Lighting gauges: proper spot to splice into dash light power?

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MRGTX

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hey, guys. I’ve been poking around under the dash for a long time, trying to find a a good spot to splice into the dash light power for the new gauges and preferably doing so without disassembling the whole interior.

Where do you guys suggest splicing in?

Also, now that I’m running stuff off of relays, I am brining in a voltage gauge. Is the cigarette lighter power an acceptable le spot?

Thanks!!
 
There may be extra wires that have connectors on them (I believe they are solid orange) under dash for things like shift indicator lights. You could use these without any spicing. I'd get a wiring diagram for your car just to be sure.
 
There may be extra wires that have connectors on them (I believe they are solid orange) under dash for things like shift indicator lights. You could use these without any spicing. I'd get a wiring diagram for your car just to be sure.

Extra connectors on the factory harness? Hmm...this might work for the voltage gauge perfectly.

I would prefer to have the gauge lights on the switch with the dash lights so they would come in together rather than running all the time. Then again, my dash lights are increasingly unreliable so I need to look at that too.
 
Extra connectors on the factory harness? Hmm...this might work for the voltage gauge perfectly.

I would prefer to have the gauge lights on the switch with the dash lights so they would come in together rather than running all the time. Then again, my dash lights are increasingly unreliable so I need to look at that too.
The wire I'm talking about is connected the dash light circuit. It's usually connects to lights on th column shift or the console. If your already using for that you could always use a Y connector at that connection.

Also if you're dash lights are dim you replace LED bulbs and will brighten things up.
 
I usually use the orange light wire for the factory radio. If you don't want to cut the connector off you should be able to make a separate harness using spade connectors that plugs into the harness and radio with an extra wire for the gauge lights.
 
On the back of the fuse box there may be a spade coming off of the lighting fuse circuit. If possible, this is what I do. Combine all your gauge wires to one lead and run it to the fuse box.
 
Also- the orange wires are dash light circuit, radio light is a easy place to pick it up. Your cigarette lighter wire is hot all the time- is that what you want? If so-go for it!
 
Also- the orange wires are dash light circuit, radio light is a easy place to pick it up. Your cigarette lighter wire is hot all the time- is that what you want? If so-go for it!
This is a good point. The cigarette lighter is always hot on these cars meaning your volt meter will always be on, and be a draw on the battery. You probably want it switched.
 
Maybe I miss understood, I thought you just wanted wire up your gauge lights, that's not where you want to connect the voltmeter, that should be wired to your ignition on circuit.
 
I usually use the orange light wire for the factory radio. ...QUOTE]

Also- the orange wires are dash light circuit, radio light is a easy place to pick it up. ...

Thanks, guys! Yep. That worked. Man, the instrument lights are dim; OEM and the new gauges too. Would this be related to the instrument panel voltage regulator? Sometimes they don't come on at all until I jiggle the knob. If so, is this hard to get to? I don't have the most agile fingers.
 
Maybe I miss understood, I thought you just wanted wire up your gauge lights, that's not where you want to connect the voltmeter, that should be wired to your ignition on circuit.

Thanks...that makes sense. Finding that circuit is the challenge. :)
 
The absolutely best way is a fuse jumper on the fused side of the instrument light fuse. (not the power in side) Here's a couple.

Brass Glass Fuse Tap .250 Male Tab

Full Circle 1/4
fuse tap.gif
 
Mike I respect your posts but I disagree this might be "best." These are old girls, the fuse holders get corroded and loose, and hanging more hardware into the fuse clips is not my idea of "best." Sometimes, you just need to cut/ solder/ splice/ crimp. I know, cutting up that valuable 60 year old pristine old harness is hard, but....LOL

On a side note the "worst" is likely those damned "skotch locks"

These things should be outlawed by federal law!!

22EW62_AS01?$mdmain$.jpg
 
Mike I respect your posts but I disagree this might be "best." These are old girls, the fuse holders get corroded and loose, and hanging more hardware into the fuse clips is not my idea of "best." Sometimes, you just need to cut/ solder/ splice/ crimp. I know, cutting up that valuable 60 year old pristine old harness is hard, but....LOL
Agreed but this is a safe way to do it with a positive connection. I would venture to say most of our fuses are original to the car and haven't been removed for years. I have never been too keen on tapping into a factory harness. I like to go to the source.
 
Wire tapping at the fuse is OK- but it should be done on the backside of the fuse holder with the proper tap.
 
I know this is an old thread - but just thought I would mention that if you are going to run a voltmeter, make CERTAIN that is has a fuse in the supply line. Otherwise, should you have a failure, it can leave your wiring a "hot mess"!! (nothing like an unfused hot wire grounding out - 12 volt welding anyone???)

Cheech14
 
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