HELP!! Speedhut inverter/dimmer

[Higgybulin]

Has anyone had one of these go bad? I am wiring up my dash with the RF harness and can get the pointers to work with the red/blk/white ribbon but can't get the backlights of the gauges to come on with the white/blk wires no matter what I do. Wiring is not my forte so if there is a way to test it I'll be happy to try that. I have tried direct blk/white to a 12V jumper. I did buy the gauges used but was assured they worked. Any help would be great!!
Higgy

[edwardb]

Yes, the inverter has been known to be defective and/or fail. The version of the gauges that uses the inverter (there's apparently a newer version that doesn't...) won't light the AC powered backlighting without it. So direct wiring with 12V DC won't do anything. Ideas? Make sure the knob on the included little potentiometer is turned up. Make sure the knob on your headlight switch is twisted all the way clockwise. The dash gauge lighting circuit goes through the dimmer function on the headlight switch. Sometimes guys have that knob turned down to where the gauge lighting doesn't have enough voltage to light. The inverter needs the proper DC voltage in. Start there for the obvious possibilities. Next steps would be to start probing with a VOM. If you have to call Speedhut, I've found their customer service is very good.

[Higgybulin]

Yes, the inverter has been known to be defective and/or fail. The version of the gauges that uses the inverter (there's apparently a newer version that doesn't...) won't light the AC powered backlighting without it. So direct wiring with 12V DC won't do anything. Ideas? Make sure the knob on the included little potentiometer is turned up. Make sure the knob on your headlight switch is twisted all the way clockwise. The dash gauge lighting circuit goes through the dimmer function on the headlight switch. Sometimes guys have that knob turned down to where the gauge lighting doesn't have enough voltage to light. The inverter needs the proper DC voltage in. Start there for the obvious possibilities. Next steps would be to start probing with a VOM. If you have to call Speedhut, I've found their customer service is very good.

Paul, does my headlight switch need to be in the mix. I put the 12V right to the blk/wht wires on the inverter, and played with the dimmer switch

[Avalanche325]

I had one go bad. The replacement was a newer version.

[edwardb]

Paul, does my headlight switch need to be in the mix. I put the 12V right to the blk/wht wires on the inverter, and played with the dimmer switch

My response was assuming you had the dash wired. My bad. No. The headlight switch doesn't add anything if you're applying power directly. You can bench test the gauges. I assume you have all the gauges wired together with the supplied daisy chain cables. The black and white wires for the inverter should power the backlighting. Turning the pre-wired potentiometer should adjust the level. The 3-wire cable does the rest. Red = gauge power, white = pointer lighting, black = ground.

[Avalanche325]

12 VDC in 100 VAC out

[i.e.427]

Just a tip here. First car we used the Speedhut gauges in we tried the gauge lights in the well lit shop and could not tell if they were working. Turned down/off all of the shop lights and what do you know, they worked.

[Higgybulin]

Just a tip here. First car we used the Speedhut gauges in we tried the gauge lights in the well lit shop and could not tell if they were working. Turned down/off all of the shop lights and what do you know, they worked.

I definitely had the shop lights off, I think it's toast. Good news, as many have said before Speedhut has pretty good customer service! A new one is on the way.