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Challenger Instrument Lights

Ricks72Chlgr440

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The instrument lights on my Challenger are very dim. I have aftermarket gauges that share the same orange wire and the lights on them are fine, so don't think it is the dimmer. Besides changing the 1816 bulbs, is there anything else I could do to improve the lighting? I thought about LED lights but I'm pretty sure they would not fit in the tube the bulbs go in.
 

Steve340

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The LED bulbs will be better but I by-passed the dimmer.
I can see the instruments quite well now.
 

Steve340

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Sorry a friend who is an auto electrician did it for me and I have no diagram.
It is pretty simple - connect the power wire coming in to the dimmer to the wire going out.
This means when you turn on the lights the power to the instrument lights is full 12 volts.
The interior light ON feature still works if you turn the dimmer to the correct position.
 

Adam

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FYI, led bulbs only work one way due to their polarity. So before you install them you can test them with a 12V source and mark the positive side with a sharpie. Otherwise you will likely install some of them backwards.
 
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