Thread: Twin Gauge Holder

Originally Posted by RRT

Attachment 173541
Attachment 173542

You are right, the above specs state not dimmable, well may have to get some smoked vinyl if they are too bright at night and was going to wire them through the firewall tomorrow so may have to try and source some silicon pipe.

Buy some extra silicon tube and replace the lines around the turbo modulator at the same time. These have been known to rub through.
Silicon should work well there.

If your looking for somewhere to get a feed for your boost guage, I tapped into line from the steel tube (turbo to intercooler) to the modulator.
SCA etc have have T pieces in stock that you can use.

If you are going to do the EGR blanking kit, I have seen one type that comes with fitting already in there tube. Very rare though.
I wanted to buy one but they where out of stock at the time...

The SAAS Gauges use LED illumination and those won't dim with a resistive dimmer control AFAIK. RedArc gauges are dimmable, but even then you have to buy the optional dimming module to do it. I have my gauges mounted to a pillar pod in the Patrol, which pretty much places them in line of sight when driving, and they aren't too bad but I'm of the cut that rarely dims the instruments lights. Taking a leaf from my marine experience, and I have done the comparison, if you can get the gauges to display red as the backlight colour, this is the easiest on night vision.

Originally Posted by reefmagnet

The SAAS Gauges use LED illumination and those won't dim with a resistive dimmer control AFAIK. RedArc gauges are dimmable, but even then you have to buy the optional dimming module to do it. I have my gauges mounted to a pillar pod in the Patrol, which pretty much places them in line of sight when driving, and they aren't too bad but I'm of the cut that rarely dims the instruments lights. Taking a leaf from my marine experience, and I have done the comparison, if you can get the gauges to display red as the backlight colour, this is the easiest on night vision.

I think you are right...

Looking at the wiring diagram on RRT's boost gauge I am beginning to think that the illumination wire goes to a switch in the gauge,
so it's either on or off.(like the 85 contact on a normal relay)
However, it may be possible to dim it by connecting the 12v feed wire to the dash lights post LR dimmer and run the illum switch wire off the park lights.

But, and a big but is when you look at the wiring for EGT guage this becomes impossible to do.
That gauge has a constant 12v feed from the battery, a switched 12v feed from the key(to run the EGT circuit) and the illumination wire to switch on the gauge light.
So connecting the dash dimming feed to any of those 12v feeds is just going to create havoc I'm thinking!

Oh well, one Powerball and I'll be ordering a set of Autometer gauges from the US...

Originally Posted by mylesaway

I think you are right...

Looking at the wiring diagram on RRT's boost gauge I am beginning to think that the illumination wire goes to a switch in the gauge,
so it's either on or off.(like the 85 contact on a normal relay)
However, it may be possible to dim it by connecting the 12v feed wire to the dash lights post LR dimmer and run the illum switch wire off the park lights.

But, and a big but is when you look at the wiring for EGT guage this becomes impossible to do.
That gauge has a constant 12v feed from the battery, a switched 12v feed from the key(to run the EGT circuit) and the illumination wire to switch on the gauge light.
So connecting the dash dimming feed to any of those 12v feeds is just going to create havoc I'm thinking!

Oh well, one Powerball and I'll be ordering a set of Autometer gauges from the US...

A cheap PWM 12 volt dimmer from fleabay will sort this if you can mount it somewhere. I dug deep and used custom Speedhut gauges in my 101 - they are brilliant, dimmable but they are expensive. Will give them a huge shout out as they are great to deal with and produced exactly what I wanted. If that Powerball drops I'd highly recommend them.

Thought it might be as simple as changing the LED, well I could if I was an electronics expert! Had a 20 psi gauge I am not going to use, these things have a pressed on ring at the front which needs to be destroyed to take apart, sort of...

20210914_084329.jpg

when looking at the circuit board, its a hopeless case of changing out the LED's for the dimming

20210914_083959.jpg


This being the case will get some smoked vinyl to physically dim it

Originally Posted by mylesaway

Buy some extra silicon tube and replace the lines around the turbo modulator at the same time. These have been known to rub through.
Silicon should work well there.

If your looking for somewhere to get a feed for your boost guage, I tapped into line from the steel tube (turbo to intercooler) to the modulator.
SCA etc have have T pieces in stock that you can use.

If you are going to do the EGR blanking kit, I have seen one type that comes with fitting already in there tube. Very rare though.
I wanted to buy one but they where out of stock at the time...

Am looking at the EGR blanking tube to put the feed on, was looking a drilling a hole in the blanking tube and bolting in an air nipple to provide the feed (suitably sealed of course) or a push in coupling.


\PC Pneumatic air 10mm 8mm 12mm 6mm 4mm hose 1/4 "BSP 1/2" 1/8 "3/8" male thread air nipple brass quick coupling|Pneumatic Parts| - AliExpress

Originally Posted by RRT

Thought it might be as simple as changing the LED, well I could if I was an electronics expert! Had a 20 psi gauge I am not going to use, these things have a pressed on ring at the front which needs to be destroyed to take apart, sort of...

20210914_084329.jpg

when looking at the circuit board, its a hopeless case of changing out the LED's for the dimming

20210914_083959.jpg


This being the case will get some smoked vinyl to physically dim it

I presume that is the LED in the centre there and this gauge has a lit up needle?
If you could get at that LED then you could paint it with some green glass paint. This would dull the LED but would make the needle very dark red, maybe even brownish at night.

Also, I think I remember reading about there being some sort of tool that you can use to remove and refit the glass face.
Maybe a phone call to a instrument maker/technician might provide an answer.

Originally Posted by RRT

Am looking at the EGR blanking tube to put the feed on, was looking a drilling a hole in the blanking tube and bolting in an air nipple to provide the feed (suitably sealed of course) or a push in coupling.


\PC Pneumatic air 10mm 8mm 12mm 6mm 4mm hose 1/4 "BSP 1/2" 1/8 "3/8" male thread air nipple brass quick coupling|Pneumatic Parts| - AliExpress

I was thinking of using one these.

Transmission Temp Screw in Bung 1/8 NPTF | SAAS Automotive

I bought 2- one for the trans sump and one for the ERG delete tube.
I had trouble finding a right angle adapter with the right sized barb for the rubber tube to fit on so it went by the way side a bit.
If I used 4mm nylon tube (inside split tubing for protection) I could use those adapters you a looking at.