wiring up gauges

[burgundy83]

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

That's exactly what I did, just connect the volt gauge and the lights for the rest to that wire

 

[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

That's exactly what I did, just connect the volt gauge and the lights for the rest to that wire

Yep. Easy enough.

 

[bigdawg]

i understand about the green wire for the lights but i mean for the guage that shows you how many volts you have i want it to turn on when i turn the key.

you mean a fuse with a wire sticking out the back? what would i plug it into cause all my fuse spots are being used already

 

[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.

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

I was thumbing through my '87 CSM tonight while I was waiting between coats of paint and found that we are both correct.

The Dark Green wire you tapped off of the headlight switch actually runs down the fuse box/panel. The illumination circuit wire coming out of the fuse panel is on a fused circuit and is gray in color.

I would recommend that if you do use the green wire that you install an inline fuse for the gauge.

 

[FE3X CLONE]

i understand about the green wire for the lights but i mean for the guage that shows you how many volts you have i want it to turn on when i turn the key.

you mean a fuse with a wire sticking out the back? what would i plug it into cause all my fuse spots are being used already

Get one of these:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdet ... er=071-580

It plugs in place of one of your fuses and then allows you to, as the name implies, add a circuit. You reinstall the fuse that you pulled out to plug this adapter in place and then you add another fuse for your new circuit.

As far as the volt gauge is concerned, you just need to connect it to any switched 12v source and it will give you the voltage.