Checking gauges and dash-before install

[NHCharger]

I am currently restoring the dash and gauge cluster on my 69. After getting a look at the dash harness when I bought the car I ordered a new one. I am currently re-assembling the entire dash so I can install it as one unit like I did my 68. I would like to test it prior to installing in the car. This car also has power windows so I really want to test that system as well.
How do I safely power up the dash and gauges without frying anything? I'm sure I could figure it out but figure some of you have already done this without melting down the dash.

[Nacho-RT74]

Find the track, so then the pin what feeds the VL with 12v positive and ground the housing. That will feed the gauges positive side.

Then track the rest of traces up to pins to find which pin feed the sender side of every gauges, and ground each one. This should take to full reading on each gauge. Actually a bit more of top reading since originally should get 10 ohms senders and you'll be feeding like sender was 0 ohms, but won't hurt anything, specially because will be just for a moment

[Gold Rush]

Do your gages actually run off of 12 volts or are they fed 5 volts via a regulator like my '74.  Be VERY careful or you will fry the gages...    

[NHCharger]

Actually a friend of mine called last night and filled me in on how to test the gauges. The next thing will be to assemble entire dash and wire to a battery to test the lights and window motors

[Nacho-RT74]

Do your gages actually run off of 12 volts or are they fed 5 volts via a regulator like my '74.  Be VERY careful or you will fry the gages...    

that's why I'm telling to find the pin what feeds the VL to feed it with 12 volts since 2nd gens are printed circuit boards

[daveco]

Find the track, so then the pin what feeds the VL with 12v positive and ground the housing. That will feed the gauges positive side.

Then track the rest of traces up to pins to find which pin feed the sender side of every gauges, and ground each one. This should take to full reading on each gauge. Actually a bit more of top reading since originally should get 10 ohms senders and you'll be feeding like sender was 0 ohms, but won't hurt anything, specially because will be just for a moment

This first sentence is explaining how to power the voltage limiter.

[Nacho-RT74]

NOTE,

Source the housing with negative BEFORE feed the + 12 volts. Or the prong to the VL chassis! ( it should get its own track on printed circuit board too ) and be sure is good "grounded"

An ungrounded VL will let go the full 12 volts up to gauges! VL Needs to get both poles. That's one of the reasons why gauges can get toast, getting the 12 volts allong with the sender signal, with a bad ( or unexistant ) ground to VL