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  Fuel tank sender / gauge / NMEA 2000

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Author Topic:   Fuel tank sender / gauge / NMEA 2000
mfrymier posted 12-16-2006 10:00 AM ET (US)   Profile for mfrymier   Send Email to mfrymier  
Ok, so my Classic 18' Outrage, when purchased by me, did NOT have the mechanical fuel gauge usually visible through the clear pry-out deckplate. Instead, it had an ordinary sender / fuel gauge arrangement (the gauge is a Teleflex model). There were standard red/black power/ground leads running to the gauge, with two wires then extending into the tank area to the sender.

As many of you know, I recently re-powered the boat with a 2007 ETEC 150, and replaced all the gauges at the time with the iCommand digital NMEA 2000 gauges. As part of that package, I purchased and my dealer installed the fuel option, which in essence translates the "normal" signal from my existing tank sender to an NMEA 2000 compatible message.

My question is this: do I still need to have "power" running to the sender? The NMEA circuitry is obviously "hot", but I'm thinking that I may need a seperate power supply running to the sender.

I actually ended up leaving the old guage mounted in the console (too many holes!), so it could be re-connected as a test/check on the operation of the info flowing to my iCommand system.

Thoughts appreciated.

Chuck Tribolet posted 12-16-2006 10:53 AM ET (US)     Profile for Chuck Tribolet  Send Email to Chuck Tribolet     
The sender is just a variable resistor, so the red/black
connections are really just two signal lines.

Don't hook up both the fuel option and the old gauge at the
same time, at best they will confuse each other, at worst
you will blow out something, most like the expensive fuel
option.


Chuck

Chuck Tribolet posted 12-16-2006 10:54 AM ET (US)     Profile for Chuck Tribolet  Send Email to Chuck Tribolet     
Upon re-reading:

The sender is just a variable resistor, so the two wires to
the sender are really just two signal lines. The fuel option
will provide whatever it needs to those signal lines.

Don't hook up both the fuel option and the old gauge at the
same time, at best they will confuse each other, at worst
you will blow out something, most like the expensive fuel
option.


Chuck

jimh posted 12-18-2006 10:48 PM ET (US)     Profile for jimh  Send Email to jimh     
The precise way the new NMEA-2000 tank level monitor is connected to your existing electrical fuel tank level sensor should be explained in the instructions which accompany the new tank level monitor. My guess is that the new monitor takes advantage of the existing tank level sensor by using its variable resistance. Because the new gauge is smart, it can probably learn the old tank level sensor's resistance curve and adapt to it based on some input you will program into it.

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