IF its ONLY used for the lights then yes. But obviously you must use different wires for the actual gauge part of the install.

But when it comes to lights on the gauges...you will be just fine to do it under one wire.

 

Which wire did you tap for your voltmeter?

 

IF he's smart he ran his own...The BCM I would think would have SOME kind of ability to regulate the voltage sent across to different loads. The only GOOD way to do this would be run his own trunk line to the battery that way you KNOW it has no prior loads. Otherwise your voltmeter will never read quite right.
:thumbup:

 

I have not hooked it up yet. I had read that for the volt meter to run the hot to the radio hot that way it will only operate when the truck is turned on.. So its ok to run the lights together but not to run the lights to the gauge and then to the power.

 

The better choice in yoru case then would be to run it to your switched ign source. Not your radio power wire.

 

It is and it isn't if you know how to wire in joint connections then you should know how. Basically take the ground from your first gauge connect to hot on your next gauge and then ground on the other side. Make sure it all works right before you mount it up and enjoy. BTW I have done this before on my trans am.

 

No offence bro, but that is not how you wire gauges at all. You never wire them I'm series. Doing so would mean you lose all down the line if one goes out...you tie the hots together. Then the grounds.

 

As long as your power is all wired in parallel to each other the lighting will work fine. Run a power wire from a ign switched power source in the fuse box

 

Ok: I'm getting a little confused. Could you explain in detail starting from the beginning with the gauge light wires how they should be connected and where the final connection is made.

 

Ok...Take ALL the gauge light wires. Put them under a single connection. Take ALL the grounds, put them under a single connection. Once you do that you need to run a wire that's "switched" to power them OR run them off a already switched wire.

Now, as for the volt wire.. Its best to wire it off a switched and then no load wire straight from the battery. Hence your ign. When you first start the truck you will see a voltage drop..but then while the truck is running there will be NO load on that circuit since the starter is no longer in running. You can ground ALL the points under the same..but the lead feeding the volt meter should be all on its own. Understand now?

 

Thanks for the time and effort to clarify it for me. I think the only problem I see is finding the ignition wire which I'll leave up to my friend. Thanks again.