How-to: Dimming Aftermarket Gauges With Dash Lights

[hawlass]

Ok, I have installed a tripod with electric gauges using cig lighter for power on signal and the t/c switch for gauge dimming. The gauges dim with the other dash lights and get dimmer with each press of the instrument light button, in the same way as the factory gauges. My prob is that they are brighter than the rest of the gauges on every setting. After reading the previous posts I am wondering if I put a resistor in line between the t/c switch and the gauges to reduce the voltage, will this work? the pcm will still be doing its bit on the gauge lighting through the t/c switch at the differing lighting levels, so hoping this may be the answer. Thoughts??

[Wenier]

Just as info for anyone. I wired up a Defi gauge the other day, these gauges have a 4 wire configuration containing ign, -ve, +ve, and illumination wires.

I have wired these all up by the power source/cig lighter wiring. The power source has a -ve, ign and the lamp connector that is unused has illumination. I unhooked the blades from the connectors and solder the wires from my gauge to these wires, for the illumination use the blue with white stripe NOT red stripe.

I then found on the ICCs very left plug (has 4 big gauge wires going to it) the mainly white wire is full time +ve battery power NOT the red wire.

All works perfectly, but unsure if the illumination follows the dash dimming as its sunny and cant tell. Will know tonight. Also initially I connected the illumination to the blue with red stripe and found that the gauge would dim when lights turned on but after 1sec would go back to normal as if the lights werent on.

Hope this helps anyone else wiring up gauges. Its nice to be able to wire it all in in the one area, and looks good as all connections are hidden by the fact of soldering to the blades and putting them back into their connector so its hidden.

[Wenier]

Well I finally got around to getting my second gauge and installing it so this time I took photos while I was in there. Here goes.

First off pull the icc out and get access to all the wiring etc. Best to disconnect the battery.

Then you will need to find the right wires and release the spade connector from the plug as to solder the extra wires to it. Getting them to release can be quite time consuming and figgedity, I was using my smallest flat blade to release them. Also be careful while soldering in the vehicle.

Next refit the mutli wired connectors into the plugs.

Now at this point you can connect the negative terminal that you removed from the battery to disconnect it, and test that the gauges are running as they should. Next if all is as it should be put the icc back in connect everything up and test again. Here are the final shots.

I hope this helps anyone who is wanting to do this.

As with my above post I have since moved the ign wire to the red-green wire on the right most icc plug (has alot of wires in it, I had the ign and +ve backwards first time round, and the mainly white wire that I intially hooked the +ve to made the gauge come on in position 1 of the key rather that 2)

So to sum up the wires -ve goes to the power source black wire, +ve goes to the power sources other wire, illumination is from the Blue with white stripe of the cig lighter light socket (this will be taped back if you have power source instead), and the ign wire goes to the red-green stripe wire on the iccs right plug (easiest way to find is with multi meter, key on and battery connected and test until you find it).

[SHO-247]

Anyone know why mine won't hold memory and hold colour when swapping from on to accessories?

[Wenier]

What wires have you connected? Do you have 4 being fulltime pos and neg, acc, and illum?

You may have the full time power on a circuit that is not fulltime this will cause it to not have power when the vehicle is off and lose its memory.

[SHO-247]

I have pod an neg wired to lighter an acc is on red wire from ICC plug an illumination is from united light socket, I'm unsure if it maybe due to a bad connection?

[SHO-247]

I was thinking I may need to solder the wires for power? But I'm unsure if that's the issue it not?

[Wenier]

No I think it was my fault as I wasn't as clear as I should have been when telling you the wires.

Negative can be from the power source socket, and the Positive from there is actually the acc wire for the gauge as the power socket is not live without the key turned out of the off position.

The fulltime positive is from the ICC as it has a fulltime power source for the radio/clock memory etc.

Illumination from the power socket unused lamp is fine.

I don't know if the red at the ICC is fulltime positive or not, can't remember but with a test lamp you can figure it out.

If you simply switch the Positive and Acc wires around it may fix your problem. Sorry bout that I mucked ya up yesterday.

[SHO-247]

Oh! So if I swap re two wires around and it doesn't work, were is the next best place to get positive from?

Thanks heaps for your help!!! No one could help me to work out why! Lol

[Wenier]

Switch those 2 around and hopefully that is it. If not then which it probably wont as I cant find the red wire in my manual. By the looks of the wiring diagram the Yellow wire (large wire compared to alot of other ICC wires) appears to be direct from battery.