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Jason King
Samba Member
Joined: February 06, 2002
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2002 3:43 pm Post subject: Fried Fuel Guage |
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| My fuel guage on my '65 is fried. I believe it was not protected during the 12 volt conversion. So, my question is: Which unit gets fried? The sender or the guage? Or both? |
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6v
Samba Member
Joined: February 01, 2002
Posts: 213
Location: Vancouver, WA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2002 5:18 pm Post subject: Fried Fuel Guage |
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| Maybe it's different on buses, but Type 1's didn't get an electrical gas gauge until 1968, so it should be working on a float-and-cable design. Please correct me if I'm wrong, all... |
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ezcamper
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2001
Posts: 897
Location: Atlantic Beach, FL
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| Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2002 9:02 pm Post subject: Fried Fuel Guage |
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| the the guage is gone, the sender can be used with 6 or 12v. don't by a 12v guage unless you get a really good deal. just get a new 6v and use a volt drop on it. I have used one on my bus for 6 years (90,000 miles) and it works fine. |
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: February 06, 2002
Posts: 26
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| Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2002 5:49 am Post subject: Fried Fuel Guage |
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| I have a nos 6volt fuel gauge if you need one. Might be able to dig up a good used 12volt too. |
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2002
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2002 12:00 am Post subject: Fried Fuel Guage |
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| there ar e two wires on your gauge, besides the bulb. One is black, the other is brown, goes to the negative terminal. remove the brown wire. and use a jumper wire to ground the negative terminal on the gauge to the body with the key on or power to the pos terminal. The gauge itself must be grounded too. If the gauge is good, the needle will read full. If not, it's no good. The sending unit can be checked with an ohmeter. Put one wire from the ohmeter on the brown wire going to the sending unit and groun d the other to the body. When empty, it shoud have about seventy ohms. When full, it should read neraly zero. All senders are the same on all pre '68 buses that came with a gauge new , regardless of whether 12 or 6 volt. You can use a 6 volt gauge with a voltage reducer. |
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JustBarry1972
Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2008
Posts: 263
Location: England
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 4:41 am Post subject: was smoking, now wasted |
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the 6v fuel gauge in my 12v bus had worked for years,
until the other day.. the gauge filled with smoke and stopped working. (I had been dicking about with other wiring around the speedo so may be coincidence)
I have another 6v gauge but have decided to put a reducer on it this time.
I like the price of this reducer -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-DC-Converter-12V-Step...3a68c25946
but I am confused with the two negative wires
Do I wire the black and the white wire together and to the fuel gauge body earth?
the fuel gauge is already earthed to the 12v bus.
I intend to put the box between the ignition power and the + terminal of the fuel gauge and just earth both the black and the white wires to the bus.
does that sound right? |
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quartermilecamel
Samba Member
Joined: April 16, 2008
Posts: 3929
Location: ohio
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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Im assuming the black and red side wires are the input. Assuming so by the pictures, ground(earth) the black wire and that sides red wire goes to ignition switch. The other sides red wire is your 6 volt positive or output. The white wire might be a ground but not sure. Read the instructions to be sure. Dont just hook it up or it will fry if its wrong. Your best bet is to email the seller to make sure of the white wire before purchase. Does it have to be grounded or can it be left open. Most likely the white wire can be left unused.
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Waiting for santa to drop off funky green. I can wish can't I???? |
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JustBarry1972
Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2008
Posts: 263
Location: England
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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Hi thanks, yeh I'll mail seller to confirm.
ETA - yes both earths can be wired together to the fuel gauge housing, or one can be ommitted. I wired both and all seems ok the gauge is showing 1/4 tank which seems about right, the old gauge without a reducer showed 1/4 tank when it was nearly empty so it seems more accurate.
Was going to test the gauge with a trip - but my rear gearstick coupler broke 
lucky it broke on my driveway rather than out on the road  |
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Who.Me? 
Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2014
Posts: 2211
Location: UK (South)
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 5:58 am Post subject: Re: Fried Fuel Guage |
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Adding this here rather than starting a new thread...
I have a nice 6V Karmann Ghia Res/Voll screw terminal fuel gauge and a new VDO sender. I'm going to attach the gauge with a bracket under the dash. I've tested the gauge and sender with a 6V transformer and they work fine.
My truck is 12V, so to avoid frying the gauge, I'm going to put in a voltage reducer.
Am I right in thinking that I'll need a separate reducer for the gauge backlight, or is it possible to connect the supply for the light and the sender wire through the same reducer? If so, how? Or is the back-light electrically isolated from the rest of the gauge
Thanks
Andy
_________________
Andy
Looking for info on my truck's history. Are you from Campbell California or nearby. Do you recognise it? ... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=636786 |
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campingbox
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2000
Posts: 10196
Location: Petaluma, CA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:16 am Post subject: Re: Fried Fuel Guage |
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| Who.Me? wrote: |
Am I right in thinking that I'll need a separate reducer for the gauge backlight, or is it possible to connect the supply for the light and the sender wire through the same reducer? If so, how? Or is the back-light electrically isolated from the rest of the gauge
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Just run the correct bulb, no reducer needed. |
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Who.Me?
Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2014
Posts: 2211
Location: UK (South)
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 10:55 am Post subject: Re: Fried Fuel Guage |
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| campingbox wrote: |
Just run the correct bulb, no reducer needed. |
No reducer required at all, or no reducer on the bulb circuit?
I picked up a 12v bulb just in case.
Thanks
Andy
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Andy
Looking for info on my truck's history. Are you from Campbell California or nearby. Do you recognise it? ... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=636786 |
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olliehank47
Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2011
Posts: 1198
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:14 am Post subject: Re: Fried Fuel Guage |
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| Who.Me? wrote: |
| campingbox wrote: |
Just run the correct bulb, no reducer needed. |
No reducer required at all, or no reducer on the bulb circuit?
