Aftermarket Guages-12V for LED's?

[hoyle83]

Hey Guys,
Quick question as i have searched the site and did some reading, in particular Skunksmash had some pictures of how he re-wired all new guages and tapped into his printed circuit VIA soldering... http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php/topic,22155.msg195634.html#msg195634 As Jaredts mentions "Gages typically have a separate power wire for the backlight.  This is so it only comes on when your dash lights are on (parking lights/headlights on), and also so it dims along with your dash lights when you use the dimmer."
I have a mechanical voltage, water temp and oil pressure guage hooked up direct and was now pondering how i was going to hook up these guages positive and negative 3-4" long light guage lighting wires in order to still control the dimming and on and off functionality via my light knob(push, pull, twist for dim). I'm not too handy with soldering and was wondering whether i could "T" into the wire prior to the bulkhead connector with a proper crimped/heat shrunk connection to eliminate toying with my printed circuit?
Thanks!

[Sartobuilt]

Just join the wires together to one wire and plug it into the extra plug in the headlight switch, do the same for the ground, there is a ground lug up by the e brake. Or if you have an aftermarket radio you can use the wire that isnt used.

[hoyle83]

Thanks a ton! Haven't removed the headlight switch to look at the back of it yet, and i will be home this weekend so i'll take a peek! Easy enough to notice the empty contact? Cheers!

[Stewart G Griffin]

Do you have any other electrical gauges along with those mechanical gauges?

[hoyle83]

I kept the clock, have an aftermarket voltage gauge along with the mechanical water temp and oil pressure. Stock Speedo, No Tach and the big ol' Gas Gauge...