Is there a common problem with the old defi gauges and control unit not lighting up with car lights?
Reason I ask I have just changed my control unit for another 2nd unit due to a short in the wiring burning out the control unit. The last unit would not light up and either would the gauges when car lights turned on, and to my surprise the replacement unit is exactly the same.

I have ruled out the power source to the unit, but with lights switched on I have no output for lighting the gauges, neither the gauges or unit light up, but yet at start up sweep they do light for the sweep.

Is this a common problem?

My gauges are the white face ones and are supposed to plug into Meter output 1, the bf gauges plug into out put 2.
But if I plug my gauges into out put 2 they will light up once ignition is on, it's a fix I think, only difference I can see is that gauges are light up the whole time, but still no lights in the control unit

 

To repeat myself:

There are FOUR wires at the rear of the control box:
Red: PERMANENT live.
Orange: switched live.
White: lighting.
Black: decent earth.

Investigate the WHITE wire. Use a circuit tester like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAR-CIRCUI...item563a0e4542
to ensure that the white wire has a live feed when lights are switched on, but ONLY when ignition is on too.

Report back what you find.

 

Which feed are you using, The clock wires or hvac(Heater), I have mine wired into the hvac loom and have no issues at all, I have recently fitted a wideband afr and used the switched live from my clock for this as there is no annoying alarm on this gauge and it powers up on a different circuit to the Defi`s

 

As i said, i have ruled out the power source, i am using the wire that supplied light to the ashtray,
i have Power when lights are on... no power when off...
i have this power at the block connecter that plugs into the Link control unit, (rules out power supply harness).....

But with light switched on, i have no power coming out of control unit to light the gauges... (this is tested at the pin)..

and fact that at start up sweep mode the gauges light.. (rules out Daisy chain)

And dont forget both the Unit and gauges light up for the start up sweep..

Any ideas

 

How do you know which pin lights the gauges?

if you have had a short in a control unit and it's been enough to burn that unit out, it's also possible that it has dameged the lighting LEDs inside the gauges.
are ALL gauges affected? Can you try a gauge that WASN'T on the car before, just to eliminate the control box.

If you can get another gauge to light up, it's obviously damaged your gauges, or theior LEDs.
Otherwise, it's the control box.

Found this on the Defi site:

Q: My gauge was working just fine, and then its LEDs went off all the sudden.
The LEDs have gone off since then.

A: Perhaps either or both meter wiring connector and DC source wiring connector have been disconnected somehow like your vehicle hit/passed over a bump.
Please check each wiring connection again. Try these:
1.Free the jacks of meter wiring connector and DC source wiring connector.
2.Hook them again. You need to hear a click sound to indicate that the connection is promptly made.

If the problem continues, there might be a problem in your gauge.
You might want to place a repair/inspection service order. We recommend that you bring it to the store you bought to find out which device needs to be repaired or replace it with a new one.
But please ask about the cost incurred to place a repair/inspection order


Or you could open up one gauge and test the LED.
Lastly, yours aren't BF gauges are they? You can turn the lighting right down in REAL mode using the UP/DOWN buttons.

 

I checked the pin very simply by switching on and off car to get the start up sweep where my gauges and unit light briefly, the pin that lights for few sec is the illumination one. This does not show any current when lights are on.

The gauges are lighting now as I have the gauges plugged into the meter 2 output which is for black face gauge. The gauges are lighting the whole time now, which if you think about it makes sense as the bf gauges light up once started, this brings me to think whatever receives the on/ off signal in unit from the car lights is not working.

My unit does not light only on sweep. I know why the last unit shorted and it's nothing to do with lights, and it only done this a week ago, lights have never worked.

This REAL time thing, is this automatically selected on start up? Ad I tried the up/down arrows and no success when plugged into meter 1 output, do I have to select REAL mode?

 

Anyone else with same problem?

 

I found my ionfo on the defi site, either fitting instructions or help.

http://www.defi-shop.com/installation/installation_top/

http://www.defi-shop.com/support/contact/

The first link is the best, select you gauge type and download the manual, it's in English.