wiring up gauges

[bigdawg]

im wiring some gauges in my car and have a question with the lights and battery gauge. i wanna make it so when i turn the key the lights in the gauges and the battery gauge flicks on with the positive.

how would i go about doing this i dont wanna make it with a switch

oh now that i think about it i guess i could splice a wire off the bulb under my radio for the lights to turn on when i turn the dash lights on but id still like the battery gauge to turn on when i turn the key

 

[bigdawg]

anybody

 

[Evan11]

Connect it to the fuse box somewhere that only has juice when the key is on. Use a test light. U can buy a fuse adapter that simply plugs into the fuse holder/hole where the fuse slides in and lets u use another wire off the fuse box. Can be bought at any parts store...do this for the volts

 

[1983regal]

Just got done wiring up my gauges and mine are wired into the dimming feature of the interior lights, so all my gauges dim when you dim the dash lights. Tap into the green wire coming out of your headlight switch, that was the color of the wire in my car for the dimmer.

 

[bigdawg]

now that is really bad *ss right there 83regal, and in the fuse box do you mean "accessarys" cause all mine are used for something else for the volt gauge

 

[bigdawg]

could i hook it up to the radio wire?

 

[Evan11]

could i hook it up to the radio wire?

You could but make sure it's the switched/accessory wire.

 

[1983regal]

now that is really bad *ss right there 83regal, and in the fuse box do you mean "accessarys" cause all mine are used for something else for the volt gauge

You tap into the wire up at the headlight switch not in the fuse box, you are looking for power for the gauges when you turn on your lights correct? If you tap into a switched power wire at the fuse box your gauge lights will come on every time you turn the ignition on. By tapping into the power wire at the headlight switch your gauges will only light when you turn on the headlights.

 

[FE3X CLONE]

Gray is the illumination wire in most cars. You don't have to tap into it right at the headlight switch but just find any illumination circuit running throughout the car.

 

[1983regal]

Gray is the illumination wire in most cars. You don't have to tap into it right at the headlight switch but just find any illumination circuit running throughout the car.

Mine was green and verified with test light, watched as light went dim then out as I turned the headlight knob.