Does anyone now where the closest Dimable power source for the gauge lighting is in this area at all? Any help would be great

 

The orange ring around the cigarette lighter would be the place to tap.

 

Hi Partsman,

Thanks for your post, I haven't checked but does this dim? I have heard that it doesn't. I shall check tonight when I get home.

 

Check Motoringfile.com for the .pdf for the oem aux gauge kit installation instructions.

 

I tried to do a search but I keep coming up blank

 

Yes it dims. However, if your MINI was built mid-2005 or newer, the orange ring might not light up nor have the wiring for it (cost cutting move at the factory). Wires throughout the car for gauge and button illumination are red/gray striped. Besides the cigarette lighter, all of the center console components use the illumination power. For example, look for a red/gray wire in the harness that plugs into the toggle switches.

 

http://www.motoringfile.com/2005/01/...gauge_install/

 

Thanks guys for the replies, I will use that information for my install. This is a great forum for info

 

Most people have the problem of aftermarket gauge lighting being too dim compared to stock gauges. If you tap into a dimable source, you'll never be able to compensate. I have my gauge lights tapped into a non-dimable source and set the dim level of the stock gauges to match.

 

I had no problem, I just got the next wattage up and it matches really well and dims good as well

 

i tapped into the grey wire behind the tachometer and works great!

 

To find the grey/red stripe wires in close proximity to the toggle switches, look under the bin in the center console. You'll see two latches for a trap-door. Release the latches and pull down. You'll see a wiring harness that has at least two of the grey/red stripe wires. Easy to use a 3M red or similar wire tap. (Refer to my post on the Boost Gauge "sticky")

 

Pin 5 in the toggle switch panel connector should always be free and provides a suitable backlight feed.

 

OK, so I did the gauge install and mechanically, it's working fine, but last night I struggled hard to get the damn thing to light up.

I tapped the grey/red wire going into the TACH -- NOTHING --

I fixed that up, added wire and tapped the cig lighter ring -- nothing

fixed that up, extended more and it's tapped to the grey/red that lights the seat heater buttons, -- nothing

so now I'm lost. Im going to buy a new bulb, but I have 8 hours of sitting at my desk kicking myself before that, any other helful hints?

 

Was the bulb in the gauge earthed correctly back to body?

 

by earthed do you mean grounded? and yes, I'm hoping it's a dead bulb, but the filament looks to be in one piece. any other thoughts?

 

Fixed.... little probing with a multimeter found the issue. Thanks for the help.