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Speedhut gauge install, wiring update/fix, switchplate

Looked at the area below the speedo, but there's some challenges there with the mounting studs for the speedo and the back side of the dash. I also need the tranny temp closer than that to be able to see it while driving.

Due to the RHD setup, I believe the blower motor upgrade isn't possible due to interference issues. I just think I'll be better served with a compact aftermarket unit and new ducting.
 
bigwalton said:
Looked at the area below the speedo, but there's some challenges there with the mounting studs for the speedo and the back side of the dash. I also need the tranny temp closer than that to be able to see it while driving.

Due to the RHD setup, I believe the blower motor upgrade isn't possible due to interference issues. I just think I'll be better served with a compact aftermarket unit and new ducting.
Click to expand...

A Moab Heater? http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-991102

I hear you can use vacuum cleaner tube to adapt the vent hose, such as the tubing for the Rigid Shop-Vac at Home Depot.
 
bigwalton said:
Looked at the area below the speedo, but there's some challenges there with the mounting studs for the speedo and the back side of the dash. I also need the tranny temp closer than that to be able to see it while driving.

Due to the RHD setup, I believe the blower motor upgrade isn't possible due to interference issues. I just think I'll be better served with a compact aftermarket unit and new ducting.
Click to expand...

Get the biggest unit that you can fit...
 
I'm curious about the reason for the dimmer. Doesn't turning the headlight switch do the same thing? Admittedly on mine it doesn't work that aspect very well.
Tim
 
timothy said:
I'm curious about the reason for the dimmer. Doesn't turning the headlight switch do the same thing? Admittedly on mine it doesn't work that aspect very well.
Tim
Click to expand...

No, these units use LED lighting that's completely separate from the stock gauge illumination. One of the big pluses of these gauges in my mind now that I've seen them, you simply daisy chain one gauge to the next for illumination, no separate bulbs and just the one long wire with multiple plugs.

In this picture, you can see the rotary dimmer switch is connected to the inverter box that controls the gauge illumination and gets mounted under the dash (I do wish it had mounting ears/holes of some type) and then the output wire that goes to the gauges. It's hard to see because of the wire being bundled, but it's just one continuous wire with multiple plugs spliced onto it where you can plug in any number of gauges up to however many plugs you have.

mullti_inverter_dimmer-1.jpg
 
bigwalton said:
No, these units use LED lighting that's completely separate from the stock gauge illumination.
]
Click to expand...

Actually... This dimmer is for the Electro Luminecent lighting. (Gauge back lighting). I belive its like a Timex Indiglo watch. There are no LEDs powered by the inverter box. There are LEDs in the gauge, they light up the needles and the idiot lights.
According to the instuctions, you hook the inverter and needles LEDs to the same wire from your factory dimmer switch.
 
I'm pretty sure there is a note on the speedo instructions that says the following: connect the 12v dash lighting wire (13) to the 12v inverter white wire and connect to the same dash lighting source.

I interpret this to mean the output from our HL switch for the dimmer will light the needle and provide the maximum signal for the EL backlight. The backlight can then be dimmered lower from there. That how you interpret it?
 
The interwebs strikes again. :banghead: Proves post count means diddly people, I just talk a lot.

The instructions moved out to the garage with the gauges, so I didn't have them sitting on the floor next to my desk to reference, should have gone back to their website before opening my big mouth.

I just looked at the instructions, I have a feeling that they're for non-dimmable inverters (note that I don't see any mention of the dimmer in the CJ speedo instructions or in the illustration) and that it uses the factory dimmer in place of their dimmable unit. Can't see any reason to feed it from the stock dimmer if you then have a dimmer on it unless you just don't want to use the Speedhut dimmer. I assumed that the inverter needed a full 12V feed to do what it does, so that the stock dimmer wouldn't be useful, but apparently not.

