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Mismatched fuel Sender to Fuel gauge

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  • Mismatched fuel Sender to Fuel gauge

    Hi all

    I have had the perennial problem of my fuel gauge not reading correctly.

    So after a long thought I think I may have fixed the burning issue.

    I had a spare Baoter 3296 variable resistor (look it up in Google) in my bits and bobs tin.

    Cheap as chips to buy one.

    I have just wired it in series and low and behold I am able to adjust the fuel gauge.

    I have set the variable resistor so that it reads full and see if it shows empty when I run out.

    Obviously I will take a fuel can just in case.

    If this works then it could be used on any mismatched fuel gauges without the need for grafting etc.

    Will keep you all informed.

    Adrian

  • #2
    Re: Mismatched fuel Sender to Fuel gauge

    Fingers crossed but based on my limited knowledge of electronics I doubt it will read correctly across the gauge.

    The best solution, albeit more expensive, is the Spiyda gauge wizard. Used one on my last Roadster to match a Ford sender to an etb gauge. Worked perfectly. No connection with the company, just a very satisfied customer.

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    • #3
      Re: Mismatched fuel Sender to Fuel gauge

      Been there done that on Wee Beastie. A search may even find what I wrote at the time.
      I take it that you have a Ford sender in a Ford tank wired to a Smith's gauge for a BL car. No simple resistor is going to match the dial to the sender across the range.
      I made a operational amplifier based dongle that adjusted for gain and end points, but I was never able to make it reliable. My next step was to fit a miniature RC servo in the dial and control it from a programmable chip. I gave up.

      The Ford sender is 75 ohm empty and 10 ohm full. The Smiths gauge on the other hand is expecting a resistance of 260 ohms empty and 20 ohms full. The circuit is fed from a 10V regulators sometimes to be found on the back of one of the dials The gauge is effectively a ammeter measuring the current, which it measures using a resistance coil wrapped around a bimetallic strip. The resistance of the heater wire in the gauge is about 0.1 ohm by measurement on a spare dial, but it is not significant and does not need to be taken into account when designing a circuit to compensate.
      Formally DonSayers on here.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Mismatched fuel Sender to Fuel gauge

        Oh well, I will see what happens, it hasn't cost me anything except my time.

        Onwards and upwards.

        Adrian

        Originally posted by boustrophedon View Post
        Been there done that on Wee Beastie. A search may even find what I wrote at the time.
        I take it that you have a Ford sender in a Ford tank wired to a Smith's gauge for a BL car. No simple resistor is going to match the dial to the sender across the range.
        I made a operational amplifier based dongle that adjusted for gain and end points, but I was never able to make it reliable. My next step was to fit a miniature RC servo in the dial and control it from a programmable chip. I gave up.

        The Ford sender is 75 ohm empty and 10 ohm full. The Smiths gauge on the other hand is expecting a resistance of 260 ohms empty and 20 ohms full. The circuit is fed from a 10V regulators sometimes to be found on the back of one of the dials The gauge is effectively a ammeter measuring the current, which it measures using a resistance coil wrapped around a bimetallic strip. The resistance of the heater wire in the gauge is about 0.1 ohm by measurement on a spare dial, but it is not significant and does not need to be taken into account when designing a circuit to compensate.

        Comment

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