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MOJO1
09-09-2016, 07:57 PM
Soooo, fuel gauge was stuck on full, after reviewing all the relevant threads and checking out what one looks like at West Marine i removed my sending unit....yes I checked all the connections before hand, and the ignition made it jump from below E to Full. (Note to self: Never pull the sending unit while the boat is in the water with a 7/8 full tank......) So i removed the unit rather forcefully as I couldn't see how it was in there ( thank you Donzi for making this so accessible) and the float arm was detached from the plastic grabber thingy that holds it....what a piece of junk for a 70 mph boat, no wonder they fall off. So I re installed it, cleaned up all the fuel out of my bilge and then hoped and prayed this afternoon that I wouldn't explode and that it would work.....I didn't explode but now the gauge reads below empty and doesn't move. So now I am thinking that it's a blown fuse....would the fuse for the gauge be an inline black tube? I see a series of these tubes behind the dash. All of my other colored fuses appear to be in good shape? I don't have a manual for the boat. (and Tidbart doesn't have any more!!!)

Any ideas would be appreciated.

gcarter
09-09-2016, 08:04 PM
I don't know about the things behind your dash, since I've not worked on one that new, they may
be fusible links if not fuses.
But one piece of good news is Bob Wilson is ordering some new Tidbart Donzi solid state senders!
Give it a few days.

93viperboy
09-10-2016, 06:38 AM
Getting mine from Bob....
Tired of guessing when to get gas.

txtaz
09-10-2016, 07:50 AM
I got one from Bob this summer and it works great.

Taz

mc donzi
09-11-2016, 12:13 PM
This part of my post is for Bob Wilson:

I am the Canadian guy that bought one of your sending units about 5 years ago(We met in a Cracker Barrel parking lot near the Orlando Airport for pickup & payment).

When we returned to Canada after our winter in Florida and I was installing the Tidbart unit, I found that the tube length was half an inch +- too long. I called Bob and he said that if I cut the tube so that it did not bottom out on the bottom of the tank that would be alright.

I installed the unit and it worked perfectly... until this season. Now the gauge reads about a quarter tank even as the fuel is pouring out of the vent tube- overflow indicating that its full.

Bob, I seem to recall that you are electronics engineer by trade, any ideas on what the problem might be.

I welcome ideas from all board members.

Thanks

Tidbart
09-11-2016, 08:52 PM
I remember meeting you. Hope all is well. Give me a day or two to investigate and I will come up with some things to try. I am traveling and have limited internet access.

Bob

p.s. Thanks George.

mc donzi
09-12-2016, 06:29 AM
Thanks Bob, look forward to hearing from you.

Tidbart
09-12-2016, 07:06 PM
Dave,

Here is what I would do.

First, I would check the gauge. There are a couple of ways to do this.

1) Obtain two resistors from you local electronics store, one 240 ohms and the other 33 ohms. The 240 ohm one will be used to signal empty, and the other one to signal full. Next, with the key off, disconnect the black and pink wires at the sender. Take the 33 ohm resister and connect it across the two wires. Make sure no metal part of the connectors or resistor is touching the tank by putting down a rag or something non-conductive under the connections. Turn on the key while watching the gauge. It should move to full. Turn off the key, and change the resistor to the 240 ohm one and proceed as you did with the 33 ohm resistor. The gauge should go to empty.
If the tests are successful, the gauge should be good and we will have to look further. If the gauge is not responding as expected, it will need to fixed or replaced.

2) A quicker way, that I don't recommend, is to disconnect the two wires as in step one, with the key off. Isolate them with a rag or something as in the previous example. Turn on the key, the gauge should read empty. Turn off the key. Now, connect the two wires together with a jumper wire. Turn on the key, the gauge should go to full. Turn off the key. In both these cases, a good gauge will peg to full or empty. Pegging a gauge is not good for it and if you decide to do this, only do it for a second or two.

Either of these two tests will provide feedback as to whether the gauge is good or not. Neither will generate a spark on top of the tank but always make sure there are no fumes in the boat.


If, the gauge checks out, on to the sender. The only thing that I can think of doing with the sender is removing it and looking at it for any type of mechanical damage. Inspect if for any cracks, top and bottom. Check to see if the tube is secure in the head and the rivet is intact.

In the mean time, I will get in contact with the manufacturer to see what he has to say.

Bob

Pat McPherson
09-12-2016, 07:58 PM
My fuel gauge reads about 3/4 until its down to 1/4 or even less. When I fuel up it takes some time, driving around before it reads 3/4 or slightly above again...:confused: I've not messed with the sender yet; kinda waiting until it stops working all together...:rolleyes: I've also noticed that if I haven't driven the boat in a while and or the battery is low, it take some time for the gauge to read. Playing the radio for a long period of time effects the gauge so it is at least partially power related...:yes:

gcarter
09-12-2016, 09:16 PM
Just for fun, check if that gauge has a dedicated ground wire.
If not, that could be it.

MOJO1
09-17-2016, 01:26 PM
I'm getting one from Bob....but in the mean time I think I blew a fuse.

tmdog
09-17-2016, 04:51 PM
[QUOTE=MOJO1; I think I blew a fuse.[/QUOTE]

Better than blowing a seal.:)