69 charger dimmer switch.

[mauibarber]

Ok, I went out to the car today and checked for voltage across the fuse for the instrament panel.  There was no voltage.

Stuck my head under the dash and pulled (gently) the wire harness off the back of the dimmer switch and I noticed that one of the prongs came along with the harness.  So a new prong will need to be soldered to the dimmer switch.

Three questions,

A) Could this be enough to have no power to the fuse panel?  And to have no lights?

B) Does anybody sell a new dimmer switch?

C) If my dimmer switch is bad is there a way to wire it up so that when the head lights are on the dash lights are on?

[lilwendal]

If the terminal came off with the harness then you will need a new dimmer switch.  Usually when they come off like that there was some type of overheat at the switch.  Does the connector show any signs of melting?  If not you can replace the dimmer switch.  Several on Ebay.  Or if you like you can completely bypass the switch and your lights will be on full bright whenever your headlights are on.  You will join the 2 wires on the lower terminal with the 1 wire on the middle terminal.  Simple connect the three wires.  If the dome light portion of your dimmer is still working you can leave that portion connected.

[mauibarber]

No, i saw no signs of melting, i thought perhaps it was just old and brittle and came off?  I will clean it and try to resolder and see what happens.

I think I may just connect the wires so the gauge lights are on full bright.  I can't really think of when I wouldnt want them as bright as possible.

[mauibarber]

If the terminal came off with the harness then you will need a new dimmer switch.  Usually when they come off like that there was some type of overheat at the switch.  Does the connector show any signs of melting?  If not you can replace the dimmer switch.  Several on Ebay.  Or if you like you can completely bypass the switch and your lights will be on full bright whenever your headlights are on.  You will join the 2 wires on the lower terminal with the 1 wire on the middle terminal.  Simple connect the three wires.  If the dome light portion of your dimmer is still working you can leave that portion connected.

Could you be a little more specific on this light fix?  Am I taking wires from the headlight switch and combining them with the dimmer switch?  In your description it sounds like im connecting only the dimmer switch wires.

Perhaps you can use this diagram and help me out.  I don't wanna fry my wires.

[lilwendal]

Just like the schematic you have pictured shows.  The middle wire on the dimmer E1-18T connected with L7A-18BK and L6-18Y.
This will give 12 volts to all dash lights whenever you have your headlamp switch to any position but off.  You will also still have all your dash lights protected by the 3 amp fuse.

[mauibarber]

Got it, Thanks! 

I will be working on the cluster this weekend.  My dimmer switch turns on the dome light but no dash lights.  I am hoping that the prong just broke off due to old age.  Hopefully I can get it working again. 
-Alex

[mauibarber]

I'm checking my voltage on the dimmer switch (E1-18T) and I am not getting any power from it.  Where does the dimmer switch get its power from?  I tried following it but had terrible luck.  I'm not getting any power to my dimmer switch, I checked the fuse and its ok.
-Alex

[lilwendal]

When you say you checked the fuse you ment the fuse is good for continuity or do you show voltage there?   The power wire to your dimmer is coming from your head light switch terminal B2.  Its the black wire.  When power leaves the dimmer its the tan wire that goes to the fuse.

[mauibarber]

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE
I've been working on this all day today and am blowin fuses like a mad man.  Everytime I turn on the headlamps I blow my 3amp gauge dashlight fuse.  I even put in a 7 amp and it blew too.

To connect the three wires mentioned I ran a male/male jumper from the harness on the middle tan wire to the two other wires black and yellow (mine is yellow with a black stripe for some reason)  The dimmer switch is now no longer connected.  Is this how you guys did it?

If the wires are jumpered correctly could somebody give me some pointers as to why my fuse is blowing? I followed the tan and orange wires to the best of my ability and found nothing grounded or odd looking.

I don't see any buzzer warning module on my car, perhaps this is why it starts out yellow and black rather than going yellow to the buzzer warning and from the buzzer warning going yellow black.   Not sure if this has anything to do with anything.

Thanks for any help,
Alex

Just like the schematic you have pictured shows.  The middle wire on the dimmer E1-18T connected with L7A-18BK and L6-18Y.
This will give 12 volts to all dash lights whenever you have your headlamp switch to any position but off.  You will also still have all your dash lights protected by the 3 amp fuse.

[cpthowdy1369]

did you get it to work?  if so, how?

[nascarxx29]

You can upgrade the bulbs from stock 158 to 194 and bypass the roll knob switch .You should never need to dim them.