Gauge Light Problem

[Nick McCardle]

Getting my oil, volt, and water pressure gauge all set up and have a problem with the lights. I wired them all through the "LAMP" wire on the back of the radio and then grounded. Tested last night and worked for about ten seconds, then I heard a pop as if a fuse blew. Checked all fuses tonight and replaced one- all are now good. All connections and grounds seem good. I go to turn on the lights for the car and the clock on the radio goes off and the gauge lights do not come on. I'm clueless, wiring makes me sick :biggrin: Any help appreciated.

 

[Turbo1dr]

Too much amp draw for that circuit or you have a dead short. Remove one of the additional bulbs at a time until you find which one is creating the short.

 

[Nick McCardle]

Okay, all additional bulbs removed and I'm still having the problem. Everything worked fine before I installed them, they even worked for about 10 seconds. I then heard the wonderful fuse pop noise and now it does this. Can't find a popped fuse, and if there was one - radio wouldn't work at all, right? I turn on the headlights and the radio lights go off and no stock gauge lights come on (speedo, etc.) Any ideas? This is extremely frustrating as my A/C doesn't work and driving the car for enjoyment at night is ideal.

 

[Tony Shoaff]

Short

You need to ck the wire you have tapped on the back of the radio? It might be ground with the lights off but power when lights are turned on? I have seen that in the past. The a/c, unplug the low psi switch and connect a jumper between the 2 female connectors inside the plug.. If the a/c runs its low on freon. If not there are other issues. The psi with gauges hooked up are around 35psi low and high around 200-250 at idle.

 

[Nick McCardle]

You need to ck the wire you have tapped on the back of the radio? It might be ground with the lights off but power when lights are turned on? I have seen that in the past.

Maybe I could try cutting the ground for the LAMP plug and re-running it to another ground source?

 

[Tony Shoaff]

Do U have a test light to ck for power going to this wire that you think is ground? Ck with lights on and off.

 

[Nick McCardle]

Gauges figured out and working.

 

[Tony Shoaff]

What was the problem??