Fuel tank level indicator

[Carl]

Can someone shed some light on which wires go where on the tank level indicator? I have a red and black wire that look like they were at some point in their life connected to the indicator. They are both broken off and I don't know which wire goes on which connection. One connection is a spade type connector that goes on the tab which is part of the indidatior. The other is an eye type connection that goes under the small nut which is one top of the TLI. Thanks.


Carl

[Franco]

ONE WIRE COMES FROM THE FUEL GAUGE - IT SHOULD HAVE VOLTAGE WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS ON - THE OTHER SHOULD BE A GROUND WIRE - THE ONE WITH VOLTAGE SHOULD GO TO THE SPADE CONNECTOR, AND THE OTHER SHOULD BE THE GROUND

[chumbucket]

Connect the red wire to the spade lug and the black to the ring lug. The worst that will happen if it's reversed is that the fuel gauge will peg downward reading backwards. If that's the case, reverse the wires. That's my guess anyways. ;)

[macojoe]

My gauge has no wires!! Never is wrong, and it always works!! I will never get a new one to work as good as this one and I never going to try to replace it. I am very happy with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bigshrimpin]

Not to sound like a jerk here, but those fuel gauges are very unreliable. You can pick up a Navman fuel flow meter from www.boatersworld.com for $130 delivered.

[reelapeelin]

BS...you mighta just talked me into a fuel flow meter...Hmmm...

[steplift20]

ben there done that
this is thew run down
there is no voltage to the sening unit
it works off the ground wires
its the resistance that makes it work
one ground goes to the spade on the sender and the other ground goes on the sender from a bolt or the ground spade[it doesnt matter] to the gauge
the power goes to the back of the gauge
it says power or ignition
the theres power to the light
thats it ground ign, light
and remember NO POWER TO THE FUEL TANK VIA SENDER UNIT.only ground

[macojoe]

old broom handle works great!! and no power eaither ;D

[Franco]

Steplift - hate to dispute you, but check out this link
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-gauge1.htm

[reelapeelin]

Oh BOY...a Mexican Stand-off!!... ;D...

[jaysea]

verry intresting

[Franco]

TEN PACES, TURN AROUND AND THROW YOUR MOUSE

[steplift20]

franc couldnt get on the site but i just replaced my gauge and really didnt know how to hook up the wires so i asked the mechanic on my job and he told me how it works and said that no power should ever go to the sending unit only the grounds do its like when you get a headlight that is loe its the groud wire causing it so i had a west marine catolog and it has a diagram of the sending unit and it shows that you have a groud going to the unit and a secound ground coming off the unit to the gauge so there
check it out

[Franco]

I CONCEDE ------ TO A POINT ---- BUT IF YOU TAKE A VOLT METER AND TAKE THE GROUND WIRE COMING FROM THE FUEL GAUGE GOING TO THE SENDING UNIT AND MEASURE IT - WHAT ARE YOU GONNA FIND ---- VOLTAGE - AND IT'S LOOKING FOR A GROUND - THE FUEL GAUGE NEEDLE MOVES, HOW MUCH DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH CURRENT FLOWS THRU THE GAUGE LOOKING FOR A GROUND - THE SENDING UNIT IS TECHNICALLY AN VARIABLE RESISTOR - WHAT DOES A VARIABLE RESISTOR DO? IT RESTRICTS CURRENT FLOW ( VOLTAGE) BY RESISTANCE. SO THERE!!!!!

[Skools Out]

Actually both are right just depends on the gauge you buy. Better ones that have a light in them connect to power and ground at the gauge and they look for a varied ground. but those are one wire sending units

The cheap and dangerous ones have power at the tank. Not the thing i want in my tank is power which can cause corrosion. Especial with a metal tank. Plastic can be dangerous too they will build up static when you have power at the tank.

[steplift20]

ook at the boaters world cat, or the weat marine cat, not sure which out had the diagram but it will PROVE that im right again
p.s. apoligese[i think i spelled that wrong] accepted

[Franco]

Hey step, we need to settle this over a 12 pack of cold ones, everyone is right after 6 beers!!!

[reelapeelin]

6 beers...also the difference between a dog and a FOX!... ;D

[Franco]

ARF ARF ARF

[steplift20]

6 beers sounds good to me
on your mark get set drink

[Franco]

Hey Step, if we can find more stuff to disagree about, we can drink more BEERS!!!!!!!