I don't see any instructions specific to adding the dimmable unit, guess it's time to contact Speedhut.
 
the inverter is required to run the EL gauge lighting. Its high voltage. I am going to wire my inverter into the headlight switch full +12v (not the factory dimmer). I want to try and match the factory lights brightness with the Speedhut brightness.

When I did the testing of the gauges last week, I had the inverter wired into the dash lighting. When I dimmed it, it dimmed the inverter powered lights as well.
 
Completely understand the need for the inverter, that was never in question, just the second dimmer.

So the only use I could see for both dimmer options is if the Speedhuts were too bright, then you could use the Speedhuts dimmer to dim them down to match the stock/other gauges and in theory you could then dim both with the stock dimmer. But I suppose there's no guarantee they would dim equally.

That use would be set-and-forget and you wouldn't need ready access to the Speedhut dimmer. Otherwise, I'm not seeing any need for both in my case where I want to have all Speedhuts gauges. I'd use stock dimmer feed or theirs with a straight 12v.
 
bigwalton said:
Completely understand the need for the inverter, that was never in question, just the second dimmer.

So the only use I could see for both dimmer options is if the Speedhuts were too bright, then you could use the Speedhuts dimmer to dim them down to match the stock/other gauges and in theory you could then dim both with the stock dimmer. But I suppose there's no guarantee they would dim equally.

That use would be set-and-forget and you wouldn't need ready access to the Speedhut dimmer. Otherwise, I'm not seeing any need for both in my case where I want to have all Speedhuts gauges. I'd use stock dimmer feed or theirs with a straight 12v.
Click to expand...

You still may want both because of the other dash lighting (heater, vent, wipers, etc...)
But yes, set and forget. I plan on mounting my dimmer switch under the dash, out of sight. I dont need anymore holes in the dash.
 
Just wondering? Would it be possible to wire in mini LEDs for the wiper lights,etc?
 
That is my plan... Eventually. Replace the incandesent lights with LED in the stock housing.
 
cdvcj8 said:
Just wondering? Would it be possible to wire in mini LEDs for the wiper lights,etc?
Click to expand...

There was a thread on this somewhere. It can be done but it is delicate work to avoid breaking the housings.
 
bigwalton said:
Problem is that the defroster duct is in the way behind these.

My dilemma now is what to do with the heater/defrost setup.
Not sure if the defroster duct is a normal stock one or something special for RHD. I'll try to get pictures.

I'm tempted to just hole saw away where I want the gauges and just deal with whatever comes of it.
Click to expand...

I think tearing out the defrost duct would be my last resort. Have you thought about mounting the gauges forward of the dash? I've seen people use PCV pipe to do this. You could even angle the ends to face the gauges toward the driver.

Something like this;
gauge tube.PNG
 
Short of a custom dash, I don't care for anything I've seen that would mount the gauges forward. I'm a hack, but I have my limits. :)

My thinking on the defrost is that I can't recall the last time I used it and it's nonfunctional now and only mildly functional when it used to work. I'd be much more pleased with my preferred layout and no defrost (which is exactly what I have now anyway) then I would be unhappy about having to wipe condensation off the interior of the windshield. This doesn't see any weather that would have ice on the outside.

On the LEDs in the stock lights, I replaced the bulbs in mine a few years back so I don't see any reason why you couldn't do it with LEDs. You do have to be careful but it's not that hard.
 
bigwalton said:
On the LEDs in the stock lights, I replaced the bulbs in mine a few years back so I don't see any reason why you couldn't do it with LEDs. You do have to be careful but it's not that hard.
Click to expand...

I guess I wasn't clear (as usual my wife would say). I meant somehow run them inline with the Speedhut gauges and then you wouldn't need the headlight dimmer?
 
I'm sure you would have told in due time but I'm an impatient fella. What's the fuse block for? I went to the Blue Seas web site, looked under products, but didn't see the USB plug or 12volt plug until I searched for them specifically. Odd I think. I think I know what next winters project will b?
 
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