Dash lights question

JoeMcK · Nov 23, 2016

I hunt allot and when I am trying to slip on to my property early morning I have to keep the lights on because there is no way (that I am aware) to dim the dash lights with the headlight/signal lights off. Can anyone help?

whetrick1 · Nov 23, 2016

There should be a thumb wheel under your light switch that you can turn and it will dim your dash and interior lights.

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Markcuda · Nov 23, 2016

I think the thumb wheel dimmer only works when the lights are on?

whetrick1 · Nov 23, 2016

Mine will turn the lights off and when you open the door the inside light don't come on either.

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quietpeen · Nov 24, 2016

KyleNowad said:
So you are concerned about your prey seeing the dash lights and not getting scared by the engine noise?

Seems logical.

If you can't be helpful don't post at all.

blrmkrl83 · Nov 24, 2016

KyleNowad said:
So you are concerned about your prey seeing the dash lights and not getting scared by the engine noise?

Seems logical.

With the lights off you would be able to see well enough for creeping along. With the dash lights on your eyeballs wouldn't be able to adjust for that.

NOcasio7 · Nov 24, 2016

I have found times that I would like to have my dash lights off while all the lights are off. My instance involved me throwing a sweatshirt over my gauges and radio screen.

JoeMcK · Dec 2, 2016

If it is dark out and you turn your lights off the dash lights go to full brightness. When that happens I cannot see outside. My question is, is there a way to dim the dash lights with the headlights off. (Hint) the thumb wheel does nothing in the case. I have a 2015 Ram 1500.

JoeMcK · Dec 2, 2016

KyleNowad said:
So you are concerned about your prey seeing the dash lights and not getting scared by the engine noise?

Seems logical.

The "Prey" see my headlights WAY before they hear any engine noise. If they hear my engine they are not spooked because they are used to hearing that type noise from the neighborhood close to the property. However they are not used to seeing light on that property.

Sandbox · Dec 2, 2016

JoeMcK said:
If it is dark out and you turn your lights off the dash lights go to full brightness. When that happens I cannot see outside. My question is, is there a way to dim the dash lights with the headlights off. (Hint) the thumb wheel does nothing in the case. I have a 2015 Ram 1500.

Not to my knowledge. What I have done, and what was mentioned above, throw something over the dash some that it drapes over the instrument cluster.

paxton · Dec 2, 2016

You can always find the wire that powers the lights and run another potentiometer (thumb wheel) that works instead of or in addition to the existing one.

EDIT (more info): I believe the lights are LED, and if they are, you have to be careful of which potentiometer you use. LEDs don't respond to current changes (i.e., ramp smoothly) like incandescent bulbs. I wonder if the existing thumbwheel actually drives a circuit, and thus controls the LEDs indirectly. If that secondary circuit is powered by the "lights-on" signal, then that could be why the thumbwheel has no effect when the lights are off (and that control circuit is unpowered). Just a guess. Probably wrong. :naughty:

cgeorgemo · Dec 3, 2016

KyleNowad said:
That is helpful

It's help for you so you don't come across as a smart ass...

The dash board lights not going out when the headlights are off is why a bunch of people go bee bopping along right at dusk with no headlights. They can see their gauges just fine so they don't realize that the headlights are off.

I toss a towel over the cluster when I pull into the land that I hunt so I can see where I'm going better. It is a thick one that blocks the light good. Th radio screen can be turned off.

What I forgot the first morning was that I had replaced my interior lights with brighter LED bulbs and when I popped the door open it about took all of my night vision away.

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Dash lights question

JoeMcK

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whetrick1

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Markcuda

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whetrick1

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quietpeen

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blrmkrl83

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NOcasio7

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JoeMcK

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JoeMcK

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Sandbox

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paxton

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cgeorgemo

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