dimmer issue

This may be an install problem..

When the empeg is NOT hooked up in the car my interior lights dim properly - they are adjustable.

Plug in the empeg and they go to full brightness and cannot be adjusted. The empeg display works fine when my lights go on/off, so that part is good.

This isn't that big if a deal since I always had my dimmer brightnes set to max anyway, but it seems odd.

Is this normal?

Thanks

John M

My dimmer works fine with the Empeg in. What kind of car do you have? Anything unusual about the install?

Alex

Sounds like you might have the amp remote output (blue I think) or perhaps the power antenna output of the empeg connected to the dimmer line of your car. Basically something that's switch 12V on when the empeg is plugged in (possibly only happens if the empeg is on?)

When you plug the empeg in, it forces 12V on the dimmer line making everything go full brightness and overriding what you have for dimming in the car.

Does your car have a headlights on line and and dimmer line? If so, you don't need the dimmer line at all, just use the lights on line.

Double check your wiring I think....

I have a 98 Maxima(non Bose)

The only time my dash lights are adjustable is when the empeg is UNplugged..

I do have the stock stereo output converted to RCA going into the AUX in though.

Unfortunately I didn't do the install, but I will be opening the dash anyway so I will check then..

Thanks

You originally said interior lights, which confused me. I see you are talking dash lights then.

Anyway I still think a wiring fault is your problem. My car has a dimmer control on the dash lights. I still use this signal for the dimmer control on the empeg. Even at the dimmest setting the voltage is still enough that the empeg can sense the headlights are on and it dims accordingly.

If the empeg is outputting a voltage into the dimmer circuit, it is potentially supply all your dash lights with power. This would be A Bad Thing (tm). What this would probably also mean is that even without your headlights on, the empeg would still light the dash lights. Is this the case?

I doubt the RCA into AUX is causing you grief.

oops yeah I messed that up. Yeah the dash lights. I will check to see if they are on when the lights are off..

Thanks

Dash lights are fine except when the empeg is plugged in, then I lose control of them - they go to full brightness..

Sounds like the installer mis-wired something. There is a constant power source from the empeg which has been connected to the dash illumination wire. The empeg's dash illumination sensor wire is not connected correctly.

Just in case the tags are gone and your manual is not to be found. The lights on sense wire is white.

I don't think the problem will be identifying the wires on the empeg sled. The problem will be identifying which wires do what on the CAR's harness. This is obviously where the installer screwed up.

It sounds like he found the dimmer wire for the car but connected it to the wrong wire on the empeg to me. I'll leave it to the originator of this thread to determine what is useful and given in the spirit of helpfulness and what isn't.

It sounds like he found the dimmer wire for the car but connected it to the wrong wire on the empeg to me.

Right. I agree that the car's actual dimmer wire is connected to the wrong wire on the empeg. That would be completely consistent with the symptoms.

My point is that since the empeg wires are quite clearly labeled, and car wiring harnesses are never labeled at all, then it's more likely that the mistake was made due to lack of car-harness knowledge rather than lack of empeg-harness knowledge.

I found that the empeg doesn't seem to use normal colors for the wires. I assumed this was because they are using a UK standard, and I'm used to a US standard. It didn't really matter much because I read the labels, but I normally just go, 'red to red, blue to blue...'

There's no such thing as "normal" colours. The Mk.2 uses colours which are consistent with many other after market head units, but not all. We were guided in our decision by one of the largest manufacturers of car audio wiring looms in the world (they also manufactured our looms).

Rob