chrisbeale
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| posted on 12/3/12 at 06:43 PM |
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Smiths Fuel Gauge - Smoking
I have finally got round to finishing off my dash and turned it on to check all is well. everything seems ok, that i can check without running the
engine. I tried the fuel gauge (sender of tank - a bit dubious about electrics in fuel tanks etc) it worked from zero, climed to full then came back
down again when i manipulated the sender. i then moved the sender up and down a few times rather quickly to check there were no sparks, looked at the
gauge and the needle had gone and smoke was coming from it. I turned power off and the needle appeared from beyonf the full mark and came back down to
zero. I believe i have the correct sender, 20 ohm full 240 ohm empty. I took a guess at which terminal connected to the regulator and which to the
sender but it worked so i think its right (no markings).
Anyone got any ideas why it did this? Have i Fooked the guage? was i moving the sender too quickly for it to cope?
I did a resistance check on the sender and there are a few dead spots where there is a break between the arm and the coils but i cant see this causing
it to smoke.
Hope someone out there an help me
cheers
chris.
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mark chandler
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| posted on 12/3/12 at 07:20 PM |
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The gauge has a bimetallic strip (bends with heat) with a heating wire wrapped around it, you must have put a full battery on it and fried the wire,
you may be lucky if it rises when you connect up but doubtful.
It should also probally need to work via a voltage regulator or will rise and fall with battery voltage.
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chrisbeale
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| posted on 12/3/12 at 07:23 PM |
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It goes through the regulator so don't think it could be that.
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 12/3/12 at 07:35 PM |
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Old Smiths fuel and temperature gauges used a voltage stabiliser , do you have one fitted?
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chrisbeale
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| posted on 12/3/12 at 07:45 PM |
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Yes, has stabilizer/regulator.
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dlatch
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| posted on 12/3/12 at 09:29 PM |
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pretty sure i had a fuel gauge die just like that and it was the regulator that failed causing the strip to burn out in the gauge
i would be checking out from the reg next to make sure.
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chrisbeale
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| posted on 13/3/12 at 07:04 AM |
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ok, cheers will check the regulator this evening.
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