Autometer Lunar Nitrous Gauge Install

[Phibernaut]

I'm installing a Autometer Lunar nitrous gauge in my 2002 GT. Can anyone tell me which wire to tap into for the power? I recall someone saying to connect to the brown wire so it works off the dimmer knob. Can anyone confirm or deny this? Thanks!

 

[sgarlic]

I bought some of those mini-fuse tap in things from autozone. This way, since you're running the pillar wires down the side of the dash anyway, just run them down to the fuse box. I can't remember the fuse number offhand, but one of them is labeled dimmer or something, that one works for dimming, and then just use the radio fuse for the regular power, and use the screw on the fuse box for ground.

 

[saleen556]

For the light you can tap into a light blue wire at the dimmer fuse to the left of the steering column.For gauge power There are several that only come on when you turn the ignition on behind the left floor kick panel.

 

[Phibernaut]

Thanks!

The brown wire did the trick, but the blue wire did it in style. I wanted to make sure the gauge ran off the dimmer since Autometer claims it extends the gauge's life. There's a little electric whine that gets slightly louder as you turn up the dimmer, but I'm guessing some electrical tape will help that. So will putting the dash back together, but that can wait until morning.

Now I have my switches and gauge ready to go - I just have to wait 'till next week for the nitrous kit. amnit:

 

[_jb_]

Time to invest in a test light. This way, you can put the test light in the fuse and find the +ignition wire and dimmer.

 

[sgarlic]

I really don't get why people don't just use the fuse tap things. You don't cut any factory wires, all 3 wires run to the same spot, and it is clearly labeled on the fuse box which ones do what. There's no wire tapping, test lighting, etc. Boggles my mind why people do things the hard way.

 

[Phibernaut]

To Tap Or Not To Tap

With the gauge having fairly short wires it was just easier to use those little wire tap squeeze connectors right off the dimmer. Running it all back to the fusebox would have been a better way to do it, but then what would we have to talk about? Having it burn to the ground in an electrical fire is also a more exciting story to tell the drinking buddies. Yeah...



So - tell me more about these fuse taps.

 

[sgarlic]

Haha.

Well, the fuse taps are just little plastic things, where one end contains the fork connector that plugs in to the fuse box, then on the other end there is a fuse (you remove the stock fuse, and plug it on to the fuse tap.)

Then, there's another spot for a fuse, and a wire sticking out. You run your wire from the gauges to that wire, and pick whatever rating fuse is appropriate (can't remember offhand which ones I used.) Basically, it allows you to run the stock fuse, while running a fused splice off that one.

They have them at Autozone in the aisle that sells the fuses.. I use them in all my vehicles, for one, I hate splicing in to factory wiring (it broke my heart installing the speedcal,) and 2, sometimes I can't find what I'm looking for without removing tons of trim pieces.

A good example is on my wife's ZJ, I was trying to find a 12v ignition on source for an oil pressure gauge, without pulling the radio, so I just ran a wire inside the factory bundle under the dash to the fuse box (which on the ZJ is under the passenger side kick panel) to a fuse tap.

No wires showing, no splicing, no worry of bad wiring jobs, etc.