Dyslexic fuel gauge?

NW Redneck

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 30, 2006
Messages
643
My fuel gauge stopped working at the end of last summer, and while getting the boat ready to go again this year I had a look at it. I started at the connections at the back of the gauge, and found the 12v from the igniton was connected to the S terminal and the sensor wire connected to the I term. From what I have read about fuel gauges that's bass ackwards! Still, it was working that way last year?

I tested the gauge by removing the sensor wire and turning on the ignition, gauge read empty. With a jumper from I (where the sensor wire was) to ground, it read full. So, gauge works properly with the backwards terminals.

Is this a case of mis-marked terminals? They're marked in ink stamped onto the metal of the back of the gauge, and far enough apart that there's no chance I was mistaking which letter ID'd which terminal.

Turned out the problem was a corroded connection at the sensor terminal at the sending unit and everything works fine now, just this reversed terminals thing keeps bugging me. Nothing to lose sleep over, just a little boating OCD. :D
 
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