Dim dash lights on my 65 Gal

Any one know how to shed a little more light on my dash? All the bulbs are lit and the switch is cranked all the way. And yet the speedo/fuel seem to be so dim. Is there a brighter bulb or some other trick to brighten things up?

Running a relay in your headlight circuit will free up alot of current that will go to the dash that otherwise would be run through all the headlight circuitry and the resistance thereof. Everyone? Did I word that right for him? There are some threads on this. Use the search function and the subject would be dim headlights or dashlights or something.

Are the other lghts okay, the ones around the heater and WWiper switches, ignition, etc?

Taking it apart and cleaning it will be the best thing first.
Then running a relay in the foreward section of your headlight harness will indeed lighten up the load from the switch.


FE

I am not much on wiring. Where would I get one of these relays and where would I put it in exactly? I can live the with lighting for the knobs and switches, I would just like to see the instruments a little better.

Try this. Observe the dashlight brightness with the engine running at at fast idle and your headlight switch only out one click. That is parking lights only along with dash lights. Then pull the switch out the rest of the way to make the headlights come on. If the dash lights go dimmer then the relay will correct your problem. If the dash light brightness is unchanged, you may have a problem elsewhere such as a weak battery or a defective alternator or voltage regulator. Voltage at the battery with the engine at fast idle and all accessories off should be around 13.6 or 13.7. If it will not acheive at least 13 volts something is wrong and that will cause all lights to be dim with the dash lights being the most perceptible.

Just do a general search on headlight relay installation on the web and you will find all sorts of cool links. Too many to list.

Another point I'd like to add to the good info so far is to ask if you've inspected the bulbs themselves? Incandescent bulbs just get dimmer with age as they deposit a layer of metal from the filament on the inside of the glass bulb. This gives them that shiney black chrome look to them as they age. New bulbs may give you a lot more light.

When you pull the bulb, also pull and check the bulb diffuser, a blue hemispherical pocket the bulb sits in. Maybe they have clouded up.

tom