adding additional gauges

[Busaman]

I've added a coolant temp and oil pressure gauge to my 85 K10. I want the new gauge lights to come on when my gauge cluster panel lights come on. Does anyone know which wire that is? My hanes manual says "dark green". I can get my meter on it, just being lazy...

 

[72chevy2door]

I've been wanting to do the same on my truck. I was told dark gray. But all you have to really do is tap into either the HVAC light or the light that runs into the back of the gauge cluster. Also another way is their is a spot on our fuse panel that you can tap into I think it's labeled LPS. All you use is a spade connecter and push it in. It's a single terminal so their is no fuse. I've never done that so I can't say if it dims the lights when you turn the knob or not. I might go and tear into my truck today to find it and do it.

 

[Swims350]

just did it on my old man's 84. I removed the dash pad because I put them in the a/c vent area near the middle, removed the hvac light socket, cut both wires and tapped into them. The power was a grey on it, wasn't dark either, it was like grey primer. The other was a ground wire.

If you have a test light just unhook the hvac bulb, probe the wires for it and turn on the lights to find the power wire. Hook it to your power wire for your new gauges, then use th eother for a ground, or make your own on the dash or something.

 

[Busaman]

Think I"m going to tap in the LPS socket 1st. Thanks for the reply guys.

 

[Busaman]

I just replaced my dash pad last weekend and rather not screw up a good thing. It was a used one (not much flexibility) I installed it crack free. I"m affraid if I pull it back out, it'll crack somewhere.

 

[Swims350]

It can be done by removing the bezel only

 

[SuperDaveTX]

There is also a Grey wire going to the radio. That's the illumination wire for the radio. It dims with the rest of the dash. Might want to tap into it.

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk

 

[highdesertrange]

isn't there a spade on the fuse panel for doing this? my 80 fuse panel has one. is that what you were referring to busaman in post #4? highdesertranger

 

[MadOgre]

Actually if you you get a male connector you can slide it into the side of your light switch as there are extra slots on it specifically designed for adding things like gauges.

It is the recommended way. and really simple too

when you turn your light switch on, your gauge will come on too.