Like any circuit it needs to make a complete loop for it to work. If the loop is broken, it will not work. on a bulb for instance, one side it positive and the other negative where they meet in the middle is the filament. if that filament is broken you have no more light. Our gauges are a little different but same idea, the neg on ous would be a back copper layer screened on, the pos would be the layer you see that links one section to the next, as long as you do not break the section that connects these 2 from connecting, you should be fine, but be aware not to touch the edge of the gauges as the electricity will be exposed and you could shock yourself. For warrantee, safety and insurance reasons we can not tell you to or explain where or how to cut the section you are asking about, all we can say is how it works, you may want to read up on EL on the internet to understand it better. I personally have cut one in half and it still worked on the side connected to power. That’s as much as I can tell you. I hope it helps. good luck, and be carful the inverter puts out about 125 volts of AC current, like a house!

This is the back of the EL sheet. It can be cut in any shape providing a portion of the of the Bus (thick, double line running around the edge) is kept. The bus is required to distribute power to the EL sheet.