Topic: gauge lighting (Read 3822 times)

timmah · « **on:** April 12, 2005, 04:15:26 PM »

ok, got my omori's installed...

thing is they are lit all the time.

where do you guys tap for lighting that is only on when the headlights are on?

Thanks!

ed · « **Reply #1 on:** April 12, 2005, 04:28:06 PM »

I tapped fuse 12, which turns on when headlights are on.

skyphix · « **Reply #2 on:** April 12, 2005, 05:50:59 PM »

Usually off of the trip wire for the radio, if you dont mind running some wire.

timmah · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2005, 07:33:17 PM »

I'll have to figure it out. It's a mess of zip ties right now. I tried tapping from the wiring that went to the mechanical boost gauge I had--it didn't work. bah!

ImprezaRSX · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2005, 10:29:57 PM »

lol.
do you want the lights to dim with your dash lights?
If so, what you have to do is easy, just takes a little while.

Subaru uses a contant 12V and a varying 0-12V to control the light brightness.
You hook the + of your lights to the constant 12V that goes to the stereo and the - of your lights to the varying 0-12V that goes to the radio.

That's it. They'll turn on with your lights and dim with your dash lights.
YOu can't use just one of the wires for the dimming effect because the varying 12V is backwards, the dash will be dim and the gauges bright or the dash bright and gauges dim. In the stereo plug the two lighting wires are on top of each other so it shouldn't be hard to find. i think they are yellow, but I don't recall for sure.

timmah · « **Reply #5 on:** April 13, 2005, 09:32:41 AM »

dimming isnt' a big deal. there is a write up on scooby mods about how to make the omori electrical gauges dim with the lights. right now, as soon as i turn the car on, they are lit up, irregardless of whether the headlights are on or off.

ed · « **Reply #6 on:** April 13, 2005, 10:24:32 AM »

um, did you try what I mentioned?

My Defi lights up when I turn the lights on. Works great.

ScreaminFast · « **Reply #7 on:** April 13, 2005, 11:07:46 AM »

one of easiest and most well-know ways to get your gauges to dim with your interior, is to just hook the lights input wire from the gauges to the illumination wire off the back of the radio and ground the other side.

i wouldn't want to be running 12V on either side of the lighting because of the voltage fluctuations will cause small amounts of current to pass.

timmah · « **Reply #8 on:** April 13, 2005, 12:38:00 PM »

Quote from: ed

um, did you try what I mentioned?

My Defi lights up when I turn the lights on. Works great.

nope, haven't bothered to crawl back under the dash yet. maybe this weekend.

ImprezaRSX · « **Reply #9 on:** April 13, 2005, 03:56:18 PM »

Quote from: ScreaminFast

one of easiest and most well-know ways to get your gauges to dim with your interior, is to just hook the lights input wire from the gauges to the illumination wire off the back of the radio and ground the other side.

i wouldn't want to be running 12V on either side of the lighting because of the voltage fluctuations will cause small amounts of current to pass.

normally you'd be right.

However, like I explained this will cause his lights to go BACKWARDS!
Subaru doesn't do it that way.

And what's this current fluctuation crap? Both sources come from the alternator, so any difference in the 12V signal would be equal on both leads.

here's why in case you don't understand.
The varying voltage is 0V for bright and 12V for dim.
so when you take 0V to a pos 12 you get a large difference, therefore more current flow and brighter lights. When you raise voltage to 12V there is no difference and therefore no current flow and therefore DIM lights.
IF you ground one side you'll have 0V on one lead and a varying voltage on the other which will result in BACKWARDS DIMMING!!!

ScreaminFast · « **Reply #10 on:** April 13, 2005, 04:21:00 PM »

i obviously didn't state it clear enough for you.

Just hook it up to the illumination wire off the radio, and they'll light up when you turn your headlights on, and not be lit when they're off. I didn't mean to say dim.

Quote from: ImprezaRSX

And what's this current fluctuation crap? Both sources come from the alternator, so any difference in the 12V signal would be equal on both leads.

You obviously shouldn't be speaking either, since you obviously have never hooked up mulitple voltmeters to a car. Both lines wouldn't be identical, and its my opinion that I wouldn't want it like that on my car, but do what you want. I'll leave all of "your" car stuff to you because you're doing so well with a broken motor and all.

ImprezaRSX · « **Reply #11 on:** April 13, 2005, 04:34:38 PM »

My motor is broken because I let someone drive it that wasn't properly skilled. Not because I don't know how to work on cars.

It's a lightbulb in the gauges! A lightbulb MADE FOR AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS. VOLTAGE IS SUPPOSED TO FLUCTUATE ON A CAR.
I'LL POST THE SUBARU GUIDE ON VOLTAGE FLUCTUATIONS BASED ON LOAD.

ImprezaRSX · « **Reply #12 on:** April 13, 2005, 04:35:23 PM »

oh and my car hauls some serious ass right now.

My three day engine swap was very successfull.

Red04WRX · « **Reply #13 on:** April 13, 2005, 04:39:57 PM »

it really brings a tear to my eye, how well we get along around here

edit: ah screw it

ImprezaRSX · « **Reply #14 on:** April 13, 2005, 04:40:05 PM »

The question was HOW TO DO SOMETHING!

SO I told them how to do it.

ImprezaRSX · « **Reply #15 on:** April 13, 2005, 04:44:29 PM »

Here you have a graph of generator load, output and engine speed.

Ever notice how the cars engine slows down when you kick on a big electrical load?
Here it is in graph form.
Notice, generator output goes up slowly. However, load is constant after the increase. Well any math wiz can figure out that if they are different voltage drops. ALSO the generator speed is dropping with engine speed. The generator is self excited and therefore increasing it's field strength requires more energy, so the voltage HAS TO DROP with the increase in load before it can come back up.

THAT IS JUST THE WAY IT WORKS.
If omori gauges aren't made well enough to work in an automotive system, then that would be BAD ENGINEERING>

Now for my opinion:
I wouldn't buy gauges that can't be hooked up the PROPER WAY IN A CAR.

The install method I informed you all of is how subarus freaking radio is installed. And subarus goes for hundreds of thousands of miles without toasting a radio.

ImprezaRSX · « **Reply #16 on:** April 13, 2005, 04:58:05 PM »

Dude, just bring your car over.
I'll install everything.

nicad · « **Reply #17 on:** April 13, 2005, 10:45:45 PM »

not to take sides or anything, but dom is an electrician in the navy.

based on my limited knowledge of electricity the navy taught me (which is probably more than most anyone will see anyway), he knows his shit.

you know...nuclear electrician and all.

timmah · « **Reply #18 on:** April 15, 2005, 11:41:10 AM »

I'm sure he knows what he's doing

We'll get together and straighten it out

timmah · « **Reply #19 on:** May 06, 2005, 11:52:18 AM »

Alright, I'm wanting to get this done fairly soon...anyone want to help? Also wanna get my header tapped....

ImprezaRSX · « **Reply #20 on:** May 06, 2005, 03:52:11 PM »

yeah... uh... like I said, let's do it.

timmah · « **Reply #21 on:** May 07, 2005, 12:38:03 AM »

name the time and place Dom

ImprezaRSX · « **Reply #22 on:** May 07, 2005, 01:31:21 AM »

what are your work hours?
Monday night is good.

timmah · « **Reply #23 on:** May 07, 2005, 02:26:49 AM »

I work M-F 9-5...

timmah · « **Reply #24 on:** May 31, 2005, 03:46:12 PM »

Well byron and I will be tapping my header on Sunday night so if you want to help me with the wiring then that'd be fine...

Author Topic: gauge lighting (Read 3822 times)