Oil pressure even bigger idiot light Options

[ThePaintedMan]

At some point I'll be modifying my dash to put my additional gauges in plain view with the rest of them, as Chris Foley suggested to me some time ago. While I'm at it, I'd like to put an additional oil pressure idiot light up top with a modern LED bulb to get the driver's attention (even though at race pace, by the time it come's on the damage will probably already have been done). Is it simple enough to just piggy-back onto the existing oil pressure light in the fuel gauge, splicing into those wires?

Ideally it would be nice to do the same thing with the alternator light, but given the fact that it's part of the charging system, I don't think I don't think I can do that, correct?

[ThePaintedMan]

Thanks Doug - that came out really nice! So since you have aftermarket gauges, you just used the original wiring for the existing idiot lights? I'm intending to leave the original gauges in, retaining the alt and oil pressure lights, but adding two more at the very top of the dash. Does that make sense?

[mrbubblehead]

Thanks Doug - that came out really nice! So since you have aftermarket gauges, you just used the original wiring for the existing idiot lights? I'm intending to leave the original gauges in, retaining the alt and oil pressure lights, but adding two more at the very top of the dash. Does that make sense?

yes the og wiring for the idiot light. for the alternator i left the original alt bulb and holder and wired the LED in parallel with the old bulb and its holder. i think i might have soldered a ground wire to old bulb holder to complete the circuit. make sense? i did wrap the old bulb in black tape so it wouldnt illuminate the back of the pod.

[AE354803]

Thanks Doug - that came out really nice! So since you have aftermarket gauges, you just used the original wiring for the existing idiot lights? I'm intending to leave the original gauges in, retaining the alt and oil pressure lights, but adding two more at the very top of the dash. Does that make sense?

yes the og wiring for the idiot light. for the alternator i left the original alt bulb and holder and wired the LED in parallel with the old bulb and its holder. i think i might have soldered a ground wire to old bulb holder to complete the circuit. make sense? i did wrap the old bulb in black tape so it wouldnt illuminate the back of the pod.

Why not wire the oil pressure idiot light to cut power to the coil?

You would need to add a bypass to supply power during starting, just a thought

[mrbubblehead]

Thanks Doug - that came out really nice! So since you have aftermarket gauges, you just used the original wiring for the existing idiot lights? I'm intending to leave the original gauges in, retaining the alt and oil pressure lights, but adding two more at the very top of the dash. Does that make sense?

yes the og wiring for the idiot light. for the alternator i left the original alt bulb and holder and wired the LED in parallel with the old bulb and its holder. i think i might have soldered a ground wire to old bulb holder to complete the circuit. make sense? i did wrap the old bulb in black tape so it wouldnt illuminate the back of the pod.

Why not wire the oil pressure idiot light to cut power to the coil?

You would need to add a bypass to supply power during starting, just a thought

the off roaders us a horn or door bell buzzer (in addition to the idiot light) mounted under the drivers seat. in a race you may not be able to hear it but you can feel it.

[AE354803]

Could use a kill or momentary switch for starting, this diagram assumes there is enough power to energize the relay coil and run the idiot light.

If there isn't you could just use the N/O contact to power the idiot light and keep the common as 12V supply (spliced into from supply to coil) since your coil will be de-energized anyway. (attach idiot light splice to N/O contact and just route the coil out through the switch to the nearest ground)

Best part is if it fails on the road you can just plug the coil supply directly to the coil like it is now (if you leave enough length)