23 Walkaround: Fuel Gauge - Moderated Discussion Areas

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Author Topic:   23 Walkaround: Fuel Gauge

MikeMarlin posted 06-03-2006 12:00 PM ET (US)
I have a 1993 23 Walkaround. The fuel gauge has bottomed out below E. If the gauge has gone below E does that likely indicate [a malfunction]? I can't seem to find the location of the sending unit. Where is the sending unit located?
jimh posted 06-03-2006 03:44 PM ET (US)
Is the gauge mechanical or electrical?
MikeMarlin posted 06-03-2006 04:12 PM ET (US)
It is electrical.
Backlash posted 06-03-2006 05:14 PM ET (US)
Is this the digital or analog fuel gauge?
Can't help you on the sending unit as I can't find mine either - 21' Walkaround.
MikeMarlin posted 06-03-2006 10:38 PM ET (US)
[It] [is] [an] [analogue] unit[.]
Riptide23WA posted 06-04-2006 03:53 PM ET (US)
On my 23WA, the sending unit is easily accessible by removing the tray underneath the hatch between the helm seats. Red wire with white stripes.
Check for corrosion on the sender post. Maybe it's not making good contact. On my 23WA this spring, I actually ran the sender wire to two different fuel gauges; the factory installed analog, and the digital bar graph gauge built into the Yamaha engine gauges. I had to put a 3 way switch to toggle between the gauges, as it won't work with both gauges at the same time...a
jimh posted 06-04-2006 04:36 PM ET (US)
OK--Now that we are talking about an electrical fuel gauge with a conventional meter indicator, this whole discussion will be moved to SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL.
This will be the third discussion area which has hosted this discussion. Look for it there.
jimh posted 06-04-2006 04:40 PM ET (US)
[Moved discussion to SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL.]
jimh posted 06-04-2006 04:54 PM ET (US)
To review the situation:
Question:
A remote fuel level indicator having an dial pointer meter-type indicator shows the fuel level in the tank as below the "E" calibration on the dial face. Is this an indicator of a malfunction?
Answer:
It depends upon the type of meter and its calibration. Normally these remote indicators measure the flow of electrical current through a sensor consisting of a variable resistor which is linked to a float arm in the tank. As the fuel level varies in the tank, a linkage mechanism operates the variable resistor. Battery current flows through the indicator meter and to the tank sensor resistor. There are several possible configurations.
One configuration is for the resistance in the tank sensor to be maximum when the tank is empty and minimum when the tank is full. The tank level meter is calibrated so that when the current flow is high the meter reads full scale (calibrated "F"), and, when the current flow is at its lowest, the meter reads near the resting position, corresponding to an empty tank )and calibrated "E").
The opposite condition is also possible, that is, the current flow is maximum when the tank is empty. This usually requires a special meter in which the resting position of the pointer (with no current at all) will be at the FULL end of the scale.
If the meter points below E, you could assume two possible situations:
--there is a problem with the circuit and there is no current flowing at all, and the meter was calibrated so that the E position was indicated when there was some current flow. With no current at all, the pointer goes below E. This is a sign of a problem in the circuit; or,
--the meter has sustained damage and its calibration has been moved so that the resting position or no current position is now off-calibration. This is a sign of damage to the meter itself.
So please inform us as to which type of indicator you have. Was the resting position of the indicator on the electrical meter normally at the E or F end of the scale when no current was applied (such as occurs when the battery is switched to OFF)? If you supply this information, we can proceed further with solution of the problem.

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Author	Topic: 23 Walkaround: Fuel Gauge
MikeMarlin	posted 06-03-2006 12:00 PM ET (US) I have a 1993 23 Walkaround. The fuel gauge has bottomed out below E. If the gauge has gone below E does that likely indicate [a malfunction]? I can't seem to find the location of the sending unit. Where is the sending unit located?
jimh	posted 06-03-2006 03:44 PM ET (US) Is the gauge mechanical or electrical?
MikeMarlin	posted 06-03-2006 04:12 PM ET (US) It is electrical.
Backlash	posted 06-03-2006 05:14 PM ET (US) Is this the digital or analog fuel gauge? Can't help you on the sending unit as I can't find mine either - 21' Walkaround.
MikeMarlin	posted 06-03-2006 10:38 PM ET (US) [It] [is] [an] [analogue] unit[.]
Riptide23WA	posted 06-04-2006 03:53 PM ET (US) On my 23WA, the sending unit is easily accessible by removing the tray underneath the hatch between the helm seats. Red wire with white stripes. Check for corrosion on the sender post. Maybe it's not making good contact. On my 23WA this spring, I actually ran the sender wire to two different fuel gauges; the factory installed analog, and the digital bar graph gauge built into the Yamaha engine gauges. I had to put a 3 way switch to toggle between the gauges, as it won't work with both gauges at the same time...a
jimh	posted 06-04-2006 04:36 PM ET (US) OK--Now that we are talking about an electrical fuel gauge with a conventional meter indicator, this whole discussion will be moved to SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL. This will be the third discussion area which has hosted this discussion. Look for it there.
jimh	posted 06-04-2006 04:40 PM ET (US) [Moved discussion to SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL.]
jimh	posted 06-04-2006 04:54 PM ET (US) To review the situation: Question: A remote fuel level indicator having an dial pointer meter-type indicator shows the fuel level in the tank as below the "E" calibration on the dial face. Is this an indicator of a malfunction? Answer: It depends upon the type of meter and its calibration. Normally these remote indicators measure the flow of electrical current through a sensor consisting of a variable resistor which is linked to a float arm in the tank. As the fuel level varies in the tank, a linkage mechanism operates the variable resistor. Battery current flows through the indicator meter and to the tank sensor resistor. There are several possible configurations. One configuration is for the resistance in the tank sensor to be maximum when the tank is empty and minimum when the tank is full. The tank level meter is calibrated so that when the current flow is high the meter reads full scale (calibrated "F"), and, when the current flow is at its lowest, the meter reads near the resting position, corresponding to an empty tank )and calibrated "E"). The opposite condition is also possible, that is, the current flow is maximum when the tank is empty. This usually requires a special meter in which the resting position of the pointer (with no current at all) will be at the FULL end of the scale. If the meter points below E, you could assume two possible situations: --there is a problem with the circuit and there is no current flowing at all, and the meter was calibrated so that the E position was indicated when there was some current flow. With no current at all, the pointer goes below E. This is a sign of a problem in the circuit; or, --the meter has sustained damage and its calibration has been moved so that the resting position or no current position is now off-calibration. This is a sign of damage to the meter itself. So please inform us as to which type of indicator you have. Was the resting position of the indicator on the electrical meter normally at the E or F end of the scale when no current was applied (such as occurs when the battery is switched to OFF)? If you supply this information, we can proceed further with solution of the problem.