Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications General Mods help?

I posted this once before.... but only one person replied.

i am trying to get my phantom gauges installed in my lotek pillar. i did a search and found a lot of useful info. i know where i am going to put my two senders now i do have a few other questions about the actual wiring of the gauges though.

1) is it safe to connect the wire for the lights in the gauges to the dimmer switch on the dash? i want the gauges to come on with the dash lights but i also want to be able to dim them on those long night time trips.
2)Can i run a single lead wire from the dimmer switch and splice all three of the wires for the gauge lights into that single wire? if yes, do i need to use a larger gauge wire or what do ya'll recommend?
3)what is the best way to ground the gauges? can i do the same as the wire from the dimmer? ( connect all the grounds together and run them all to a single grounding point or do they all have to have an individual ground wire?)
4) wich is the best o2 sensor to tap into for the a/f gauge?

I can you help you some....

"1) is it safe to connect the wire for the lights in the gauges to the dimmer switch on the dash? i want the gauges to come on with the dash lights but i also want to be able to dim them on those long night time trips. "

When I had my Sunpro Tach. installed they ran the wire to the parking light dimmer, it is fine and wont damage anything and the tach. does dim when you turn the parking light dimmer.
The tach. does come on with the dash lights because the parking light dimmer turner thing is lighted.

"3)what is the best way to ground the gauges? can i do the same as the wire from the dimmer? ( connect all the grounds together and run them all to a single grounding point or do they all have to have an individual ground wire?)"

Ground the to the chassis by drilling hole in the firewall, find a bolt inside the car to ground them to as well.

By the way did you find the PCM lead wire for whatever your guages are for?

thanks hitman. i was not aware that i needed to find the lead wire for my gauges. they are both electrical units that came with their own senders ( oil pressure and water temp). the a/f gauge reads the signal wire from one of the o2 sensors, and i have located it. i am going to run it off of the sensor in the front bank header. what are these lead wires you are speaking of?