www.iFourWinns.com

My voltage gauge is pegged down and not providing any reading. I have two batteries (add the second myself) wired to a perko switch.

The gauge shows fuel, oil, voltage, and temp and the others work. How does the gauge get the battery level? Is there a sender that might have gone bad?

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2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

First.....is this one of the VDO Gauge clusters? If so....search, there is a lot of info with troubleshooting and such, but the jist is that the whole thing USUALLY has to be replaced. If its a single gauge setup, the first thing I would check are all of the grounds. Does it matter which position the perko switch is in or do you get the same reading regardless? Does it change if the engine is on or off?

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

I am not sure of the brand of gauge (I have read about the VDO ones). Has the Four Winns symbol and I think the Faria gauges have their name on them.

It has 4 readout's in the gauge itself (temp, oil, fuel, battery). It is the first gauge on the left in the picture.

It does not matter (ALL, 1 only, 2 only), the gauge does not read. I do not think it is the gauge itself.

_________________
2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

Those are not the VDO gauges, thankfully. First thing I would do is check all connections on the back of the gauge cluster. Maybe one has vibrated loose. Also, check your battery grounds and make sure there is no corrosion on the terminals or wires.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

I'd agree, got to be a connection problem. But , it's a boat right??

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Jimbo
Na. Ga.

2000 170 Horizon LS
4.3GL

Hi, Gotta love it, great sense of humour and you sure need it when theres a problem p***ing you off... Good luck with the electrics, only had my boat a year well I say a year 2 1/2 months 100hrs then winter came I have it all to come I know,,
Cheers Ray

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FWIW, the new chartplotter you picked up can be set to display voltage on one of the data bars. Look at the cruising bar options.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

What comes to mind, when you say "pegged down". Now the gauge is wired backwards some how. I would take a volt meter and take reading right from the back of the gauge. If you lost a ground, I would think you would have no readings. I "think" something shorted out. Say the lamp, to light up the gauge at night. Just a thought, sense it seams to be reading backwards.

Please let us know what you find!!

Thanks for all the info guys. The ground on the battery I know it went out last summer and it might have been when I wired up my second battery. I attached an old picture (I cleaned this all up, but the black negative cable is the ground you are suggesting I check?



Paul - "pegged down" in that it sits on a reading of "10." All the lights on the gauges work (just had out on a little cruise around Tampa bay and had some dinner at Rick's on the river and headed home at dusk) but will double check the connections. Maybe some bulbs are out, but not all.

Firecadet-How does my 546s pick up the voltage? Just by being connected to my fuse box? Worked great Saturday, but there are a ton of settings on that device. I need to make a way to power it when sitting on my couch so I can get the settings just how I like them (damn water temp elude's me).

aguyindallas-which gauges are mine? There is no marking on the face and I have only pulled them out once and do not recall seeing a name on them.

_________________
2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

When you have the chart display up, select menus, then data bars, then cruising bar info. Thats all from memory. Mines on the boat. Play with it, you'll be amazed what you can display and where to display it on the bars.

I powered mine up in the house by wiring it to a 12V battery. If you've already wired it to the boat, you'll need another power/data cord in order to do that though.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

How does it get your battery reading? If through its own power, then I guess it would read the battery I was connected to (1 or 2) or both if I was on the "all" switch?

_________________
2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

Correct, through its power source.

_________________
2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225