Electrical F-Up, Please Advise! (1 Viewer)

[Boston Mangler]

Hey Guys

I decided to spend my day off doing some wiring for my subtank.

I wired up my aussie overhead subtank gauge and got it tied into the gauge lights and bla bla bla

[begin stupid sequence]Well, i wanted to test the wiring for the sending unit to the gauge, so i took a 12v+ and a ground and hooked them to the sender and the gauge, well, i f-ed up and connected them wrong and fried the sender for sure (smoke came out of it and the whole bit), i also think i might have fried the gauge.

I have the + from the gauge wired to the correct fuse in the fusebox, but i accidentally connected another 12+ to the wire that comes out of the gauge and connects to the sending unit (with varying ohms for fuel level). Since the gauge is grounded, and i added another 12V+ to it, i think it might have fried it. The gauge was permanatley stuck on 1/4 tank as depicted in the pic below, but after this, it is now pegged at E.

You guys think i fried it? Any ideas how to check this? I wont have a new sending unit for a week or so.

God Damn, this is going to get pricey! I hate wiring!

here is the pic

Thanks
Kevin

 

[Waggoner5]

If its like the standard Toy gauges then its very possible that its done for.
G

 

[Boston Mangler]

If its like the standard Toy gauges then its very possible that its done for.
G

Yup, i am afraid it probably is, any ways to check?

 

[topend yobbo]

Mate thats bad luck , not to sure about checking the wiring but hope all comes good.

 

[Boston Mangler]

thanks topoend

i just sent you an email

thanks
kevin

 

[Mike S]

Check continuity at the gauge?

M

 

[Boston Mangler]

Check continuity at the gauge?

M

what would that tell me? please excuse my complete electrical ignorance

 

[cruiserdan]

Take a VOM (volt, ohm meter) and switch it to continuity. Place one lead of the meter on one of the gauge wires and place the other lead on the remaining wire. If the circuit is "live" the meter will deflect in the same manner as it does when you touch the two leads off of the meter togther.

 

[Boston Mangler]

Take a VOM (volt, ohm meter) and switch it to continuity. Place one lead of the meter on one of the gauge wires and place the other lead on the remaining wire. If the circuit is "live" the meter will deflect in the same manner as it does when you touch the two leads off of the meter togther.

Ok

i just pulled this thing apart to check it and borrowed my neighbors meter

reading = 0.000 touching the probes together
reading = 0.241 when touching the one probe to the + wire of the gauge and the other probe to the - wire of the gauge

am i screwed?

thanks

 

[Rich]

FSM details how to check operation of factory gauge. Probably same or similar for your aussie gauge.

 

[cruiserdan]

Since the senders both feed the same information it is reasonable to assume the gauge could be tested in the same manner as the one in the dash.

 

[Boston Mangler]

Since the senders both feed the same information it is reasonable to assume the gauge could be tested in the same manner as the one in the dash.

Found it in the FSM, i will take the gauge out again and test it in the AM

Thanks for your help!

 

[loquito]

Kevin I love the guage by the rear view mirror, I sure would like to hear more about the overhead consol when you have free time. I though the overhead guage was complicated to make it work as well as cost prohibited

There is a connection in the drivers side Kick panel where you can pick up the signal from the main sending unit in the main tank. If you were able to tap this signal and route it to your sub tank guage it should read the fuel level in the main tank, Yes?

On my set up I have both Main/Sub signals going through a switch, both levels can be read on the fuel guage by flipping a switch. I am not familure with the wireing of the overhead guage, but if you subsited the signal from the sub tank with the signal from the main tank it would at least tell you if your guage was still working

Good luck, I love my sub tank

 

[Boston Mangler]

Well, the update is a good one.

I used the method in the FSM (page BE-52) for testing the main gauge on the subtank gauge and it worked!

TEST = connect the 12v+ to the the + of the gauge, then ground a test light and touch it to the negative of the gauge, the light lights up and the gauge slowly moves to full! Worked like a charm and definitely makes me feel a lot better!!

So, it looks like the only thing i ruined was the $55 sending unit. Lesson learned!

Thanks guys!!!

 

[clarkrw3]

sweet...glad to here it worked out. by the way you MUST do a write up with pics when you are done, I hope you are taking lots of pictures!!!!

 

[Boston Mangler]

sweet...glad to here it worked out. by the way you MUST do a write up with pics when you are done, I hope you are taking lots of pictures!!!!

yes, all is being completely documented, writeup with tons of pics will be posted somewhere when i am done

 

[Boston Mangler]

Kevin I love the guage by the rear view mirror, I sure would like to hear more about the overhead consol when you have free time.

PM Sent

I though the overhead guage was complicated to make it work as well as cost prohibited :

I think you are thinking of the console with the compass. That requires a lot more work and such to install. The subtank gauge is more useful for my application

On my set up I have both Main/Sub signals going through a switch, both levels can be read on the fuel guage by flipping a switch. I am not familure with the wireing of the overhead guage, but if you subsited the signal from the sub tank with the signal from the main tank it would at least tell you if your guage was still working

Excellent idea! I already did the FSM test and the gauge is ok! Woo Hoo

 

[Boston Mangler]

i saw your post before you deleted it and yes, you mostly likely could tell if they were the same while its apart. however, the only thing that might be the same is the actual mechanism, not the face of the gauge, as the face of the fuel gauge on the main cluster is shared with the temp gauge or whatever is there (not remembering right now).

I havent had my gauge cluster apart to check, but next time i do, i will check

are these piece available seperatley?

good idea!