1998 REVENGE 22 W-T Fuel Tank Level Sender

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
Jcomeau0
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2022 8:58 am

1998 REVENGE 22 W-T Fuel Tank Level Sender

Postby Jcomeau0 » Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:54 am

I have a 1988 Revenge 22 Walk-Through. The fuel tank level indicator is located [under a clear circular pry-out deck access plate, and] the level indicator can barely be seen due to a tinted [on the clear pry-out deck access plate.

Q1: can [the normal Boston Whaler mechanical fuel tank level indicator linked magnetically to a dial-pointer gauge] be changed to [an electrically operated] fuel [tank] level sender with a fuel level gauge on the dashboard?

Q2; in the history of Boston Whaler boats has the mechanical fuel tank level sender ever been changed to an electrical fuel tank level sender?

Q3: can the Boston Whaler mechanical fuel tank level sender with magnetically coupled dial pointer be changed to an electrical fuel tank level gauge without removing the cockpit deck above the fuel tank?

Q3: does the fuel sender setup used matter?

Q4: what is a model number for an electrical fuel tank level sender to replace the OEM Boston Whaler fuel tank level sender?

jimh
Posts: 11710
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: 1998 REVENGE 22 W-T Fuel Tank Level Sender

Postby jimh » Sat Jan 21, 2023 10:39 am

Jcomeau0 wrote:Q1: can [the normal Boston Whaler mechanical fuel tank level indicator linked magnetically to a dial-pointer gauge] be changed to [an electrically operated] fuel [tank] level sender with a fuel level gauge on the dashboard?
The best solution to your problem of poor visibility of the fuel tank level dial indicator on your 1998 REVENGE 22 W-T is to replace the obscured or tinted clear pry-out deck access plate with a new one. This should be possible to accomplish without having to remove the cockpit floor panel that covers the fuel tank.

The exact replacement part is available from BECKSON. See an article I wrote aviyt BECKSON circular pry-out deck access plates for more information:

Replacement Deck Pry-out Access Plates
https://continuouswave.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2406#p13717

jimh
Posts: 11710
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: 1998 REVENGE 22 W-T Fuel Tank Level Sender

Postby jimh » Sat Jan 21, 2023 10:41 am

Jcomeau0 wrote:Q1: can [the normal Boston Whaler mechanical fuel tank level indicator linked magnetically to a dial-pointer gauge] be changed to [an electrically operated] fuel [tank] level sender with a fuel level gauge on the dashboard?
The fastest solution to your problem of poor visibility of the fuel tank level dial indicator on your 1998 REVENGE 22 W-T is to buff out the clear plastic pry-out plate and see if you can remove the fogging or whatever is obstructing your view of the dial indicator. This should be possible to accomplish without having to remove the cockpit floor panel that covers the fuel tank.

jimh
Posts: 11710
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: 1998 REVENGE 22 W-T Fuel Tank Level Sender

Postby jimh » Sat Jan 21, 2023 10:42 am

Jcomeau0 wrote:Q1: can [the normal Boston Whaler mechanical fuel tank level indicator linked magnetically to a dial-pointer gauge] be changed to [an electrically operated] fuel [tank] level sender with a fuel level gauge on the dashboard?
If you MUST have a remote electrical gauge that can be installed on the dashboard at the helm, you can replace the existing magnetically linked dial indicator with a new dial indicator that also has an electrical circuit contained with it. This should be possible to accomplish without having to remove the cockpit floor panel that covers the fuel tank.

For recommended vendors for fuel tank gauge senders on Boston Whaler boats, please visit the article in the REFERENCE section that lists recommend OEM or replacement part vendors. For the fuel tank gauge sender the link it

Original Equipment Manufacturers and
Recommended Vendors
FUEL TANK GAUGE

https://continuouswave.com/whaler/refer ... #fuelGauge

Jcomeau0 wrote:Q4: what is a model number for an electrical fuel tank level sender to replace the OEM Boston Whaler fuel tank level sender?
See the cited and linked article above for a pointer to a website where you can get this information.

