1960 to 1962 Reproduction Fuel Gauges - Failures?

[Dan D.]

Re: 1960 to 1962 Reproduction Fuel Gauges - Failures?

Yea Tom. I too would like to know what the max current (energy) is being provided to the sender. Ken Anderson, in post #5, indicated that it was 'short protected'. Not sure what that means. If he is reading this thread perhaps he can clarify that for us. I would also like to know if this energy can change if a device in the gauge was to fail.

If a hard 12V is imposed on the sender and the tank is full, then 30 ohms will limit the current to about 400mA. This should not burn the sender, plus the rheostat element will be submerged in fuel - no oxygen and the fuel will be a heat sink. But --------- as the tank empty's, the 30 ohms goes down, the current goes up, and at some point the current will be high enough to melt the rheostat. Plus -------- at this point the rheostat will no longer be submerged in fuel, and gas fumes will instantly ignite, with devastating results. For our own peace of mind, I think we need to how the electronics is designed so we have a good feel for the intrinsic safety of the design. I am hoping Ken can provide this, and also if it was ever intrinsically tested.

-Dan-

[Thomas H.]

Re: 1960 to 1962 Reproduction Fuel Gauges - Failures?

This '60 is going to NY Thursday morning so I have some other last minute stuff to do on the punch list now.

More stinkin' snow up this way on Thurs, maybe 12" + in my neck of the woods. I'd keep that 60 down there with you until probably ............... August. We should be done with all of this @#$!% snow and cold by then!

Tom

[Richard M.]

Re: 1960 to 1962 Reproduction Fuel Gauges - Failures?

More stinkin' snow up this way on Thurs, maybe 12" + in my neck of the woods. I'd keep that 60 down there with you until probably ............... August. We should be done with all of this @#$!% snow and cold by then!

Tom

It's going on the truck Thursday heading north on Friday. UPS has my new fuel gauge in Jacksonville at the moment, and due in Vero Beach(20 miles south of me) in the morning, then on a truck to me sometime in the afternoon. I'll be installing it tomorrow, then the steering wheel goes on while fixing a intermittent "horn beep" when turning hard. I suspect the contactor needs a little "adjustment".

After that, Done!

Then back on the '61 again, the one with that nice new windshield gasket with NO wrinkles.

Rich

[Richard M.]

Re: 1960 to 1962 Reproduction Fuel Gauges - Failures?

Just a follow up........The new fuel gauge meter arrived from UPS early Wednesday around 11AM. Nice that it came early.

I bench tested it and it was good. I used a spare known good sender to test and ran it from E to 1/4 to 3/4 to F.......Fine.

Mounted meter in the pod, ensuring good ground to the backside, and tested the case ground mount tabs to meter ground plane(solder blob point on circuit board).......Fine.

Mounted gauge pod back in the cluster, tested/verified gauge pod ground to the cluster ground and to the chassis ground.......Fine.

Powered up the battery Neg side kill switch, turned ign key to "Run", gauge moved to about 1/2, apx that much in tank. Retried several times........Fine.

Finished a few things on the punch list, dusted it off, pulled it outside for a few pictures...........DONE.

Thanks for your guidance with this unusual and frustrating problem that I had....
Rich