We have a 3 yr. old B321 with all systems working nicely when, all of a sudden, from one day to the next, the fuel gauge refused to budge after starting. ( yes, there's 3/4 of a tank in there and yes, I did tap it with my hand) Has anyone got any ideas as to what it may be? I.E., FUEL FLOAT? (on so new a boat?) FUSE? ( everything else electrical works and I doubt the fuel gauge is on a dedicated circuit!) WIRING? (I note that the gauge and the entire instrument panel for that matter, is exposed to the elements on the port side of the cockpit) If it IS the float in the tank, how big a deal is this to repair or re-install? I'd appreciate hearing from anybody who has experienced this problem. Steve J. - Sarasota
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Tim Porter
Look for...
Steve, I had this same thing happen on my old First 32 this summer. What I found was a ground wire from the fuel tank, which is attached to the engine, had come off. As soon as I re-grounded the wire, the fuel gauge worked fine. Electrical is not my forte, but I surmise the gauge system is somehow grounded through the metal fuel tank, which is in turn grounded to the ship. Look for a ground wire coming from the tank, and follow it to where it attaches to the ship's ground. If its still attached, remove it and clean the contact surface. If its off, just re-attach it! Hope that helps, Tim
Steve, I had this same thing happen on my old First 32 this summer. What I found was a ground wire from the fuel tank, which is attached to the engine, had come off. As soon as I re-grounded the wire, the fuel gauge worked fine. Electrical is not my forte, but I surmise the gauge system is somehow grounded through the metal fuel tank, which is in turn grounded to the ship. Look for a ground wire coming from the tank, and follow it to where it attaches to the ship's ground. If its still attached, remove it and clean the contact surface. If its off, just re-attach it! Hope that helps, Tim
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S. Japhe
uel Gauge Kaput!
Tim- Thanx for your prompt reply. Fortuneately, till now I never had to locate the fuel tank. I know it sounds stupid, but where will I find it on the boat?! Steve
Tim- Thanx for your prompt reply. Fortuneately, till now I never had to locate the fuel tank. I know it sounds stupid, but where will I find it on the boat?! Steve
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Tom
In Aft Cabin
Steve, On my 311 it is in the Aft Cabin on the wall common with the stern. I had the same problem when I picked up my boat this spring. On the sea trials it wouldn't budge from empty. Annapolis Yacht Sales promised to fix it before I picked it up. When I picked it up it registered as full and after 10 hours on the engine it still registered as full. AYS came down and I believe they fixed it because it seems to be working. The person working on it said it was a problem with the float. Hope that helps. Tom
Steve, On my 311 it is in the Aft Cabin on the wall common with the stern. I had the same problem when I picked up my boat this spring. On the sea trials it wouldn't budge from empty. Annapolis Yacht Sales promised to fix it before I picked it up. When I picked it up it registered as full and after 10 hours on the engine it still registered as full. AYS came down and I believe they fixed it because it seems to be working. The person working on it said it was a problem with the float. Hope that helps. Tom
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Tim Porter
Under Aft Berth?
Steve, I know the 321 has a very similar layout to the 361, and on the 361 its under the aft berth, along the centerline of the hull. If not there, look near the bottom of your portside cockpit locker. There may be a false bottom in that locker (my F32 has one), and once you pull it up there may be access to the tank. Once you find it, trace all the wires coming from it (the ground wire may NOT be connected where the float gauge is, it may be connected someplace else on the tank). The ground wire on my F32 is not a normal "coated" wire, but a bare, braided strap-type wire. You'll probably have to access the engine compartment too, because that's probably where the ground wire terminates. I'm willing to bet this is your problem, as the loss of ground on the tank caused my gauge to read zero too, and it was fine the day before, just like you described. Let me know how it all comes out! Tim
Steve, I know the 321 has a very similar layout to the 361, and on the 361 its under the aft berth, along the centerline of the hull. If not there, look near the bottom of your portside cockpit locker. There may be a false bottom in that locker (my F32 has one), and once you pull it up there may be access to the tank. Once you find it, trace all the wires coming from it (the ground wire may NOT be connected where the float gauge is, it may be connected someplace else on the tank). The ground wire on my F32 is not a normal "coated" wire, but a bare, braided strap-type wire. You'll probably have to access the engine compartment too, because that's probably where the ground wire terminates. I'm willing to bet this is your problem, as the loss of ground on the tank caused my gauge to read zero too, and it was fine the day before, just like you described. Let me know how it all comes out! Tim
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Larry W.
Fuel guage
S.; I replaced the sender in my '94 Bene 400 when the guage pointer stopped moving. It was corroded. The job was fairly simple. A new sender can be configured for pretty much any shape tank with the adjustable float arm and pivot point. Match to your old one, which is under the aft cabin bunk on my boat. They come with instructions, too. I don't think those braided wires are the guage ground. I think they're the anti-static connector. The symptom of a broken electrical connector is the guage needle pegged at full all the time. Good luck.