Do not confuse the concise and brief content of the article as being indicative of a lack of information.

jimh
Posts: 11710
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: 1998 REVENGE 22 W-T Fuel Tank Level Sender

Postby jimh » Sat Jan 21, 2023 10:51 am

Q2: in the history of Boston Whaler boats has the mechanical fuel tank level sender ever been changed [by a boat owner] to an electrical fuel tank level sender?
Considering the number of Boston Whaler boats sold with the mechanical-magnetic fuel tank level sender, the chances that at least once the sender has been changed to an electrical fuel tank level gauge are quite good.

I would not let the occurrence or lack of occurrence of the fuel tank level sender having been changed in the past by another owner affect your decision to change the fuel tank level sender. You should follow your own preferences and appetite for the work needed to make the change inform your decision, rather on what others have or have not done.

As a random data point, I have NOT changed the OEM mechanical fuel tank level sender on any my Boston Whaler boats to an electrical sender. I am extremely happy with the present arrangement of the sender on your boat.

A great advantage to the Boston Whaler OEM sender is the very long sweep of the dial pointer gauge gives a very accurate, reliable, and repeatable indication of the fuel tank level, and it can be read in increments of less than one-eight of a tank, That seems like a sufficiently high resolution to make good decisions about the amount of fuel remaining in the tank. I consider the OEM tank level indicator the BEST indicator of the fuel tank level and use if in preference to any sort of electrical gauge, which usually has a much short arc of dial indication, only 90-degrees or less compared to the 270-degrees of dial arc on the OEM gauge. I see no reason to prefer the electrical fuel tank gauge.

A further advantage of the existing OEM fuel tank level sender and dial pointer gauge is that there is no electrical current introduced into the fuel tank or coupled to the aluminum tank housing. This is a significant advantage for the OEM gauge. Stray electrical currents could cause galvanic corrosion of the aluminum fuel tank.

jimh
Posts: 11710
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: 1998 REVENGE 22 W-T Fuel Tank Level Sender

Postby jimh » Sat Jan 21, 2023 10:56 am

Jcomeau0 wrote:Q3: does the fuel sender setup used matter?
Yes. In any electrical instrumentation system if there is a sender and a gauge, the two devices must be matched to each other in order to get the proper calibration of the gauge to the tank level sender. Fortunately, in the USA there is a standard in use that is common for most all fuel tank level senders.

For more about the common sorts of electrical resistive fuel tank level senders in use in the USA, please see this article:

MARINE ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICAL
SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL
Tank Sender and Trim Sender Resistance

https://continuouswave.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3043

jimh
Posts: 11710
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: 1998 REVENGE 22 W-T Fuel Tank Level Sender

Postby jimh » Sat Jan 21, 2023 11:06 am

If you are still interested in have an electrically operated remote fuel tank level gauge on the dashboard, you can find more modern solutions to implementing this with electronic senders in another article. See

Fuel Tank Level Sender: Electrical
https://continuouswave.com/forum/viewto ... 02l#p17702

Generally all of the solutions suggested in the article linked above will not be compatible with the four-hole mounting flange on the OEM Boston Whaler fuel tank.

User avatar
Phil T
Posts: 2607
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2015 6:08 pm
Location: Was Maine. Temporarily Kentucky

Re: 1998 REVENGE 22 W-T Fuel Tank Level Sender

Postby Phil T » Sat Jan 21, 2023 11:43 am

A1: Yes, it can be changed.

A2: Yes, around 1990, some models installed a remote sender and included a gauge on the dashboard. The Outrage 17 was one such model.

A3: Yes

A4: Yes

A5: For replacement mechanical sight gauge/sender see https://liquidlevels.net/collections/boston-whaler

If you want to install a dashboard gauge, you need to replace the sender. See http://www.e-components.net/our_products

I recommend you email them via sales@e-components.net for the appropriate remote sender and dash gauge.
1992 Outrage 17
2019 E-TEC 90
2018 LoadRite 18280096VT
Member since 2003