In Dash Switch Options

[Dkevdog]

I just thought I'd show up how I did my switches for auxillary lighting. I know others have talked about replacing the cupholder(spiller) but here is a pic of mine. Only thing I need to get now are some resistors because they are too damn bright at night!



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The switches control:

Back up Alarm

Back up lamps

Backup Spotlights on trailer(s)

Auxillary running lamps(truck & trailer)

Front Driving Lights

Spare



The red button to the right moves motorists out of the way (air horns)



Kev

 

[Joe G.]

Good looking panel

Kev,



I did about the same thing with mine. In fact, that looks exactly like the plastic I used. My switches are toggle switches with black plastic handles. I went to Staples and got some stick on letters to label mine with two letters each. I also mounted a push button to replace the OD lock out button because I wanted to use the hole to the left of the panel for a combo EGT/boost gage.



I wired mine with a cable of 22 gauge wires to a relay box under the hood. That reduced the mess of wires at the fire wall. My relay box also contains all the fuses I need for the gadgets.

 

[RJOL]

Kev,



Your setup looks pretty good. If the switch lights are on a separate circuit, you could wire them thru your instrument dimmer switch. If they just take power from the circuit (like neon/LED) then I don't think the resistor trick will work...

 

[Dkevdog]

RJOL- I think they are on a seperate circuit (its been a couple of months or so ) I'd have to look at my diagram. I mounted my relay panel under the dash and it worked out pretty well. I'll look in to using the dimmer- pretty goof idea



Kev

 

[RJ2]

Great place for gauges.

 

[RJ2]

Trying for a picture.

 

[klenger]

How do you keep track of what each switch does?



If you cannot connect the lights to the dimmer circuit, another way you can dim them is with a zener diode. You can either try to find a happy medium between day and night, or what we do in airplanes is using a relay, connect the lights to 14 VDC power during the day, and then use the running light power to swing a relay, which then uses a zener diode to reduce the voltage to the lamps by about 1/2. You might have to experiment with the night voltage to get the effect you want. Also, you'll need to compute the wattage for the zener diode based on how much power is being dissipated. The advantage of the zener diode over the resistor is that the voltage drop is the same regradless of load (how many lights are lit). I can assist with the technical details if you want to pursue this.



Ken Lenger

Unemployed aerospace engineer

 

[jmeehan]

When I started adding switchs etc. to my truck I went to Walmart and bought a label maker made by Dymo. It was around $30 and makes great looking labels. They even have a silver metallic label tape that looks good against my agate interior.

It's carried in the business supply section.

 

[Cooker]

RJ2,

The blue light isn't generated from the gauges is it?



Kev,

Nice switch panel



-Ryan

 

[Lurch]

Uh... ... don't you mean the red button on the left?

 

[RJ2]

There is a 3 inch mini neon under the lip of the dash trim. It works great in the dayime to make the white numbers stand out.