Gauge pack blowing fuses

[Sonny]

I have a simple gauge pod that blows the dash light fuses when the lights are turned on. I am getting power from the dash light terminal on fuse box for the bulbs. Is this Normal? Any suggestions?

Gauges are: oil- mechanical, voltage, and water temp- electric On ignition circuit. 1970 Belvedere with non rally dash.

 

[Shorthorse]

The small bulbs in those gauges aren't enough to put the fuse over it's capacity so there is a hard short to ground somewhere. Do the lamp sockets have one wire and get their ground from the gauge housing or does each lamp socket have 2 wires?

 

[Sonny]

2 wires.

 

[Shorthorse]

Obviously one wire is the hot feed and one is the ground. Where is your ground lead terminated?
Try something easy -
Unplug the lamp sockets from all the gauges, remove all the bulbs and install a good fuse. If the new fuse pops, you either have a bad socket or you have inadvertently spliced one of the grounded leads to the hot lead. Or, if you have a volt meter, disconnect the feed and the ground and measure (on ohms) for continuity. You should see none with all bulbs removed.