Gas Gauge Issues Part 2

[canesfan]

So yesterday I went out, gas gauge was reading ~ 1/4 tank. I pushed the slide out button and the gas gauge immediately pinned to empty. I mean pinned, as in you could here it hit the stop

The trailer is plugged into a 30A outlet. For whatever reason I pushed the battery button on the monitor panel, and when I did the gas gauge jumped back to 1/4 reading. When I let go of the battery button the gauge pinned back to empty. Same thing with each of the tank buttons on the monitor panel. Pushed the slide button again, nothing, gauge still reads empty. Unplugged the trailer, still reads empty. Started the genset, still reads empty. Sigh.

I'm wondering if today it will be reading again, or on empty?

Something obviously isn't right if pushing other non related buttons makes it do odd things.

[CUFFS054]

Kinda sounds like a grounding issue, maybe a pinched wire?

[PARAPTOR]

Originally Posted by canesfan

So yesterday I went out, gas gauge was reading ~ 1/4 tank. I pushed the slide out button and the gas gauge immediately pinned to empty. I mean pinned, as in you could here it hit the stop

The trailer is plugged into a 30A outlet. For whatever reason I pushed the battery button on the monitor panel, and when I did the gas gauge jumped back to 1/4 reading. When I let go of the battery button the gauge pinned back to empty. Same thing with each of the tank buttons on the monitor panel. Pushed the slide button again, nothing, gauge still reads empty. Unplugged the trailer, still reads empty. Started the genset, still reads empty. Sigh.

I'm wondering if today it will be reading again, or on empty?

Something obviously isn't right if pushing other non related buttons makes it do odd things.

Can not determine if the slide ever responded to you pushing the switch? What is really strange to me is your statement the "meter pinned hard to empty" position, which is the opposite direction. I have seen a meter bang against the stops due to excess current through the meter and usually its the maximum reading pin on the meter. Example someone trying to measure a voltage with the voltage meter scale being set too low

The only way I know of actually pinning the meter in the lowest reading (opposite direction) is to reverse the current through the meter??? Have no idea what would cause the current to be reversed through the fuel tank gauge.

Now pushing the switch to extend the slides would put power to the hydraulic pumps and a drain on the battery and if not fully charged could load down the battery to a point the fuel gauge would not have enough current and therefore possibly read zero but I would not expect it to "bang " against the lower stop.

If this was the case when you released the slide button after a little while I would expect the fuel gauge to read like it did before you pushed the slide button.

Just trying to talk through this, converter on, position of battery bypass switch? Did slide operate? When you pushed the battery status button what did it read?

[canesfan]

My first thoughts were a grounding issue, I'll have to pull it apart and look at things.

To answer some questions, the rig stays plugged in all the time. The battery is ~2 months old, it showed fully charged on the idiot lights.

The slide operated just fine, along with everything else that I could see.

Yesterday I went to work on the steps, the gauge was still reading empty. After awhile I noticed it was once again reading ~1/4 full. Not sure what I did except turn on some lights and the radio.

I swear this thing is haunted.

One additional note, once a few weeks ago I noticed the gauge reading empty when the day before it was reading 1/4. I unplugged the shore power and the gauge started reading again. I posted about this then but never really figured out the problem.

PARAPTOR I noticed you changed your sig.

[PARAPTOR]

Thanks for the additional info. Will continue to think about this. Forgot to ask if the light for the fuel gauge goes off when gauge reads empty. Could be a loose wire. I would think this is a fairly simple circuit, the battery, fuel gauge, and a float in the tank which varies the resistance in the circuit. Now getting to the components to check them is another story

Yeap changed signature not getting anywhere with swapping parts

[canesfan]

The light stays on no matter what.

Haven't had time to mess with it, maybe this weekend I'll pull it apart.

Sorry about the ladder. Nothing is ever easy with these things it seems.