Fuel gauge problem

[RadioWaves]

Took the boat out for the first time this year and everything went great except the fuel gauge isn't working.
Just reads -fuel lvl. I have seen several posts describing the same issue but haven't seen a solution. 2011 ar240. Any ideas?

 

[tdonoughue]

If I recall correctly, filling up automatically calibrates the sender. I would try a fill up first.

 

[RadioWaves]

I did fill it up before I put it in the water and again on Sunday. I don't think it's calibration because it doesn't show any level just a -

 

[blacksapphirez]

I even got a new sending unit and still doesn't work properly.

use the "GALLONS USED" and its almost spot on.

 

[renrab]

Mine just displayed this symptom after running my amp wiring, guess I'll try a fill up and if not I'll have to start looking at connections.

 

[RadioWaves]

I played with the gallons used, how do you reset it to 0 ?
Thanks

 

[MissScarlet]

Mine just displayed this symptom after running my amp wiring, guess I'll try a fill up and if not I'll have to start looking at connections.

Mine is doing this now after installing my second battery and ACR. Did you discover a solution for yours? Was it wiring?

 

[andrewsilver]

Following - same problem 2012 AR190, fuel gauge says "-fuel lvl".

 

[RadioWaves]

Never found the problem, just use the fuel used screen and always fill up and reset to 0

 

[Betik]

I had a similar issue with my stbd fuel gauge. It resolved it self after disconnecting the battery for a couple of days.

 

[andrewsilver]

Thanks - I'm still hopeful we'll figure it out. Disconnecting the battery hasn't worked for me so far, but will try again. My latest issue is my Cruise Assist has stopped working as well. I've had this problem before and it resolved itself, but currently it's out...

 

[RadioWaves]

@Betik That's odd but worth a try, I don't mind using the consumption meter it is amazingly accurate

 

[Betik]

@RadioWaves I agree. I actually had to disconnect the batteries while I was working on the boat and then when I was out again the fuel gauge meter started working. I found it odd too, but I did not complain LOL

I believe you are right and for off shore I believe that is a better measure of how much fuel you have left than the fuel gauge. I remember in 2017 when we were out of Bimini Sands, my gauge showed about 1/4 of fuel. But when I got off plane, my low fuel alarm went off. I ended up refiling 49.5 gallon that day..... Apparently the tank is slightly more than 50 gallons, but my heart did skip a bit when I saw the meter showing 49,5 gallons.

 

[RadioWaves]

Yikes, I get nervous when I get past 30 gallons used

 

[andrewsilver]

Update: I installed a separate fuel gauge and it seems to be working quite well. See photos of the gauge on the right side of the dash. Seems pretty accurate. You can see I have just over 1/2 tank on the gauge, and in the digital window under the tachometer it shows I've used 14.3 gallons (just under half of the 30 gallon tank). I bought the gauge on amazon for $24 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GB1CVZ1/. My take is that the fuel gauge electronics in the tachometer is what failed (new tach is around $700+, but everything else on the tach display works fine), because I tried a new fuel sender in the fuel tank and that wasn't the problem. I also traced the wiring from the fuel sender to the tachometer and the lines were good. So I just installed a separate fuel gauge. Hopefully this will be helpful to others.

 

[tdonoughue]

Was the wiring straight-forward? Just hook the sender wires to the new gauge?

 

[andrewsilver]

Yes. I hooked it up to the same fuel sender wires, and optionally I also connected a switched +ve power for backlight. You then follow the instructions to set the gauge to the right resistance mode (I forget which one it is, but it's straight forward, I think it's one of four options) and you choose the color of the backlight (I chose white).