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Temp Gauge and Voltmeter no reading


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My temp gauge and voltmeter have stopped reading for some reason. I changed the temperature bulb on the thermostat housing with no success. I shorted the connector to earth which should send the gauge to max reading ( zero ohms so max current) but no movement. I did think that the 10v regulated instrument supply might have gone but the petrol gauge reads normally (well in it's usual rubbish way!). I had thought the voltmeter was direct off the ignition switch so maybe it's just coincidence or TR6 gremlins again. Any ideas before I take the gauges out of the dash?

Edited by Adrian Lawton
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Not the regulator else the fuel gauge wouldn't read. The voltmeter should go to battery live while the other comes from the regulator so its not on the supply side - possibly an earth connection to those meters has failed ?

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Hello Adrian,

Voltage comes directly from ignition. Same as Temperature (but after fuse). Did you check the ground connections?

I know its a hassle, but you should be able to reach the little screws of the instruments to pull them out. That is really the best way to check voltage/ground @ the instruments.

Regards Jochem

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Finally sussed what was wrong. 10v regulator had failed. Swapped it for a Rimmers special and hey presto temp gauge registering and voltmeter registering 10v and fuel gauge reading. It's clear that the 12v gauge is being incorrectly fed from the 2nd 10 supply designed to go to the fuel gauge and the fuel gauge supplied by the 12v supply meant for the voltmeter - with me so far. Set about trying to correct the miss-connection and after two hours of hand scrapping, frozen shoulder and bad back from lying prone in the footwell even after taking the Tacho out to see if I could reach, I gave up. In can live with an errant voltmeter and over the 14 years of owning the car have got used to the quirky operation of the fuel gauge. If I ever feel the urge to rip out the dash and everything behind it I might sort it out - but life's too short to worry about a couple of volts going walk about I guess.

 

thanks for all your words of wisdom guys.

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Hi, Adrian,

 

Given that the original voltmeter isn’t exactly a precision instrument, I bought a digital voltmeter for a few pounds on eBay and plugged it into the cigarette lighter socket which I have on the dash. It may not be that much more accurate, but at least you have some nice red numbers to look at!

 

John

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I may get crucified for this....get rid of the smiths and install stack. No need for a 10V regulator anymore...including dash lighting...

Jochem

 

Yep, kit car ;)

Stuart.

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