Concern about overloaded headlight and dimmer switch...

LXSTASY

Founding Member

Apr 25, 2000

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Long Island, NY

Nov 10, 2005

#1

• Nov 10, 2005

• #1

I was thinking about it today and I have quite a few electronics running off of the headlight dimmer switch for power. I have the UPR glow dash gauges and a/c gauges and 2 autometer phantom gauges running from it. I plan on installing a tach and a few other gauges and I don't know if the switch can handle that many electrical things drawing power. Another thing that worries me is that I have HIDs that draw a lot of power initally on start-up.
Am I headed for disaster?
How could I fix this problem if it is one?

Thanks
Dan

 

Grn92LX

Fidanza Man!

Founding Member

Jan 14, 2001

6,819

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129

New York

Nov 10, 2005

#2

• Nov 10, 2005

• #2

A relay is your friend

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

31,179

33

129

Nov 10, 2005

#3

• Nov 10, 2005

• #3

Your HID's should be jarring the charging and electrical system, but not the dimmer circuit.

Mike's idea is nice if you dont ever use the dimmer, in which case I would use the parking light wire as my gauge lighting source. If you put a relay on the dimmer (the dimmer sends a control pulse to the relay, and from the relay other lighting tasks are performed) and you actually use the dimmer, the relay will chatter (the dimmed voltage from the dimmer to the relay makes it not know whether it should be on or off). Make sense?

I would just use the parking lights.

Good luck.

 

LXSTASY

Founding Member

Apr 25, 2000

932

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Long Island, NY

Nov 17, 2005

#4

• Nov 17, 2005

• #4

Now that I thought about it, it is run from the parking lights for the gauges. Is there too much draw? Do the autometer gauges draw a lot of power (they are the electrical ones)? Does the UPR glow gauges draw a lot of power? If they do not draw too much then i think I am fine. I was just curious to see if I needed to change anything.

 

Black1987Stang

Active Member

Aug 22, 2004

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Jersey Shore

Nov 17, 2005

#5

• Nov 17, 2005

• #5

Im sure ur fine, but if ur interested you can do this...http://www.geocities.com/midlife66/wiring/Halrelays.html

 

_jb_

New Member

Mar 4, 2004

808

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Michigan, Berrien County

Nov 17, 2005

#6

• Nov 17, 2005

• #6

I wired 3 AM C2 electric guages, indiglo insturment cluster lights and nothing happened.

 

LXSTASY

Founding Member

Apr 25, 2000

932

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0

Long Island, NY

Nov 22, 2005

#7

• Nov 22, 2005

• #7

Yea, I figure the indiglo gauges don't draw too much. I had a mid-day crisis where I thought I might fry the switch.