How-to: Dimming Aftermarket Gauges With Dash Lights

[81CJH]

Nice work mate, glad I could help.

[XF Falcon]

  Basketballer_vince said:

Well I woke up Went down to Jaycar's today picked up all the part's Came home, Took about an hour but it's work and dimming like the dash and if you need any help Pm me.

Thanks for all your help 81CJH.

Cool man. Did u do it for 2 or 3 Cobalt Autometer Gauges?

And 81CJH, u got any pics of the gauges and dash at night time yet?

[81CJH]

Sorry about the crap photography, I need a tripod or a better camera... or both.

So, there's one of each dimmer setting, and a couple more on max brightness trying to get a good shot of the gauges.

[XF Falcon]

Well it looks the goods! Nice work mate. I gotta hurry up and order these gauges in!

[grepin]

Great work this. I am going to follow this guide. Could you please let me know which wires go to what on the back of the guages. I have some second hand with no wiring diagram. Even if you can describe as if looking at it. Mine is already wired with all black wires and fitted in the pod so cant read the plugs too well.

For me I have boost and oil pressure looking at them the top left on both gauges are joined and the top right are joined. What in your diagram do the left and rights go to. Lighting I assume.

The boost is mechanical so it ends there.

The oil pressure has a middle lug with wire attached. I assume it goes to the oil pressure sender.

The bottom two GND 'S' on the left and 'I' for the right have no wires. I assume they are not used.

Thanks

Greg

[grepin]

I have now done this setup and works a treat.

[83TNY]

  urslow said:

They dim very well and at the same level as the speedo....which wire....id have to check its been 18 months

to tell the truth I rarely dim them anyway.

Ill have a look at which wire and let you know

I found this interesting then looked it up in my wiring diagrams to see if you are right and well yes spot on. Hooked a gauge up to the dash illumination circuit goint into the traction control button and gauge dims perfectly.

Obvously Black is Earth then Blue wire with red stripe is connected to your dash lights and connect your other wire to blue with white stripe. No need for manufacturing circuit. I really suck at auto electrics so this much easier and less fidly. Might throw some pics up later.

[Paulie2256]

hey great info, is it possible to do this with the analog clock instead of lighter socket? It is a lot easier to get to....

[hawlass]

  On 22/03/2009 at 10:10 PM, 83TNY said:

I found this interesting then looked it up in my wiring diagrams to see if you are right and well yes spot on. Hooked a gauge up to the dash illumination circuit goint into the traction control button and gauge dims perfectly.

Obvously Black is Earth then Blue wire with red stripe is connected to your dash lights and connect your other wire to blue with white stripe. No need for manufacturing circuit. I really suck at auto electrics so this much easier and less fidly. Might throw some pics up later.

So 83TNY, are you saying blue wire/red stripe is supply for the'+' gauge light, and what is the "other" wire I connect to blue with white stripe? I suck at auto eletrics to, but am about to install a tripod gauge set up so info or pics would be a big help.

[SuckSqueezeBangBlow]

probably the -ve of the gauge illumination.