Gauges and wiring. (Read: I'm retarded)

What's up with electric gauge installs. Specifically the poorboy lower end Stack meters (oil pressure and water temp). Need some help bros. I'm no engineer and this shit seems like rocket science just looking at the backs of these things.

Pretty much, can I just use power/ground off radio harness? I'm kinda anti hacking up anything wiring wise on my shit so radio harness seems like a good idea.

Kevin, I'm looking in your direction.

Go to Autozone/O'Reilly/Advance of your choosing and pick up one of these babies. These tap into the fuse box and avoid loading an existing circuit. They're also removable and don't hack up factory wiring. rule of thumb is 1amp per gauge. Have 3 gauges? 3 amp fuse. 4 gauges? A 4 amp fuse doesn't exist in the automotive world, but a 5 amp. You're fine. Just don't put them on a 15 amp fuse, use your head.



Next, take your ground to the engine. Head, intake, trans, whatever. 99% of gauge related issues are ground related. Save yourself the headache and do it the first time. Single wire from the engine to the interior, split it off to the gauges. If your gauges have separate lighting grounds, put them on a separate ground. Chassis ground is okay here.

Run signal wires, run lighting power wires (dimmer switch usually), and you're done.

Have Kevin come over and pay him, that's what I plan on doing here soon.

Minus the payment part.

D*S Dstar wrote:

Minus the payment part.

^toofer-one special or what, kev?

So I went to autozone to look for that jam up there and couldn't find one in regualar size. I found a smaller one though and racked it. Came home and tried it on. It fits fine and shit but now for the actual fuses for it, I will have to use mini fuses. I'm gonna go ahead and assume I will be straight because the fuse that went there, was only a 10amp.. And they make 10amp in minime fuses, hence my assumption. Or nah?

Also, I broke the dimmer switch trying to pry it off. Fuck Me right? Anyway, there is like 69 wires on that motherfucker. Well, less than that but what now? Just tap into whatever wire has the powa or wat?

Thanks for the help.

D*S Dave wrote:

^toofer-one special or what, kev?

So I went to autozone to look for that jam up there and couldn't find one in regualar size. I found a smaller one though and racked it. Came home and tried it on. It fits fine and shit but now for the actual fuses for it, I will have to use mini fuses. I'm gonna go ahead and assume I will be straight because the fuse that went there, was only a 10amp.. And they make 10amp in minime fuses, hence my assumption. Or nah?

Also, I broke the dimmer switch trying to pry it off. Fuck Me right? Anyway, there is like 69 wires on that motherfucker. Well, less than that but what now? Just tap into whatever wire has the powa or wat?

Thanks for the help.

Ahem...

Nachtmensch wrote:

rule of thumb is 1amp per gauge. Have 3 gauges? 3 amp fuse. 4 gauges? A 4 amp fuse doesn't exist in the automotive world, but a 5 amp. You're fine. Just don't put them on a 15 amp fuse, use your head.

In regards to the lighting power, you want the one that varies voltage. Find the one that gets voltage when the headlights turn on and the voltage goes lower when you dim your lights. That's the one.

Illumination looks to be the Red/Blue wire, I think.