[Skools Out]

Next you can just move on to a Keg.

[Franco]

I knew I liked you Skools!!!!!

[Skools Out]

Thanks but if you go to the Kegs how about sending an invite. I've got the bar tap and CO tanks. Let's party. Hell that's an Idea i can install the Bar tap in the wellcrafts dash. Um such an idea i might pat. the idea Old Boat Beer Tap Kits (Keg not included).

[Franco]

If we can ever get a bunch of V20 guys together, I'll buy 3 kegs of beer!!!!! We can have our own owners tournement!

[reelapeelin]

If gas does go back down like BS's article indicates we really oughta have a V20 Hoe-Down, Show-Down and general wake tossin' slam-fest!!... ;D 8) ;D 8) ;D 8)...

[Skools Out]

yeah but instead of having Wellcraft as a sponsor we'll just get Gulf, Shell,or BP as a sponsor and of course Anheuser-Busch.

[reelapeelin]

Whadda ya got some compromising pictures of some oil company executives, there, Skool?... ;) ;D...

[steplift20]

lets drink first one to hit the floor wins ;D

[Blue_Runner]

V20 Hoe-Down, Show-Down and general wake tossin' slam-fest!!...

Couldn't have thought of a better name for our Annual Regatta. Marvelous RAP. You a Poet and you didn't know it. :o Maybe just let the "and general" go, as indicated above, but very nice wording there Mr. Rap. Bravo. Love it man, love it.

[reelapeelin]

Let's do it, BR!...say first weekend in Dec...go down to Sebastian (Franco's backyard) and chase down some sails... 8)...

[Skools Out]

Hey guys i got a book over the weekend for some reason called "Good Old Boats" it has alot of info but it's a sailing book ugh. well it was free. but it has a ton of ads in it one is a fuel tank custom maker called

http://www.speedytanks.com/

hope this helps out some of you looking for tanks.

[Carl]

Hey all,

I am resurecting this old post since I have just removed my fuel tank from my V-20. It was a pain, but not as bad as I thought. My question is - after I install my new tank, I am thinking of putting a fuel meter in instead of the traditional sending unit. I can get a NAVMAN F2100 meter for $109. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with these.

bigshrimpin mentioned a NAVMAN meter earlier in this post, any comments recommedations are appreciated.

[willy]

Carl I don't think it measures fuel level in tank does it, it just goes by what you tell it and measures flow, or usage in GPH. Right ???

[Carl]

Here's the description.



Navman's compact dedicated fuel solution (gasoline or petrol) engines only.the f2100 features an instant fuel flow: 2.5 to 130 liters/hour, 0.5 to 35 us gallons/ hour, or 0.4 to 30 imperial gallons/hour, and is suitable for carbureted 2- stroke engines from 50-300hp carbureted 4-stroke engines from 90- 300hp.the minimum flow rate 5 liters (1.3 us gallons) per hour, and trip and total fuel consumption, user resetable, up to 999 units.the f2100 is designed for single engine applications only, and displays volume remaining in tank (provided that the total tank volume has been entered).the f2100 has a low fuel alarm.



The way I read it is that it will tell you what is remaining as long as you tell it how much was there to start

[willy]

right thats what I thought plus each time you fill it got to remember to adjust settings

[Blue_Runner]

I thought there was a transducer mounted on top the tank. Wouldn't that eliminate the need to input numbers?

[Franco]

Nope it has an inline sensor that maounts in the fuel line and it reads flow.

[SkunkBoat]

Just an FYI, if your belly tank has a V shape to it, the bottom half of your tank holds less gas than the top half! That float doesn't know that! And if you don't set the length of the "pivot" of the float correctly, you won't have full range of readings. That's why a lot of us peg FULL for a 1/4 of a tank and then drop like a stone after half a tank.
Thats why you should never trust the gauge, especially below 1/3 of a tank.
Your broom stick gauge has the same problem with V tanks.

and someday I'll buy a flow meter.....til then I fill'er up.

[macojoe]

That's why I have never trusted a gauge. My OX has 110 gal of gas, and even that I have never used more then 40 gal, mostly in the 25 range I still fill up after every trip!

We will see how much I use this year with the new 4 stroke!!