i know its a lame question but im trying to install some EL gauges and i cant get them to work. thought somebody else may know something i dont. i connected the red wire to the taillight fuse and grounded the black wire behind the cluster. connect all the gauges and nothing. anybody know what im doing wrong?

by the way, its a 93 dx hatchback.

 

I have the same car, and I am looking at the factory service manual. Take your dash lights dimmer and pop it out or just reach up from under the dash and unplug it, looking at the wires (there are 3) you'll have a red/black (red with a black stripe) this is the positive 12v wire, hook this to your power wire of the el gauges. Then take the black wire and hook that to the ground wire of the el gauges. the third wire is the variable ground that dimmes the lights DO NOT USE THIS WIRE it is red. Turn on the parking lights and it should work, if not it's time to troubleshoot your grounds and voltage check the power wire, if all is good then the unit may be bad. also make sure if your el gauges have a built in dimmer that you try and turn it up.

the fuse connection (if it's the type that you push in with the fuse) is not the best connection, try the above steps with some piggy back connectors and if it works you can solder them for a better connection (if you can get the iron up in there.

good luck.

 

not sure if you figured it out, but maybe the gauge has a bad bulb in it. goodluck

 

kender thanks alot. you were more than helpfull. i got them working in no time. thanks again guys

 

cool, I double checked to make sure that the ground and power you were originally on didn't have another switch besides the headlights, and they don't so it must have just been either a bad connection, or a finicky oscilator in the el transformer. If you get into electrics for other installs like this, let me reccommend the helm manuals, they are worth every penny. I have used mine to install the si features in my dx ( except the sunroof), power mirrors, pwr windows, clock, tach cluster with leds instead of light bulbs to light up the gauges, cruise control, etc. the best $90 you'll spend on your car.