OOPS - Electrical help please (solved with pics)

[mindwerkz]

First of all let's talk about the main issue... I was installing aftermarket dash gauge faces tonight. When I was removing the outer bezel and dimmer control I yanked too hard before removing the connections to the dimmer. A green wire went "pop" however I couldn't see where it would be attached. There's about 3 inches of green wire still connected to the connector with nothing but insulation visible on the end. I see no frayed loose wires it should connect to. After putting everything else back together, the dash illumination (radio and A/C controls too) are illuminated at the lowest level when the car is on and they turn off when I turn the headlights on (dash lights should be on too). Moving the dimmer dial has no effect.

Where's that green wire supposed to go? It does go somewhere right? If so I'm going to need to take it to someone who knows what they're doing cause I can't see where it is.

Second - I had someone put in a bass kill switch a year or so ago. They just left the switch dangling between two dash panels. I decided to clean it up with a new switch that I'd install in the cargo cup DIN slot. It's one that has a light that activates when the switch is flipped on. I've got it all hooked up, except for the light part. I need to connect a wire to the extra prong on the switch from.... where?

BTW - new pics of all this and my newly painted dash kit coming as soon as I get my neighbor to let me borrow his camera.

[n3oAcid24]

ok man... from what i know, that green wire you pulled off is the negative wire on the set. there is a green and then there is a black. the black wire is in 1 end and the green is on the other. there is 3 slots in the connection so just make sure that there is a wire at each end. if you look at the connector, you will see a little metal clip in there. make sure its touching that. i think you should be find after that. for your other problem, im not sure what you're talking about so ill leave it up for someone else.

[pinoyesv6]

actually.

3 wires on hte dimmer switch

green
black
black/yellow

normally green would be ground, unless there is a black. so green in this case is positive not negative.

both black wires are ground, negative. the black with yellow is controlled by the dimmer switch so u can control the brightness. the black wire is just plain ground

[mindwerkz]

KK thanks guys. I have the two black wires and the green stub. Guess I'll have the dealer or someone dive in there and fish out the other end of the wire.

How about the switch light?

[CHICAGO_ONE]

you might want to re-think that kill switch for the subs. You just have it connected to your amp remote wire?

It could damage the remote on your amp in the long run. I was gonna do that for my amps, but my boy told me about the neggative possibilities.

[mindwerkz]

*shrugs*

I just changed the switch. I have no idea how the guy had it set up. Been running it like this for about a year and a half now without any trouble. He had a 25 amp switch in it and I'm now using a 15 amp switch. I've actually noticed less static in the system at very low volume (was having issues with that before and I just assumed it was the crap wiring job the previous owner did on it).

EDIT - or was that Ohms.... I dunno. I'm fairly ignorant about electronics.

[01blackG]

The kill switch wont harm the amp at all. But if you plan on wiring the light up on it just run it in to the fuse box. And run it to a circuit that shuts off when the car shuts off.

[mindwerkz]

gotcha. thanks.

I was getting something done at Racing Trenz today ( www.racingtrenzcorp.com ) so I just had them fish out the runaway negative wire while they were back there (the dealer wanted "at least $90"). And on that note, I've decided anyone here in Colorado should DEFINATLY go to Racing Trenz for any performance stuff. But I'm starting to think one should think twice about using them for customizing bling type stuff. They try. They really do. But... *sigh* they are now JUST my performance guys.

[mindwerkz]

Buddy finally brought over his camera...



And yes I know my factory tach is reporting 1000rpm lower than actual. I'll deal with it tomorrow.

[S-Line]

Nice unit you got there......got me thinking.