I finally found my brief DIY write-up that I posted to the NSX-TECH email list in 4/2001
Below is a quick write-up, please be advised that it's a real rough draft and has not been tested very well. It'd be nice if someone could work on this a bit (ok, a lot) and post it on their site. Note: I was working on an automatic dimming circuit using our sun sensor, but tabled the idea because of the complexity and the fact that it may end up being annoying anyway.
Manual Control of Console Light Dim Setting Procedure*
Ingredients
1 5' piece (Red) of small gauge automotive-type wire (20, 22 gauge or something like that) 3 3' pieces (Black) of small gauge automotive-type wire 1 little single-pole rocker switch (w/ male disconnects) 2 female crimp-on disconnects (to connect the wires to the switch) 4 diodes (nothing fancy, just small ones you can buy at Radio Shack for .25 each) electrical tape
Utensils
Wire crimper/cutters/strippers
Soldering iron and/or small wire nuts
Baking Instructions
1. Take key out of ignition and remove negative battery terminal
2. Remove center console (see
www.nsxprime.com and
www.scienceofspeed.com)
3. Remove Clock, Climate Control and Radio
4. Remove the driver's side dashboard lower panel (page 20-44) (can let hang from light connector)
5. Locate Red/Black wire on clock connector and cut it about 1.5" from the connector
6. Locate Red/Black on 30-pin climate control connecter and cut 1.5" from connector
7. Locate Red on 14-pin climate control connector and cut 1.5" from connector
8. Locate Red/Black on Radio connector and cut 1.5" from connector
9. Cover the end of the cut Red/Black wires on the Radio and climate control Harnesses (side furthest from the connector) with electrical tape
10. Fasten one end of the red wire to the harness side (not the connector side) of cut Red/Black clock wire
11. You are finished! (just kidding)
11. Run the red wire down through the console and out so it lies on the driver's side floor
12. Crimp the female disconnect to the red wire and attach the disconnect to a pole on the switch
13. Attach a separate black wire to each of the 3 remaining Red/Black wires on the connector side of the radio, climate control and clock connectors
14. Run these black wires to the same location as the red wire
15. Attach a diode to each of the black ends with the bar or line on the diode pointing towards the components (away from the switch)
16. Connect the free ends of the diodes together and to a small lead wire (use a piece of the black wire) and connect it to the other terminal of the switch.
17. You are finished! (just kidding, but we're close)
17. Attach the last diode between the cut red wires on the 14-pin climate control unit, orient the bar or line on the diode to point away from the connector.
18. Test
19. It Works! (God I hope so!)
20. Tape up any bare wires
21. Locate switch in a hole of the dashboard lower panel and secure in place (I duct taped mine in for now)
Good Luck and let us know how it works out,
DanO
*Caution: if your name starts with "Nick" and ends with "Matteucci" this procedure may cause a flared temper, shortness of words (usually around of 4 letters), marital stress and all around un-neighborly behavior.
