I did a forum wide search and was surprised to see only a few threads about this with very few replies. I could post this in the electronics section but everyone here has gauges so I think I will get a better response here.

In a google search I've seen people doing it off the brown/white behind the headlight switch which should be the dimmer wire. There were also some people that said it's a bad idea because it will fry the cluster or something. I have two led gauges that I am wanting to hook up to the dimmer. 2005 Silverado.

 

Power is power. I removed my stock cluster for auto meter gauges. They need a constant 12V source, key hot power source and an illumination power. I tapped the illumination wires into the dimmer switch. I have 9 gauges that are controlled by the stock dimmer switch. Works perfectly.

 

That's reassuring then, but power is not just power. Circuits can only handle so much load and current. That's why we have relays for many things. Are your nine gauges dimmable and on the brown/white? 2 of mine being led should be fine then...

 

Many people have tied into the dimmer wire successfully. I have 3 gauges with regular bulbs on mine. Your LEDs will pull less current than they will, and you only have 2. You'll be fine.

 

Well yes, obviously you need to plan out your power sources. That is kind of a given When I built my cluster, I found a very thick 12v source and I think I ran my key hot source from the fuse block. I didn't know what to do with the dimmer so I gave it a shot with the brown/white wire and it hasn't ever hiccuped. After thinking about it, it really only controls seven gauges as my two AEM gauges don't dim. But I do have full dim control from off too full bright through the stock dimmer switch on all my autometer gauges.

 

I just piggy backed off the illumination fuse or something called like that in the fuse panel in the dash and my gauge dims with the dash. Granted i only have a single gauge with a 194 running off it.....

 

I went with the brown white at the dimmer switch. Too bad there isn't also a +12 that switches on with the parking lights to dim my innovate wideband, that one doesn't dim. The parking lights use a ground voltage so I would need a relay to reverse the polarity. I just wired a toggle to turn the display off if I'm cruising home at night.