# Gauge Install: I'm TOTALLY CONFUSED!!!



## dfalcon02 (Apr 9, 2003)

Hey, I've read the threads on how to install the reverse indiglo gauges for a b14 Sentra. The pictures and instructions are pretty thorough. However, I have a question on the wiring. I want my gauges to come on with the parking lights. The instructions mentioned hooking the wires up to the fuse box. How exactly do I wire my gauges? Where do the wires go??? I know where to ground it. I'm just confused about the power source. Please, if anyone knows how to do this, let me know what to do. I really wanna do this install myself, and save money.


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## AznVirus (May 8, 2002)

you dont HAVE to wire it to the fuse box. you just need to hook it up to a wire of a part on your car that go on when you turn the parking lights on. for my install, i hooked up the power wire to the dimmer switch.

if you are going to hook it up to the dimmer switch, there will be 3 wires, a solid black and two others. you will be tapping into one of the non solid black wires. youll have to test till you get the right one, but its easy.


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## OmegaManEX (Oct 4, 2002)

i just put the positive and negative leads from the indiglo guage's inverter between one of the bulbs behind the guage cluster.

Sethwas did a writeup on this method, you should do a search for it.


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

OmegaManEX said:


> *i just put the positive and negative leads from the indiglo guage's inverter between one of the bulbs behind the guage cluster.
> 
> Sethwas did a writeup on this method, you should do a search for it.
> 
> *


 BAD IDEA. some people have done this but you can easily fry the cluster and dimmer switch (believe me, I know). 
You should hook it up to the back of the dimmer switch like AZNvirus says. You want the wire going INTO the dimmer, not the one going from it to the inside accessories.


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

BTW, I believe that wire is red with a green or blue stripe.


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## OmegaManEX (Oct 4, 2002)

looks like im gonna have to do some rewireing when/if i get my car back ..


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## dfalcon02 (Apr 9, 2003)

ok, so ive gotten this much: i look for three wires going to the dimmer switch. one is black, and im want one ofthe other ones, which is probably the red one with the green or blue stripe. so...i will see these three wires on the back of the gauge cluster when i take it out, right?


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## Dynamitega (Feb 24, 2003)

I wanted mine to be on the whole time the car was on... so I put mine into my fuse box, plus it was easier for me to do. If you don't have ABS brakes, you can use that one and take the fuse out of there, or if you don't want to use your cigarette lighter ever, you can use that one.

Good luck with yours.


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## Dynamitega (Feb 24, 2003)

dfalcon02 said:


> *ok, so ive gotten this much: i look for three wires going to the dimmer switch. one is black, and im want one ofthe other ones, which is probably the red one with the green or blue stripe. so...i will see these three wires on the back of the gauge cluster when i take it out, right? *


Have you taken the cluster out yet? There's 3 connectors in the back, but I wouldn't mess with that end of it, I would do something with the dimmer switch end. The 3 connectors that go in look like something that would be in a computer and have many wires in them all taped up, so it's hard to tell which is which.


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## dfalcon02 (Apr 9, 2003)

ok, i see in the instructions where the spade terminal is crimped onto the red wire. you plugged it into the cigarette fuse. how did you gain access to that section under the steering wheel? i want to do the same thing, but to another fuse.


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## Dynamitega (Feb 24, 2003)

Once you open and take out the cluster, there's plenty of room to drop things behind there. I think that was your question right? You can even lay under there and check it out. Once the cluster is out, it'll be clear where you need to run the wires.


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## dfalcon02 (Apr 9, 2003)

ok, based on what you guys have told me, i think it goes like this: the three connectors on the back of the cluster give it power and sends the signals. the cluster lights up when the parking lights and headlights come on. i want it to do the same thing with my indiglos, so i have to tap into one of the connectors(on of the non-black ones) so that the indiglos will light up too. is that right? it seems to make sense. also, when you "tap" into a wire, that simply means connecting two wires together so that they become part of the same circuit, right?


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

just to see if I can simplify what has been said, once the faces are in place, find a hole behind the cluster to run the power wire out. Pull out the dimmer switch/cruise control/power mirrors trim piece so that it would be possible to run a wire through. From behind the gauge cluster feed the positive and negative power wires behind the dash until it comes out behind the dimmer switch.
picture
you will tap both wires to the back of the dimmer swtich. The positive indiglo wire will be tapped to the red wire with a green or blue stripe. The negative indiglo wire will be tapped to the black wire with silver dots (going into he dimmer switch).

You can buy yourself some wire taps at radioshack or home depot (electrical section).


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## dfalcon02 (Apr 9, 2003)

Alright, thanks. That's exactly what I needed to know. Im assuming you just pull the dimmer switch trim piece off from the front, right?


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

yea, jus pulls right out.


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## dfalcon02 (Apr 9, 2003)

ok, i have the electrical part down. i just need a little more understanding about the needles. i saw somebody mention something about sliding the faces over the needles. they took the black covers off of the needles. they claimed it made the install easier. how do you take those covers off?


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

no, leave the needles and black faces on. Most indiglo kits have a big enough hole in the middle so the face can slide right over the needle. REMOVING THE NEEDLES IS DIFFICULT AND RISKY. 

All you need to do is remove the small screws from the old faces. slide the new faces on top (they should fit over the needle), when in place, secure them back down with the small screws. find a hole (or holes) behind the cluster to run the wires. Connect everything up to the transformer and secure the transformer and dimmer switch somewhere with a zip tie (or something) so it won't move around. Run the final power signal (wire may have to be extended) into the dash until it comes out by the dimmer switch and finally hook up the positive and negative feeds to the specified wires.


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## Dynamitega (Feb 24, 2003)

I also recommend using double sided tape in between the indiglo and the stock faces as if the new white faces are a little bigger in some areas, the needles might get stuck in certain areas. Use tape around where the needles connect so that it's pressed down well around there.


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