Fuel Gauge Help

J

JunebugTrickworm

Cadet
Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Messages
7
I have a Triton TR 186 and the fuel gauge stopped working accurately. I got a new gauge and installed it. The original gauge had a plug, the new one has three screw on leads and a elimunation lead.. The new gauge's instruction manuel had the wiring diagram for the deusch plug and I simply spliced the wires and put the GRD to GRD, S to S, the "+" to "+", and elimunate to light (dash elimunate). Now everything seems to be working right except when I turn ON my lights the guage light comes on but it also makes the fuel gauge show FULL. Like a surge of power, the needle jolts really hard and stays on "Full" until I turn off my lights... Can anyone help me...?
 
L

Lone Duck

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 17, 2007
Messages
868
Re: Fuel Gauge Help

Some how you have a feed from your lights to your sender wire. The sender wire from the tank to the gauge should be totally isolated . You are either getting feed back through the gauge ( short in bulb etc. ) or you have jumped a power wire from the lights to the sender wire. Or the gauge is not good .
 
seabob4

seabob4

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
1,603
Re: Fuel Gauge Help

Ground to sender will indicate "Full". Are you sure you have the right wires in the right place? And whatever you do, don't touch 12V+ to the sender post, if will zap the sending unit at the tank...:redface:
 
J

JunebugTrickworm

Cadet
Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Messages
7
Re: Fuel Gauge Help

seabob4 said:
Ground to sender will indicate "Full". Are you sure you have the right wires in the right place? And whatever you do, don't touch 12V+ to the sender post, if will zap the sending unit at the tank...:redface:
Click to expand...

Just went out and checked wires...I put a 12V test light on "+" and GND and it lit, so those are connected right. I put a jumper from the sender to the GND, the needle showed full, so thats right...the last wire is connected to the light, which lights up when Navi lights on...but still jumps to full when i turn the lights on...guess i'll try replacing the bulb
 
Silvertip

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,764
Re: Fuel Gauge Help

Replacing the bulb is the wrong technique. Disconnect the light and try. If the gauge now works properly you have a problem with the light wiring. If it doesn't, light wiring is not the problem. Just because you measured 12 volts does not mean 12 volts is coming from the right place. One tiny strand of wire bridging a couple pins is all it takes to make a circuit. Check those connections very carefully.
 
J

JunebugTrickworm

Cadet
Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Messages
7
Re: Fuel Gauge Help

Silvertip said:
Replacing the bulb is the wrong technique. Disconnect the light and try. If the gauge now works properly you have a problem with the light wiring. If it doesn't, light wiring is not the problem. Just because you measured 12 volts does not mean 12 volts is coming from the right place. One tiny strand of wire bridging a couple pins is all it takes to make a circuit. Check those connections very carefully.
Click to expand...

Ok...just pulled the lighting wire off and the gauge light doesn't come on but the needle still jumps to Full when i turn the navi lights on
 
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