Gauge wiring
 

okay i searched for a few hours and ive learned that the best place to tap for a 12V constant source is the headlight circuit or stereo. Since I lost the removal key to my stereo, i cannot tap it. I took off the steering wheel cover and I found a group of 3 wires running into the headlight switch... when I probe each wire with my test light this is what happens: red wire: lights up and down, green wire: lights on, and black wire: nothing. Not one of the 3 wires causes the test light to glow.

So basically I am stuck and I do not know which wire i need to tap into. Please don't flame me for being dumb.

Tap it into the ash tray light. Look up "ash tray gauge" and you should come up with a lot of stuff.

Ash tray light is good for dimmable illumination (be sure to connect BOTH wires from gauge to BOTH wires from ash tray light). But if you need a switched 12v for gauge electronics (as opposed to the illumination), you'll have to use something else. I am pretty sure I have some stuff connected to some wires in the driver's footwell, but I don't remember exactly which ones I used.

-Max

When I put my gauges in I also did a fan mod. While I was doing the fan mod I spliced into the 12V power for the fan relays (the thin control wire, not the one that carries high amperage to the fans when they are on). I then ran this wire to the gauges with all my other gauge wires and vacuum line.

It's switched 12V (ie: 0V when the car is off) and I used it to power my water temp gauge.

I spliced into the ashtray light to provide the illumination for my gauges.

okay i found the stereo key so im using it for the 12V constant..

i have another question though. would it be okay to also use the stereo as a 12V ignition source or should i use the cig lighter. if i use the cig lighter, there are two tiny black wires going into a harness... do i use those two?

Don't use the stereo source, it will not be dimmable.

huh? i used the ash tray light as a light source... why would using the stereo 12V constant affect dimmability? i just want to know if it's okay to use the stereo as a source for both 12V constant and 12V ignition.... and which wire on the cig lighter to use if i can't.

do you have a turbo timer?you can get power from there

Lets all be clear that you might need two different types of power for a gauge:
1. dimmable for illumination
2. full 12v, not dimmable (or your gauge probably wouldn't work) for gauge electronics (some gauges have internal electronics that need a full 12v)

I think these two different requirements are being confused in this thread, and I'm still not 100% sure which type (or both) Csefiroth0 needs, but the first post sounds like a need for type 2.

-Max

get the full 12v from the red wire(it's the big wire),the blue wire for the ignition wire and the rest is easy
sonny