Bought and installed these gauges
http://www.procarparts.com/store-det...91CM%2D7073RGX

However, where and how, do I wire them to a NON constant power source ? I did a temporary solution for now, splicing the hot wire into the cigarette lighter, but that's not a good solution, since for now I have to pull the wire or disconnect the battery while not using the light on the gauges.


Would it work to splice into the orange wire that runs to the factory light/dim switch ?

 

You could easily wire in a switch to the setup you have now, or you could tap into the wire that supplies power to the radio (only with the key on) .

 

hmmm that's what I was wondering about though .. the radio ... isn't it actuall ya constant power source ? since if one disconnects the battery the radio's memory dies out


I think I'll splice it into the wire leading to the factory light switch

 

radios have 2 pos. leads- one to battery and one to ignition so it turns off with the key and keeps memory. You'd want to splice into the ign wire if you go this route.

I'd wire it up to a switch. This way is probably faster in the long run.

 

Yeah, just do it right and tap into the gauge light wire- ask on the electronics forum which color. Seems a little too obvious of a solution.

 

Thanks guys

 

i spliced mine into the hvac light wire.

 

Which wire is that ?

 

you hafta pull the hvac controls out slightly to get to the bulb housing on the upper left corner, turn it and pull the bulb out and stretch enuff to expose the wires for splicing.

 

hmmmmmm

 

I did it during lunch break *lol*, installed a stereo and decided to splice the gauge wire into the HVAC wire, at the same time I got the HVAC bulb to work

Thanks

 

whoo hoo, I actually helped someone on this site.

 

i bought some alfa otto gauges from them and i hooked them straight into the light switch so when i push the button for running lights or headlights they come on just like factory. just try it

 

I was too lazy to pull all that stuff out


Now I just gotta polish and buff the plexiglass, and adjust the gauges a tiny bit ... the needles have a slight tendency to get stuck now and then due to the gauge faces ... temp gauge gets stuck sometimes as does the volt gauge ... funniest thing is I don't think the speedometer goes over 64 mph right now

 

i had those same exact gauges. My temp gauge got stuck a little as well, i ended up having to use double sided tape to hold down black backing (to prevent light bleed through form the factory stuff) and super glue on some corners to keep the gauges off the needles...FYI for anyone in the future.