- 16,690
- 23,888
- 113
- Location
- Burgkunstadt, Germany
Mweiss wrote:
Hi Rich, received the gauge today and installed it. Unfortunately, still the same result. Barely moves when the battery is charging. There is only 2-5mV across the gauge (an amp clamp on the battery cable shows more than 8 amps going into the battery), which indicated to me that it is not a gauge problem at all. It's something further back. I tested the old gauge on the bench. (You do this now? I suggested you do this at least twice before. This being done a long time ago would have been a big help in troubleshooting.) I found that it reads full scale with 50 mV across it. The generator is sending about 2mV to the meter, which is why it isn't giving much of a reading. Maybe if somebody knows why, it might be a simple wiring error, but I have not the time to delve into those diagrams and try to sort out where the unlabeled wires should be connected. (Actually the wires are numbered. And easily readable if you take the time to look. I know, you dont have time to look. The Positive side of the meter has the wire # 159A, and the Negitive side is 158A. They both terminate at MT4. Wire # 159A goes to MT4-2, and Wire #158A at MT4-3. After carefully removing the Negitive cable from the battery, left side of the gen set, I would unhook both wires at M4 and MT4. Ohm them out, starting at the MT4. Then get a magnifying glass so you can read the wire numbers and hook them back up. Then repeat this procedure at the at M4. Check the wire connectors, on all 4 ends. Also look at MT4. Make sure the link between terminals 2 & 3 is good.
Then as you can see below, You need to check the wire going from MT4-1 to FU1-1. That will be wire # 112B. Then check from FU1-2. wire # 180A . The wire 180A goes through J6/P6-27 and changes wire numbers to 180C. That wire terminates at G1. G1 is the battery charging alternator.
I would have thought that given the number of units you've processed, that a gauge not indicating like the rest of the units would have caught your attention. After a reset, one would at least expect all the gauges to be working.
Anyway, given that I can't see any number markings on the wires to the meter, I have no way to trace them out without cutting apart the wiring harness and separating the wires physically and following each to it's destination. I don't have the time to bother with that. (See above) And I shouldn't, at the price I paid.
I rejected the cheaper, local generator because the fuel gauge didn't work and I don't know how complicated it would be to fix that and the guy didn't seem interested in fixing it before selling plus he would not come down on price. Hence, I considered it worth the extra money to get 100% working unit from you. I was not expecting a "fixer-upper".
While I appreciate your generosity with the shipping and the trailer and sending out the replacement gauge, I was expecting the unit to be 100% functional at that price. If I were forty years younger and had energy, eyesight and time to fix mechanical stuff, I could have bought a much cheaper unit and worked on repairing it myself, but I don't have much time left, nor the stamina and vision to be doing repairs. I bought this particular unit so that my wife could easily operate it after I'm gone.
Sorry if I sound grouchy. It's been a terrible year, all around.
Hi Rich, received the gauge today and installed it. Unfortunately, still the same result. Barely moves when the battery is charging. There is only 2-5mV across the gauge (an amp clamp on the battery cable shows more than 8 amps going into the battery), which indicated to me that it is not a gauge problem at all. It's something further back. I tested the old gauge on the bench. (You do this now? I suggested you do this at least twice before. This being done a long time ago would have been a big help in troubleshooting.) I found that it reads full scale with 50 mV across it. The generator is sending about 2mV to the meter, which is why it isn't giving much of a reading. Maybe if somebody knows why, it might be a simple wiring error, but I have not the time to delve into those diagrams and try to sort out where the unlabeled wires should be connected. (Actually the wires are numbered. And easily readable if you take the time to look. I know, you dont have time to look. The Positive side of the meter has the wire # 159A, and the Negitive side is 158A. They both terminate at MT4. Wire # 159A goes to MT4-2, and Wire #158A at MT4-3. After carefully removing the Negitive cable from the battery, left side of the gen set, I would unhook both wires at M4 and MT4. Ohm them out, starting at the MT4. Then get a magnifying glass so you can read the wire numbers and hook them back up. Then repeat this procedure at the at M4. Check the wire connectors, on all 4 ends. Also look at MT4. Make sure the link between terminals 2 & 3 is good.
Then as you can see below, You need to check the wire going from MT4-1 to FU1-1. That will be wire # 112B. Then check from FU1-2. wire # 180A . The wire 180A goes through J6/P6-27 and changes wire numbers to 180C. That wire terminates at G1. G1 is the battery charging alternator.
I would have thought that given the number of units you've processed, that a gauge not indicating like the rest of the units would have caught your attention. After a reset, one would at least expect all the gauges to be working.
Anyway, given that I can't see any number markings on the wires to the meter, I have no way to trace them out without cutting apart the wiring harness and separating the wires physically and following each to it's destination. I don't have the time to bother with that. (See above) And I shouldn't, at the price I paid.
I rejected the cheaper, local generator because the fuel gauge didn't work and I don't know how complicated it would be to fix that and the guy didn't seem interested in fixing it before selling plus he would not come down on price. Hence, I considered it worth the extra money to get 100% working unit from you. I was not expecting a "fixer-upper".
While I appreciate your generosity with the shipping and the trailer and sending out the replacement gauge, I was expecting the unit to be 100% functional at that price. If I were forty years younger and had energy, eyesight and time to fix mechanical stuff, I could have bought a much cheaper unit and worked on repairing it myself, but I don't have much time left, nor the stamina and vision to be doing repairs. I bought this particular unit so that my wife could easily operate it after I'm gone.
Sorry if I sound grouchy. It's been a terrible year, all around.