best key-on hot to tap into?

[BerniniCaCO3]

Hi!

I'm tearing apart my dash for the heater core, but I also am installing some real gauges-- a tach, electrical oil pressure gauge, voltage gauge, and voltmeter.

I think I know which teeny 18 gauge wire is the key-on hot for the radio, as I installed one last summer. But I don't really want to hang 4 gauges and all of their light bulbs off of that one wire.

Is there a better, fatter one to tap into? Again, something that will only come on with the key turned, can't have all gauges sucking away with the lights on when the car's off.

thanks!
-Bernard

oh btw, how does the casing on a (1990 box) steering column come apart? The plastic top and bottom? There are holes going up from the bottom, but I can't figure what's at the end-- philips, flathead, or some sort of retaining tab to push it, to get them to come apart. Just can't see/feel into those holes at all.

[hypostang]

Should be phillips head screws on the column cover .

Dash light wire is generally light blue with a red stripe , then the gauges would only light when needed .

[sly]

I tapped the on-hot in the steering column (ignition switch) for mine... tapped the light for the ash tray for the back-lights... that way they all dim with the dash.

[BerniniCaCO3]

where is the ignition switch on-hot? Or, what color is it?

[1987cp]

Do you have a test light? Great way to determine what's hot and when.

[sly]

I used a multimeter to figure that out on my 88. it was some large red wire... but I think there's more than one large red wire hooked up in there.

[1987cp]

There's definitely more than one large wire going to the ignition switch. I'm remembering the main ones being yellow with red or white stripes, but don't take my word for it. Being very large is a pretty good sign, though.

[86VickyLX]

Hi!

I'm tearing apart my dash for the heater core, but I also am installing some real gauges-- a tach, electrical oil pressure gauge, voltage gauge, and voltmeter.

I think I know which teeny 18 gauge wire is the key-on hot for the radio, as I installed one last summer. But I don't really want to hang 4 gauges and all of their light bulbs off of that one wire.

Is there a better, fatter one to tap into? Again, something that will only come on with the key turned, can't have all gauges sucking away with the lights on when the car's off.

thanks!
-Bernard

oh btw, how does the casing on a (1990 box) steering column come apart? The plastic top and bottom? There are holes going up from the bottom, but I can't figure what's at the end-- philips, flathead, or some sort of retaining tab to push it, to get them to come apart. Just can't see/feel into those holes at all.

Jump off of a fused key on hot. To remove the column covers, there's 5 I think phillips head screws (3 or 4 on the bottom, and one on the side near the knee bolster on the right side), one tilt lever (gotta unthread that to remove bottom section), and the ignition lock has to be removed (there's a release button that you press, it can only be pressed when the key is in and the lock is in the run position, then you pull the cylinder out while pushing on the button).

[1987cp]

Wow, the '90-up is a lot more complicated!

[86VickyLX]

Wow, the '90-up is a lot more complicated!

I personally blame the addition of the killer bomb bag.

[85crownHPP]

If you're lucky you'll find an auxiliary power plug in the radio wiring, perfect for such things. I use the stereo's key-on power to trigger a relay that powers my goodies.

[1987cp]

Relay is an excellent idea. It's annoying when the voltmeter drops 1.5 Volts or more when you turn on the HVAC.