91r/t

Hey all, I am wiring up my EGT gauge and was wondering if it needs a keyed on power source or a hot source all the time? Its an Autometer phantom gauge and I'm going to tie into one of the power ports on the dash. I'm needed to know which power source I need tho before I choose one....Hot or keyed on. I know the light gets wired into the dimmer and grounded, and the EGT signal wire red and yellow go to the thermocouple but I need to connect the red and black wires on the back side of the gauge. Thanks all. Also I'm thinking the dimmer wire behind the headlight switch is the orange wire with the black tracer on it?

daddy mopar

I like you have added gauges to me truck. I can see from your signature that you have removed your fuel pump. To power all my gauges I used the power line to the fuel filter/pump housing under the hood that I removed by adding my FASS. It is a turn key power supply from a now unused/unneeded hot wire.

I think key on or off power is personal preference, but to prevent a possible viral drain on the battery I use turn key.

The dimmer switch is a good call but something I have not been able to locate. Do a search and it is in the forum somewhere, I have seen it. Some guys on here also go down to NAPA and buy a small dimmer switch, add it to the bottom of the pillar pods, and run all gauge light wires to it. This also reduces wires in the pillar without tapping into the hard wires.

I like the Roadrunner, I have a Charger

torquefan

I agree. I would definitely use key-on power. That would be a substantial load on the battery, operating that gauge 24 hours a day, and probably wear out the gauge prematurely too.

91r/t

Thanks guys.....yes I am going to use the power port on the dash(cigarette lighter) as a power source...quick and easy. I want to keep all the connections inside the cab so that the weather doesn't have ill effects on them.

91r/t

Daddy Mopar......my father has a 66 charger 383 4 speed car as well. We have a addiction to Mopar

Midnite

It's actually no real load on the battery because when the truck isn't operating the gauges aren't doing anything, so power draw is hardly even measurable. It certainly has no effect at all on the life of the gauges. Gauge lighting of course is a different thing entirely, and will kill your battery quickly if you keep them lit 24/7.

Key-on power is definitely the way to go. I just run mine off a fuse tap on the in-cab fuse panel. Wire runs are short and easy.