Where to tap into switched power?

[12sec92Tsi]

I am going to attempt to install my Autometer electric oil pressure and Greddy EGT gauges this week and have most of the wiring for the lights figured out. I know I'm going to use the cig lighter power and ground wires for the light bulb and I think I know where I'm going to ground the gauge, but what I haven't figured out is where to tap in for "swithced power". The instructions say to run that wire to the ignition switch but I don't know where to tap it in at. Is there an easy way to do this. Just wondering how you guys tapped your gauges for switched power? Thanks in advance.

 

[Attack Eagle]

well I used the cig lighter its ignition switched

or you can do it the ghetto way and run a wire to the fuse box

 

[Talonman]

well I used the cig lighter its ignition switched

or you can do it the ghetto way and run a wire to the fuse box

ghetto= flatten out the copper stripped wire end and bend it over one of the blades on the "gauges" fuse then shove the fuse back into the fuse box, works fine for me and hasnt come loose in 5 years.

 

[12sec92Tsi]

I know to run the wire for the light bulb to the cig lighter and thats what I plan on doing, but I'm talked about to power the actual gauge. The directions show that there is a place on the back of the gauge that I have to run to the ignition switch. Would that be the wire I run to the fuse box?

 

[nvr2muchboost]

I know to run the wire for the light bulb to the cig lighter and thats what I plan on doing, but I'm talked about to power the actual gauge. The directions show that there is a place on the back of the gauge that I have to run to the ignition switch. Would that be the wire I run to the fuse box?

On my Autometer gauges they must have a swiched power source that isn't broken during engine crank.

I tried the lighter wires but found the connection is broken during the cranking phase at start which affects the accuracy of the gauge.

Tap into the ignition wire cluster beneath your steering column. You will need to remove the upper and lower portions of the cover that surrounds the steering column. Locate the ignition wire cluster (it will be a large white plug that plugs into the steering column area with several wires coming out of it - you will know this is the correct plug as there will be a large white wire as part of the wire bundle) and with a test light or multimeter - determine which wire to tap in which power remains while the engine is being started (I believe on mine it was a solid black wire with a white stripe - but test to make sure). Use T-Taps (available at any auto store) to tap into the wire you locate and use that to tap your power cable into from the gauge.

I additionally wired in an inline fuse into each of the power wires I tapped into the ignition wire from my gauges, but that is optional and totally up to you, I just did it for an additional line of protection.

Good luck@!

 

[12sec92Tsi]

Alright that helped out alot!! Thanks everyone for you replies, I'll attempt to do this later this week, hopefully it will work out.