4-Way VDO Gauge Wiring

[Fill Ess]

I have 2 VDO 4-way gauges on the ends of the cluster. There are only 3 wires going into these (red/blue/yellow) but that doesn't match the instrument panel wiring diagram that I have, which shows 8. Also after attaching to the gauge, the 3 wires go to a pigtail that is not capped and not connected to anything. Can anyone explain this voodoo wiring?


Front:

Back:

 

[Lazy Daze]

Are you having a problem with something? Smartcraft wires simply carry information from the main gauge (the one with the LCD readout) to the rest of the "dummy" gauges that just repeat the info from the main gauge. They're just daisy chained - hence the extra plug.

Are you trying to compare analog gauges to Smartcraft gauges (based on the 8-wire comment)?

 

[Fill Ess]

Hi Dennis, no problem just wondering. I took out the cluster to add in the Vesselview mobile transmitter, found the 6-port junction box so all good. But I started looking at this wondering how these gauges work with only 3 wires.

 

[Fill Ess]

This is the connector where the wires change colors:

 

[Lazy Daze]

To get into the "specifics" of how the various components talk to each other and the type of language they use... that's above my pay grade, Phil! But from what I recall, you don't need a plug in the last connector like you do with some systems since the data isn't looping back. I may not be explaining that correctly and maybe someone else can better do it, but that's the jist of it in layman's terms.

 

[Fill Ess]

Ok thanks ... works for me!

 

[Fill Ess]

Once I saw the 6-port junction box I figured there would be a spare port for the VV mobile. Nope -- all taken! The 6th port has a plug with 3 red wires: 267, 268 and 269. I can't find where they go