Dimmer switch

[Reddiver]

I would like to dim the lights I put on the hatch.. So where can I get a 12 volt rehostat ? What is the difference in a rehostat and a potentiometer? Would Radio Shack have it the fixture uses tail light bulbs it has two but I can turn one on at a time.. So what do I need
Thank you

[eamarquardt]

Here is a good explanation of the difference between a pot and a rheostat:

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5859562_diffe ... ostat.html

In short, not that much (just a terminal).

If you have incandescent lights a pot or rheostat will work but the energy lost will be lost as heat. The pot or rheostat will have to be sized to dissipate the heat generated.

A better way is to use a PWM module:

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/PWM

If you have led lights you'll need to use a pwm module. I'm not sure that 12 volt fluorescents can be dimmed.

http://www.eetimes.com/design/power-man ... WM-dimming

PWM modules are available on EBay and aren't that expensive:

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R40&_ ... Categories

Hope this helps. Questions?

Cheers,

Gus

[Reddiver]

Thanks

[john]

I used a Camry cluster dimmer (92-96) because they can be bought cheap and it can be easily mounted in a hole on a flat surface.

It has more than two wires but a little fiddling isolated the necessary ones.