Ok, so I got Guages I while back everything works good except they dim in reverse of my Tach and Speedo. I disconnected them from the red/grey runner wire by the fuses, tested them individually back on the grey/red wire and they still dimmed backwards.

Oh, they are the STRI X-line Guages which I am very happy with except they are dimming backwards on me.

Any Idea on what I may have done wrong?

I couldn't have done that much wrong. Everything is working.

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Oil Temp wires: Ignition, Ground, Dimmer, Temp sender wire

Boost Wires/hose: Igniition, Ground, Dimmer, Vaccuum line

 

The gauge will dim 'backwards' if the lamp is connected to the gauge illumination supply wire and +12v (ignition). The lamp should be connected between the illum source and ground.

 

Thanks Greatbear. I kinda understand but still a little confused.

If I explain what I have done, can you help troubleshoot a little further?

All the wires for the 2 gauges are tied together (ground and ground, Ignition and Ignition, Dimmer and Dimmer)

Ignition wire is connected to fuse 32 (cig lighter) by an add a fuse.

Ground is connected to a bolt on the fire wall left of the clutch pedal.

Dimmer is connected to the Grey/red runner in the wire bundle next to the fuse box.

TIA for any more help.

 

Umm, shouldn't you be looking backwards when reversing anyway, therefore, you shouldn't see that your gauges are dimming, therefore, making it a non-issue I have no idea whats wrong or how to fix it, just wanted to share my sarcastic logic

 

I am not familiar with the internal wiring of those particular gauges. By all rights you have the wiring connected properly, but internally the gauges might have the lighting connected to 12 volts and not ground. Different makes of cars control the dash lighting in either two ways, varying either the positive voltage source (like MINI does), or varying the return (ground) line (typical of most early cars, especially American makes before '90). To accomodate these two scenarios, most guage lighting setups have a bulb holder with a pair of wires. One connects to the source, the other to the return. The MINI is typical of a source-varied scheme, so the return is grounded. In a return-varied scheme, a source which comes on with the running lights is connected to one side of the lamp holder, and the variable return connects to the other side.

Double check how the bulb itself is wired at the gauge. Make sure one side of the bulb holder gets the source off the grey/red wire, and the other side goes to ground.

 

Thanks for the info. I'll try to figure it out. It seems like i am the only one w/ this particular problem w/ these gauges.

 

The STRI gauges have 3 wires tho. Source, ground, and illum.

 

The gauges work in the following way:

Car lights off - gauge shines BRIGHT

Car lights on - gauge shines DIM

It's like how my TomTom works - night lighting is dimmer because the glare could become a nuisance.

If you think about it it makes sense, especially with the smoked gauges. You need more light from the gauge to see it during the day. At night it looks stupendous.

Your gauges are working properly. Btw did you connect the illumination wire to the grey wire with the red stripe in the thick wire bundle above the driver footwell?