I picked up a 12v bulb just in case.
Thanks
Andy |
Campingbox was responding to your question about the light. No reducer needed for the light if you use a 12v bulb.
Just to clarify things a bit, you used this phrase in your OP, " ...or is it possible to connect the supply for the light and the sender wire through the same reducer?" (Bold emphasis, mine.)
The sender wire does not carry power, it's the wire from the gas tank sending unit. I think you meant gauge power wire, but this needs to be clear. So, yes, the power wire is on a different circuit than the light and is isolated from the light. However, if the case of the gauge is not solidly grounded to the sheet metal, turning on your lights will cause the gauge needle to give false readings. If the ignition is off and you turn on the lights, the needle will pin to the "full" mark, and that's a good test to see if your gauge is properly grounded. |
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Who.Me?
Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2014
Posts: 2211
Location: UK (South)
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:05 pm Post subject: Re: Fried Fuel Guage |
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| olliehank47 wrote: |
Campingbox was responding to your question about the light. No reducer needed for the light if you use a 12v bulb.
Just to clarify things a bit, you used this phrase in your OP, " ...or is it possible to connect the supply for the light and the sender wire through the same reducer?" (Bold emphasis, mine.)
The sender wire does not carry power, it's the wire from the gas tank sending unit. I think you meant gauge power wire, but this needs to be clear. So, yes, the power wire is on a different circuit than the light and is isolated from the light. However, if the case of the gauge is not solidly grounded to the sheet metal, turning on your lights will cause the gauge needle to give false readings. If the ignition is off and you turn on the lights, the needle will pin to the "full" mark, and that's a good test to see if your gauge is properly grounded. |
Got it. Thanks. Apologies for the confusion.
_________________
Andy
Looking for info on my truck's history. Are you from Campbell California or nearby. Do you recognise it? ... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=636786 |
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campingbox
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2000
Posts: 10196
Location: Petaluma, CA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:39 pm Post subject: Re: Fried Fuel Guage |
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| Who.Me? wrote: |
| olliehank47 wrote: |
Campingbox was responding to your question about the light. No reducer needed for the light if you use a 12v bulb.
Just to clarify things a bit, you used this phrase in your OP, " ...or is it possible to connect the supply for the light and the sender wire through the same reducer?" (Bold emphasis, mine.)
The sender wire does not carry power, it's the wire from the gas tank sending unit. I think you meant gauge power wire, but this needs to be clear. So, yes, the power wire is on a different circuit than the light and is isolated from the light. However, if the case of the gauge is not solidly grounded to the sheet metal, turning on your lights will cause the gauge needle to give false readings. If the ignition is off and you turn on the lights, the needle will pin to the "full" mark, and that's a good test to see if your gauge is properly grounded. |
Got it. Thanks. Apologies for the confusion. |
I meant the lighting circuit, but to be honest I never run a drop for the fuel gauge at all and they seem to work fine. YRMV. |
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Who.Me?
Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2014
Posts: 2211
Location: UK (South)
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 2:07 pm Post subject: Re: Fried Fuel Guage |
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I'm getting old. I had to Google that.
I tried it briefly with a 12V transformer earlier this evening. I noticed that the needle didn't go all the way to Res with the float in the empty position. With 6V it works fine. Strange.
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Andy
Looking for info on my truck's history. Are you from Campbell California or nearby. Do you recognise it? ... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=636786 |
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campingbox
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2000
Posts: 10196
Location: Petaluma, CA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 2:10 pm Post subject: Re: Fried Fuel Guage |
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| Who.Me? wrote: |
I'm getting old. I had to Google that.
I tried it briefly with a 12V transformer earlier this evening. I noticed that the needle didn't go all the way to Res with the float in the empty position. With 6V it works fine. Strange. |
The one in my 66 does that. It's a 6v gauge in a 12v bus. It never bothered me enough to pony up for a 12v gauge. |
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banana split
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2002
Posts: 1070
Location: Beautiful British Columbia Canada
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| Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 2:53 pm Post subject: Re: Fried Fuel Guage |
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| campingbox wrote: |
| The one in my 66 does that. It's a 6v gauge in a 12v bus. It never bothered me enough to pony up for a 12v gauge. |
When I converted my 1965 single cab to 12V, I also kept the original 6V gas gauge in place. It was my daily driver for 4 years and it worked fine on 12V.
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1951 Crotch Cooler 11G Split Ragtop
1953 Zwitter
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Bruce Amacker
Samba Member
Joined: December 26, 2007
Posts: 1786
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
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ToolBox
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2004
Posts: 3439
Location: Detroit, where they don't jack parts off my ride in the parking lot of the 7-11
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 9:21 am Post subject: Re: Fried Fuel Guage |
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Or use a vibrator form a bay or bug gas gauge. |
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NUTSFORBUSES
Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2016
Posts: 560
Location: I don't recognize it anymore
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2018 6:11 pm Post subject: Re: Fried Fuel Guage |
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Who really knows about the Gas gauge???
64 12v never really worked. I pulled the motor recently and replaced the sender.
I had a full tank and it read 7/8 < I know that is good, my 66 westy same thing.
As I watched the gauge and threw on the miles, it never moved-got great mileage but waited for it to run out of gas>yes I always keep extra fuel.
The gauge has 3 tabs, I've only used two-One sender and One ignition, but there is a ground tab too on the gauge<no wire.
Has anyone grounded this 3rd tab?
So I always have 7/8 of gas. I never relied on the gauge>ever, but I really want to. Who the F&%%* knows how to make these things work? I know the sender is not voltage dependent.
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