Please bear with me, I am not the best electrical guy, and I'm even worse reading FSM wiring diagrams... Anyway, I am in the process of (re)wiring some gauges in my center console. I ran a ground, those are easy for me to understand I also have my + wire ready for hook up. I know most people tap into the Red/green striped wire (illumination) from the cigarette light. I also plan to do that. Just curious about this picture though:

Why do I have 2 lights? And what are those 2 small white connectors with orange wires? I figure I'll just ignore those anyway.

OK, now for a real question. One of my center gauges is for water temp. I need a ground (wired it already), sender (also wired), and ignition (12V). I don't have a radio, and probably won't. Can I use the radio + to power my gauge?

It's 13.2V according to the diagram. Is that too much for the gauge? If this is totally stupid, please forgive my being an electrical dingus.

If I cannot use this as a 12V switched, where should I tap into?

Now for some more questions/comments...
I also have a boost gauge and a wide-band mounted on my pillar gauge. Again, I have a ground and + for illumination. The previous owner of the car had the + wire running into the fuse box.

He had a bare wire crammed into the 10A (rear wiper) slot, and then shoved the fuse in to hold the wire in place. Is this OK? I guess maybe because the gauges were fine when the car ran. I want to put the + for these pillar gauges to an illumination like my center gauges. Where is the best place in the area to tap into?

Cliff notes & summary:
1) I need a 12V switched for my center console water temp gauge. What is the best wire to tap, preferably in the area?
2) Where can I run my pillar gauge + wire for illumination?

Pictures help, as wiring diagrams frighten me.

Thanks!

 

I tapped mine to the power wire for the CD player(mine is aftermarket) that way it turns on with the key. Then again mine was led fog lights but i dont see a gauge being a problem.

 

Thanks for the response.
But your aftermarket CD player switched power, where is that coming from?

 

im not exactly sure. i didnt wire it up. you could also run a fused wire direct from the battery and then you would know what is what and dont have to depend on 20+ year old wiring.

 

That seems like overkill, and I'm probably too stupid to do it anyway Besides I would still need to tap into a wire to trigger a relay for those 12 volts. I just need the wire to tap into.