Ive got full autometer instrumentation, finally! mech. speedo, tach, fuel level, mech. oil press, mech. water temp, and volt. Ive searched for a while and I cant find anything on, as my old math teacher would say , "combining like terms". I forget what the paper work says with the gauges, but lets say for the lighting on the gauge it says is needs a 5A fuse. If I run ONE wire from the fuse panel and split it off to all 6 gauges, they can still safely run off of one 5A fuse correct? And can the same be done for the elec. gauges? Fuel level, volt and tach power leads I mean. My basic common sense says I can just use one smaller fuse if Im running one wire that splits to all of them, but I just wanted to make sure.

 

You can use one fuse to protect several loads with no problem. The only convention to keep in mind it that the fuse must rated to limit current to no more than the smallest wire in the circuit is capable of carrying without overheating. This is not likely going to be a problem with a 5A fuse.

FWIW, the factory used a 5A fuse for all the instrument lighting, including the heater controls and console shifter illumination. That's about 15 lamps on the dimmer. You may just want to use the factory wiring fused at the original 5A and call it good.

As for power to the instruments themselves, the 10A GAUGES fuse in the factory panel should be sufficient. Considering it powered and protercted the factory speedo, tach, fuel level, temperature, and oil pressure gauges, several indicator lamps, and the sensors used by the ECM, it should be adequate.

 

Thats exactly what I did when I wired my Auto Meter gauges. I ground three gauges to each other and then ran them off of one fuse and Chassis ground.