Hooking into instrument dimmer

[Raven98RS]

I tried to search for info on how to tap into the dimmer of your gauge cluster but couldn't find anything. I've got a greddy gauge and has a wire which the label 12vLighting so I'm assuming it's for the dimmer. I know the original stereo had this feature so I'm figureing that wire should be somewhere in the wireing harness. If anyone knows which one this is I would appreciate it

Heres the diagram for the gauge in case you want to see it. Thanks

http://www.greddy.com/Technical/gauge_frame.htm

[DrMilhouse]

This information is courtesy of the FAQ at LS1.com. This is the wiring information for the harness for the radio, you can use that dimmer wire for the illumination input for your gauge.

Pin#............Color.................Function
1......................Grey....................... .Front Left Speaker -
2......................Tan........................ ..Front Left Speaker +
3......................Dark Green.............Front Right Speaker -
4......................Light Green.............Front Right Speaker +
5......................Black .....................Ground
6......................Brown.....................I llumination
7......................Grey....................... .Dimmer
8......................Pink....................... ....Power Antenna
9......................Yellow..................... 12V Ignition
10....................Orange....................12 V Constant
11.....................NA......................... ..NA
12.....................NA......................... ..NA
13.....................NA......................... ..NA
14....................Dark Blue................Steering Wheel Controls
17....................Light Blue............... Right Rear Speaker -
18....................Dark Blue................Right Rear Speaker +
19....................Yellow.....................L eft Rear Speaker -
20....................Brown......................L eft Rear Speaker +

Particularly, you are interested in:

7......................Grey....................... .Dimmer
This is going to be the grey wire between the brown and the pink. (there's more than one grey wire obviously)

This should have a (+) output so you can simply tap in to that. Test it with a test light to make sure you have the right wire (just in case the wiring is different for your car. There's two illumination wires, one is a 12v (+) when the lights are on no matter what, the other is a (+) signal that increases or decreases with the dimmer.

You MIGHT be able to pick up this same grey wire at the headlight/dimmer switch. Just take it out and look for a grey wire and test it to see if it dims with the dimmer for the gauges. You can track it down from there, but it's probably WAY easier to grab it in either of those places than to get in behind the gauge cluster and dash.

HTH
Mike

[Raven98RS]

Thanks! That was everything I needed to know. My stereo didn't use it so when it came out the other side of the harness I just ran that wire to the data link. Again thanks

[DrMilhouse]

yer welcome. that's what we're here for. Glad I could help. [img]smile.gif[/img]