aftermarket gauges into light switch

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rmchrgr

rmchrgr

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Trying to wire my aftermarket gauge lights into the light switch. I have 5 total. The gauge lights are all wired in parallel into one circuit. The lights themselves work fine when wired into the spade in the fuse box that feeds the lights. Problem with that is that they're on all the time since there is no switch in between. Orange wire on the back of the fuse box that feeds the lights didn't seem to work either, not sure why, didn't pursue it. Anyway...

There was an empty slot in the connector for park lamps so I put the connector in there. The gauge lights worked but only with the switch in the park position, not the full on/headlight position.

So any ideas on how to add this circuit to the light switch and have it function like the rest of the lights? I want them to come on with the switch in both positions - running and headlights and be able to be dimmed with the instrument panel lights.

Thought also about using the map light as a separate switch but that didn't work either. Again, didn't pursue why, just tried it and no dice.

No problem splicing into any light switch feed wires, just wasn't sure which one if that's what needs to happen.

Thanks for any input.
 
Use your test light to see what wires, that plug into the headlight switch, have power when the switch is on.
 
You need to understand the "tricks" of Mopar light switches

"unused terminal." This is in fact the same light switch that was used in the earlier cars......before the park lights were wired to be on with headlights. That unused terminal is the OLD park light terminal, and it indeed is live in "park" but dead in any other position

First a side note........understand that there are TWO power sources TO the light switch. First is a big unfused wire, coming from the splice in the black ammeter wire, directly to power ONLY the headlights, not tail/ park or dash. There's a circuit breaker in the switch

Second power source comes from the tail fuse, so the tail lights must work. THIS source also powers the dash light part of the switch.

Now the power goes THROUGH the dash dimmer, and goes OUT the dimmer and TO the inst fuse......normally the END fuse in the fuse panel (depending on year.) This is the instrument fuse. That inst. fuse will be DEAD unless........

The tail fuse is good and supplying power to the headlight switch

The headlight switch must be in park or head

The dash dimmer must be rotated enough to provide power

Only then will the ORANGE wires which supply ALL dimmer controlled dash lamps be hot.
 
You can't have the light on in the guage when the car is running AND have it dimable unless you mean it would come on with the parking lights and also be dimable.

You need to find the feed that comes off the switch that controls the rest of the dash lights.

It'll be the wire that the dimmer function controls the power level of.

Sorry, I don't know off the top of my head which wire it is but a wire diagram would tell you.


Ah, Del does :)
 
Om ok, why not not use the wire that currently lights the dash lights , that would also be dimminng
 
mopar jimmie said:
why not not use the wire that currently lights the dash lights , that would also be dimminng
Click to expand...

Pretty sure the light green wire coming out of the light switch goes to the dimmer, right Del?

This is a '71 Duster just for clarity.
 
Most years seem to be tan. Here, the fuse is on the far right. Any wires coming off the bottom of that fuse are orange, the one you want. Check with your meter/ light as in my post above
 

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Problem solved. Blown fuse in the instrument panel slot! Didn't really see it at first but I should have checked when I first tried using the orange wire and nothing happened. It wasn't broken in the middle like they usually do so I didn't suspect it. Replaced the fuse, piggybacked the gauge light circuit terminal on the orange wire, works perfect. Dims and everything.

Thanks.
 
67Dart273 said:
You need to understand the "tricks" of Mopar light switches

"unused terminal." This is in fact the same light switch that was used in the earlier cars......before the park lights were wired to be on with headlights. That unused terminal is the OLD park light terminal, and it indeed is live in "park" but dead in any other position

First a side note........understand that there are TWO power sources TO the light switch. First is a big unfused wire, coming from the splice in the black ammeter wire, directly to power ONLY the headlights, not tail/ park or dash. There's a circuit breaker in the switch

Second power source comes from the tail fuse, so the tail lights must work. THIS source also powers the dash light part of the switch.

Now the power goes THROUGH the dash dimmer, and goes OUT the dimmer and TO the inst fuse......normally the END fuse in the fuse panel (depending on year.) This is the instrument fuse. That inst. fuse will be DEAD unless........

The tail fuse is good and supplying power to the headlight switch

The headlight switch must be in park or head

The dash dimmer must be rotated enough to provide power

Only then will the ORANGE wires which supply ALL dimmer controlled dash lamps be hot.
Click to expand...


Yes find the Orange wire............ Thats the one !
 
Bad Sport said:
Dats what I did, but I'll be jiggered if I can remember which wire it was.
Click to expand...

Same here and I couldn't remember either.
I'll find out again pretty soon though, because I'm getting ready to change some of the guage lighting around again pretty soon here.
 
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