Gauge Electrical Question

[aNotchAbove]

I just got some gauges and I noticed that the bulb to illuminate the gauge only has one white (power) wire going to it. How do these gauges ground out? They'll be going in a gauge cage in the center A/C vents.

 

[HISSIN50]

What brand of gauge? Do you have a picture of the bulb wiring?

You should have a ground wire for the lighting, plain and simple.

Good luck.

 

[Bottomlesspit]

I have some autometer and autogage instruments in my 92. The Autgage center vent guages have only one wire coming out of the light socket. I ground the light through the guages themselves. I ran a black negative wire from a ground on the car up to the back of the guages, then connect the black wire to one of the rear threaded studs. Simple and works.
Hope this helps,
Ken

 

[aNotchAbove]

What brand of gauge? Do you have a picture of the bulb wiring?

You should have a ground wire for the lighting, plain and simple.

Good luck.

They're autometer sport comp gauges. The bulb wiring is pretty simple. There's the bulb and there's ONE white wire going to it for power. That's it. No black wire at all.

I ground the light through the guages themselves. I ran a black negative wire from a ground on the car up to the back of the guages, then connect the black wire to one of the rear threaded studs. Simple and works.
Hope this helps,
Ken

Thats what I was thinking, just wanted to make sure it was possible. Thanks for the help!

 

[HISSIN50]

That's good stuff from Ken.

I've not seen a gauge or gauge lighting ground through the gauge body. That seems like it would lend itself to erratic readings (if the gauge housing isnt securely grounded. I like to see 1-2 ohms of resistance on gauge grounds).

Good luck.

 

[Bottomlesspit]

I had the two guages...vac and water temp...in my center console vent for over 4 years and they worked great the whole time. Wish the motor ran as well? I ran a wire with ring terminals on each end from one of the posts on one guage to one of the posts on the other guage. I then ran another wire with a ring terminal attached to either one of the guage posts, and hooked it up to a ground wire coming from either the radio of AC lighting controls. I just hooked up the same setup in this 92 heap and they are working great.
Just like Hissin alluded to...I made sure the guages were solidly grounded.
My Monster tach is grounded to the same ground wire as the other two guages..I spliced it in.
Good luck with your guages,
Ken