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Dimmer wire pick-up for gauges?

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Old Mar 7, 2010 | 09:50 AM
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Dimmer wire pick-up for gauges?

Quick question guys...

Have any of you grabbed a good source for the EVO X dimmer for aftermarket gauges? Did you just grab a wire from the back of the actual dimmer panel? Installing some AEM gauges that has a provision for dimming and would like to know what some of you have done for this. Thanks for any guidance!

Lou
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Old Mar 9, 2010 | 06:27 AM
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This:
Originally Posted by endGameXIII
tip for those that want the dimmer function on the gauge to work with the car (for the defi gauges) or color change (for prosport):


tap the wire that's responsible for the dimming (white for defi, not sure for prosport as i have a defi gauge) into the GREEN-WHITE (green w/ white stripe) wire on the ASC button. for those that has the SSS package, the GREEN-WHITE wire is on the leveling switch as well. either one works. i believe there's a GREEN-BLACK wire on the buttons as well, but that's most likely a ground, and thus won't work. make sure you got the right wire.

those that has the ASC button on the center console, you might have to dig for the harness, but it should be there, and should still work even if it's not plugged into a button.
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Old Mar 9, 2010 | 04:00 PM
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Originally Posted by evoluXrichie
This:
Excellent! I'm going to use a multi-meter to see if its a true dimmer wire, or if it's a low/high like headlights on/off... Thank you very much!
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Old Mar 9, 2010 | 06:34 PM
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this is what I plan on using:


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Old Mar 9, 2010 | 07:32 PM
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Tephra, are you using that for a simply high/low intensity in your gauges depending if the headlights are on vs. off? Or are you using it as a true dimmer via the dimmer knob in our instrument cluster?
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Old Mar 9, 2010 | 07:34 PM
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just high/low... on/off

not steps
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Old Mar 9, 2010 | 08:00 PM
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Originally Posted by tephra
just high/low... on/off

not steps
Gotcha. My AEM analog boost gauge uses an actual dimmer input to dim/brighten as you adjust the dashes brightness via knob in cluster. This is the wire I am trying to find. I have a feeling that the post toward the top is only going to give me a headlight on/off output... where I am looking for actual dimming via rotating knob.

Lou
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Old Mar 11, 2010 | 08:34 PM
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Originally Posted by HybridKOOP
Gotcha. My AEM analog boost gauge uses an actual dimmer input to dim/brighten as you adjust the dashes brightness via knob in cluster. This is the wire I am trying to find. I have a feeling that the post toward the top is only going to give me a headlight on/off output... where I am looking for actual dimming via rotating knob.

Lou
Yeah, that's just a headlight on/off wire, I guess I didn't understand what you were looking for, sorry...
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Old Mar 12, 2010 | 11:58 AM
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Originally Posted by evoluXrichie
Yeah, that's just a headlight on/off wire, I guess I didn't understand what you were looking for, sorry...
Yeah I figured that.

I'm looking for a single wire under the EVO X dash that has voltage that fluctuates as you turn the dimmer knob in the gauge cluster. Some aftermarket gauges have the ability to gradually lighten up or darken along with the rest of the cars instruments via the OEM dimmer knob.

Lou
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Old Mar 16, 2010 | 08:16 AM
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Just thought I'd update everyone and let you guys know that I had my entire gauge cluster out of the dash last night, testing wire after wire to find a correct rheostat source wire.

Finally, on the back of the gauge cluster, I came across a red wire, white stripe, that fluctuated voltage when I pressed the dimmer button on the front of the cluster. Yay! Then I realized that all full brightness, the wire yielded 0.00v. At lowest intensity, the wire was throwing almost 12v... this is exactly backwards from how the AEM gauges work.

Oh well, looks like I'll have to be like everyone else and just have the light bright/dim with the parking/headlights.

I am curious to know though, if the "dimmer" green/white wire in the radio harness fluctuates, or if it's a simple 12v/0v source that goes on/off with parking/headlights. Does that make sense?

Lou
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Old Mar 16, 2010 | 09:40 AM
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FWIW, I also just talked to AEM, who said that they have seen this on one or other two car makes/models... where the 12 volts was opposite from how their gauges work.

They are sending me a schematic to build an inverter out of Radio Shack parts, but I am just going to use regular illumination. I'll post the schematic here in case anyones interested.

Lou
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Old Mar 16, 2010 | 11:23 AM
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Lou,

Keep us posted. I just got my AEM analog gauges...

Thanks!
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Old Mar 16, 2010 | 12:03 PM
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Originally Posted by BADABING
Lou,

Keep us posted. I just got my AEM analog gauges...

Thanks!
Will do, and I'm definitely not stating that the EVO X does not have the correct rheostat wiring... I myself though, have not found it yet. If anyone else knows, please post!

Lou
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Old Mar 18, 2010 | 01:50 AM
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well I tried my way - only works on Parker lights.

Link 13 is for headlights - but its reversed so +12v when off, and 0v when on?!?!
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Old Mar 18, 2010 | 11:51 PM
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ok I found another way.

C311 on the etacs connector (big one near the bottom)

pin 10 ...

seems to work ok
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