wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

[iceman121]

Hi, I am a new poster but I have taken quite a bit of knowledge from you guys. I just installed a in floor gas tank and I am trying to wire it correctly. Please correct me if I am wrong. I need one ground wire and one wire to the gas gauge. I do see an additional plug for another connector please advise.

 

[Josh P]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

They guys will need more info to help you manufactuer, type, pics always help etc

 

[iceman121]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

Sorry about that Ok it is on a 1978 Alumacraft trophy 18 ft boat the tank is about 10-12 gallons long and flat. No pics. It has a vent tube on one end and a filler tube on the other. Near the back is a round cap looking thing with a conector that looks like you can plug into it. On the very top is a screw with a conector on it and a ground point with a ground wire coming from it

 

[Silvertip]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

We can't see your boat and we have no pictures and from your description we can't tell what you are dealing with either. Use the Search feature for gauge/sender wiring. There are over 50 responses to this question most with pictures.. There is a sticky at the top of this page that just happens to show you how to search and the example deals your issue.

 

[NYBo]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

The tank itself also needs to be grounded if it's metal. That would be your third wire.

 

[iceman121]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

I mamnaged to take a few pictures of the gas tank to show what I am describing.

 

[NYBo]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

The pics show the tank ground wire hooked up. If that wire is connected to the negative battery buss (as it should be), you can run a short wire from that same lug to the spade terminal on the sending unit; the connection with the ring terminal then goes to the signal terminal on the fuel gauge.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

The threaded post in the very center of the picture is the sender wire. it goes to the "S" (sender) post on the gauge. There is a spade terminal next to the threaded terminal and another on the tank itself. The one on the tank itself goes to the filler neck on the side of the boat. It is a static ground wire. The other connection on the sender goes to battery ground. At the gauge the "I" (ignition) terminal goes to the "A" (accessory) terminal on the ignition switch or the 12 volt terminal on any other gauge. The ground terminal on the gauge goes to the ground bus on the fuse panel or the ground terminal on any other gauge. Here is a wiring diagram (one of the many you would have found if you only used the "search" feature.

 

[NYBo]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

Ah, I forgot about the bonding wire for the filler neck. That would be very bad to leave out!:redface:

 

[iceman121]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

Ok I almost have a understanding except the filler neck wire from the spade. I have not seen a wire to the filler neck. Should I just attach it to a screw under the filler neck? The center wire to the gauge, the spade connector to the filler neck and the ground to the neg batt terrm?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

Yes.

 

[iceman121]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

Ok So I did all that you suggested and even bought a new gauge, I am not getting a read out of the gauge at all any ideads?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

You either didn't follow the diagram, 12 volts and ground are not present on the gauge, the sender is bad, or the sender is not grounded. You can't have a functional system if components are bad or the wiring is not correct.

 

[iceman121]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

I ran a wire from the round plug on the tank to the S on the gauge, I ran the ground to the screw on the filler neck, I ran the plug in spade plug to the G on the gauge and a wire from the Acc to the I on the gauge I get nothing

 

[stylesabu]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

there are soooo many posts on this problem. you need test light or volt meter, to make sure you have 12 volts where you are supposed to and ground where you are supposed to. it very easy to test the gauge, by the way your sender looks old did you ohm out sender?

 

[iceman121]

Re: wiring gas tank to fuel gauge

No I did not as I dont have an ohm meter nor would I know how to use it. Should I just replace the sending unit? How do I know which one to get?