Instument panel light gremlins

[Sixt8Chrgr]

I have a 68 Charger with ps, pb, air, and I installed a rebuilt dimmer switch hoping to cure the reason for my blown instrument panel light fuses.  Well it did not wok. I did get the dome lights to work but the panel lights still dont light up. They do work but only stay bright for a few seconds then boom the fuse goes.

Little background info-----the rebuilt dimmer switch I bought off ebay from what appears to be a reputable guy??? The switch was from a 69 Charger not a 68 and when I compared the two the internal wheel is different, but nothing else. After the switch is installed and looking at the amp gauge and turning the wheel from dim to bright the amp needle moved to almost -40 amps!! I quickly turned it back to dim then the fuse blew. With a blown fuse the dimmer switch will turn the dome lights on.

Any tips on what could be blowing my fuse? I am guessing the dimmer switch is bad, but before I removed it again I wanted to possibly check something else.

One more thing. I notiched what appeared to be an extra ground female spade connector bundled in the wiring harness beside the amp gauge. Any idea what this goes to or is it an extra or maybe a ground that needs to find a home?? It was not connected when I took the cluster out.

Thanks guys!

[lilwendal]

Read this.  Should help.
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,31803.msg354308.html#msg354308

[Sixt8Chrgr]

Read this.  Should help.
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,31803.msg354308.html#msg354308

Thanks so much, I will look for the orange wire and start the process.

[Sixt8Chrgr]

Read this.  Should help.
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,31803.msg354308.html#msg354308

lilwendel,

This post helped a bunch. I found the orange wire and traced it to a factory splice. Someone had taken one of the orange leads and attached it to ground on the cigar lighter. Once I removed this ground the instrument panel lights worked as did the cigar lighter.

Thanks for the help!

Thanks so much, I will look for the orange wire and start the process.