Help! No Dash Lights! (it's a long one)

Imprezzed · #1 07-13-2004, 02:04 PM

Okay, here's the scoop. After getting sunburned to a crisp yesterday, I finally got my Whelan(TM) Strobe kit (A la Police Interceptor) kit installed. It worked WICKED SWEET. I look like a pace car now. They're 90 watts, and they look a whole lot better than my lod dinky 10 watt system.

After about 1/2 hour of letting them run, to make sure there's no problems they quit.

[Break]

Before I continue, some background. The old system was powered by the connection to the light that goes in the ashtray. READ: I took the light out, and used the ends to power my old system. I used the SAME connection to power the new lights.

[/break]

I went over to the car, and I did a complete check of the car. Everything still works fine, it's just that now, my guages (IE The Tach, The Speedo, and all that.....she does not glow anymore! I checked fuses and relays, and they all look fine. On the way home, I noticed a faint buring electrical smell. I pulled the car over and got out the Fire extuingser, and opened the hood, ready to do battle with a nice C class fire. However, no smoke, nothing.

I'm puzzled. Is it something I overlooked? I believe the Ashtray light and the dash lights are connected to the same system. If I overloaded the circuit, there would have been blown fuses.

Any ideas? Please help, I need to see my guages at night!

Here's my baby for those interested.

Any help is appreciated.

nsm484 · #2 07-13-2004, 02:19 PM

I have seen a few times, in my Trials with Wireing lights in a
1990 Legacy, that some cases, you can overload the wires
WITHOUT blowing the fuse, which will get you that nasty
burning smell ;(

I've had that a few times when i first started getting into
wireing cars (before i knew what i was doing)

Quote:

Originally posted by Imprezzed
Okay, here's the scoop. After getting sunburned to a crisp yesterday, I finally got my Whelan(TM) Strobe kit (A la Police Interceptor) kit installed. It worked WICKED SWEET. I look like a pace car now. They're 90 watts, and they look a whole lot better than my lod dinky 10 watt system.

After about 1/2 hour of letting them run, to make sure there's no problems they quit.

[Break]

Before I continue, some background. The old system was powered by the connection to the light that goes in the ashtray. READ: I took the light out, and used the ends to power my old system. I used the SAME connection to power the new lights.

[/break]

I went over to the car, and I did a complete check of the car. Everything still works fine, it's just that now, my guages (IE The Tach, The Speedo, and all that.....she does not glow anymore! I checked fuses and relays, and they all look fine. On the way home, I noticed a faint buring electrical smell. I pulled the car over and got out the Fire extuingser, and opened the hood, ready to do battle with a nice C class fire. However, no smoke, nothing.

I'm puzzled. Is it something I overlooked? I believe the Ashtray light and the dash lights are connected to the same system. If I overloaded the circuit, there would have been blown fuses.

Any ideas? Please help, I need to see my guages at night!

Here's my baby for those interested.

Any help is appreciated.

Imprezzed · #3 07-13-2004, 09:50 PM

Does this mean I have to take the dash apart and find the wires?

If so, is there a guide to take the dash apart somewhere?

The one on this site appears to be down.

rmjjensen · #4 07-14-2004, 06:11 AM

sounds to me like you blew out the dimmer switch. Those strobe kits can draw a lot of current, and I think the one you have has a 15 amp fuse.

#5 07-14-2004, 08:16 AM

90 watts is way too much to draw for the ashtray light. My guess is you fried something.

Dave

Imprezzed · #6 07-14-2004, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rmjjensen
sounds to me like you blew out the dimmer switch. Those strobe kits can draw a lot of current, and I think the one you have has a 15 amp fuse.

That's exactly the one I have. If I did blow the dimmer switch, what's the quickest, cheapest and eaiest solution to this problem? I don't give a rat's patootie about the stobes now, I just want the dash lights working.

P.s. I've already decided what to do about the strobes, I'm gonna run it directly from the battery. Saves time and effort.

#7 07-14-2004, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imprezzed

what's the quickest, cheapest and eaiest solution to this problem?

Choose one and try again.

Imprezzed · #8 07-14-2004, 09:53 PM

Quickest.

Please help!

rmjjensen · #9 07-15-2004, 06:26 AM

It's hard to say because obviously I don't think you have a lot of experience with electrical wiring. But .......break out your test light and start testing the wires (I guess you can do it at the ash tray bulb) .........put the parking lights on........one wire should read + the other ground (with the dimmer at it's brightest setting). Then adjust the dimmer, the ground should become slightly more positive (or vice versa) .........if no, then the dimmer switch might be bad. Try checking the fuses also ......if you have no + lead and both are grounded then most likely there's a fuse problem.

Good luck, and if you're confused try going to a friend that knows his stuff.