73, for 96-00 Civic). This 7.5A Fuse is listed as for the "Dash lights, option (dash lights)" on P.23-65, with "Front parking lights, taillights, license plate lights" being Fuse 32 (which is also 7.5A, also with a Red/Black Wire)... Are we talking about the same car (96-00), or am I misunderstanding/misreading something?

Thanks in advance for the help, as well as for the pointers already given!
JasonGhostz</TD></TR></TABLE>
yah, fuse #32 is a sort of mystery to me too. It's mentioned there, but not anywhere else that I can find. Welcome to hondas way of documenting electrical schematics, there are tons of little things like this.
If you focus only on one of the bulbs (say the gauge assembly lights (7 bulbs) on 114) and look at it's positive side (red/black) and it's negative side (red) you'll see how it works.
pages from the ETM...
http://www.b18c5eg.com/images/EK_ETM_114.jpg
http://www.b18c5eg.com/images/EK_ETM_114-1.jpg