Cobalt Gauge Install

[FPV6T]

hey guys,I installed my gauges today using newls write up,I ran the red wires to the aux/cig lighter,white wires to the fog light switch,black wires to the traction control switch,they power up ok,but is there any way to dim the gauge lights like you would on the dash?(the up and down buttons on the right side of the dash cluster)also when I turn the key on ready to start it the fuel pressure gauge does its auto calibration but the oil pressure gauge doesn't,what have I done wrong???

any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.!!!

Ed

[nifty]

read this - http://www.fordxr6turbo.com/forum/index.ph...p;hl=how+to+dim

[CHLAXN]

down where the cig lighter is there should be another wire there for a little light bulb I hooked up to that in my ute to get the lights to work on and off which would be the same as hooking into the fog light switch and I was pretty sure it did not dim the gauges.. but in my F6 I used the original wiring loom for the standard gauges to pick up power, lights and ground for my autometer c2 gauges.. with the oil preassure gauge I had the same problem but that was using the original FPV gauge wiring loom and I need the 2 grounds to work..

Edited 05/07/09 09:27 AM by CHLAXN

[FPV6T]

chlaxn,I too tried to use the original F6 loom to get power but the gauges wouldn't auto calibrate or read right unless I had the parker lights on!I changed to newls write up he did, they work without turning parkers on but just the oil pressure wont auto calibrate,any ideas??

[CHLAXN]

yeah it took me ages to figure out how to get use the original wiring my oil preassure gauge would not calibrate till I found out I need 2 grounds that was in the wiring lol.. well with your gauge mate just make sure you have a good ground and just doubble check you dont your power wires mixed with the light power.. apart from that mate I would have to see in person to figure it out lol

[xr6greg]

Installed three cobalt gauges, major issue with how bright they were. Read the linked http://www.fordxr6turbo.com/forum/index.ph...p;hl=how+to+dim as advised above... Didn't have an electrical degree so I went to Jaycar and gor hold of the 1k ohm pot, I think it was about $3.00, cut a wire and soldered it in - maybe 10 minutes work - and manually dimmed the leds with the pot. Problem solved...

EXCEPT the 1k ohm pot had NO effect on the digital voltmeter. Emailed Autometer in the US of A and they had no solution and indicated that a cobalt digital voltmeter cannot be dimmed using an external pot.

So down to my local window tinter, asked for a few scraps of dark tint from his bin and took them home. 10 minutes later had cut a circular piece of tint and placed it on the gauge. Problem solved at night where it is just fine, however, during the day the tint does make it extremely dim and sometimes you actually can't see the readout which is actually not an issue to me.

[xr6greg]

Images for comparision with the pot from Jaycar