S.; I replaced the sender in my '94 Bene 400 when the guage pointer stopped moving. It was corroded. The job was fairly simple. A new sender can be configured for pretty much any shape tank with the adjustable float arm and pivot point. Match to your old one, which is under the aft cabin bunk on my boat. They come with instructions, too. I don't think those braided wires are the guage ground. I think they're the anti-static connector. The symptom of a broken electrical connector is the guage needle pegged at full all the time. Good luck.
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Tim
It worked for me
Larry, The braided wire may in fact be a static ground, but I know for certain mine had come off and when I replaced it my fuel gauge worked again (and it was showing zero, not full). Maybe there's a big difference in a 1983 boat and a 199x boat?! Like I said, I'm no electrical wizard, but when the gauge works faithfully, then one day quits, that says immediate failure of something to me. When your's corroded, did it fail all at once or work erratically before failing? Just asking to put in my memory bank of tidbits! Thanks, Tim
Larry, The braided wire may in fact be a static ground, but I know for certain mine had come off and when I replaced it my fuel gauge worked again (and it was showing zero, not full). Maybe there's a big difference in a 1983 boat and a 199x boat?! Like I said, I'm no electrical wizard, but when the gauge works faithfully, then one day quits, that says immediate failure of something to me. When your's corroded, did it fail all at once or work erratically before failing? Just asking to put in my memory bank of tidbits! Thanks, Tim
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Larry W.
Guage stuff
Tim; That's kinda weird. Maybe the pointer acts differently if the one or the other wire is off? There may be diffs. between the years. I have three wires on my sender, two on the lug connectors and another attached to a screw in the rim of the mounting plate. Not sure where they go. I thought the two on the sender were both on the same side of a circuit, i.e., electrons flow out of one wire, thru the sender, and back to the guage thru the other wire? I'm not sure, really. Guess I could look at Calder's book. Anyhoo,my guage suddenly started showing different levels on the same day, then after going thru a large ferry wake, it stuck at 3/4 full and I knew there was only about a quarter of a tank of fuel in there, and it wouldn't budge at all when I filled the tank. (This was in late spring) Last month we went went on a vacation cruise, 19 days along the So. Cal. coast, I noticed the guage pegged and stayed there. Checking wires at the sender, I noticed one had pulled out of the crimp. Reattached, and said guage worked. Boats, you gotta love 'em!
Tim; That's kinda weird. Maybe the pointer acts differently if the one or the other wire is off? There may be diffs. between the years. I have three wires on my sender, two on the lug connectors and another attached to a screw in the rim of the mounting plate. Not sure where they go. I thought the two on the sender were both on the same side of a circuit, i.e., electrons flow out of one wire, thru the sender, and back to the guage thru the other wire? I'm not sure, really. Guess I could look at Calder's book. Anyhoo,my guage suddenly started showing different levels on the same day, then after going thru a large ferry wake, it stuck at 3/4 full and I knew there was only about a quarter of a tank of fuel in there, and it wouldn't budge at all when I filled the tank. (This was in late spring) Last month we went went on a vacation cruise, 19 days along the So. Cal. coast, I noticed the guage pegged and stayed there. Checking wires at the sender, I noticed one had pulled out of the crimp. Reattached, and said guage worked. Boats, you gotta love 'em!
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S. Japhe
Gauge Problem
Larry: Thanx for your input! Turns out, that's exactly what the problem was. I must have inadvertantly pulled out the power (red) wire from the crimped eye at the back of the gauge while pulling the gaff from the lazarette! All those wires that go into the instrument panel are exposed to the inside of the lazarette and prone to being pulled out of the crimps! ( not a great engineeing job) Sure glad it wasn't the float or the ground wire! Thanxagain, Steve J.
Larry: Thanx for your input! Turns out, that's exactly what the problem was. I must have inadvertantly pulled out the power (red) wire from the crimped eye at the back of the gauge while pulling the gaff from the lazarette! All those wires that go into the instrument panel are exposed to the inside of the lazarette and prone to being pulled out of the crimps! ( not a great engineeing job) Sure glad it wasn't the float or the ground wire! Thanxagain, Steve J.
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S. Japhe
Fuel Gauge problem Fixed!
Tim-'Thanx- Refer to my reply today to Larry! Thanx to all of you for great info! It'll come in handy when my grounding wire or sender really DOES go! Steve J.
Tim-'Thanx- Refer to my reply today to Larry! Thanx to all of you for great info! It'll come in handy when my grounding wire or sender really DOES go! Steve J.
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