JC Whitney fuel level sender

[Bobacuda]

The fuel sender in my B4B's gas tank rotted away and ceased functioning.  I'm pretty sure it was here in the Pilothouse Forum that I first heard about the JC Whitney replacement.  For those of you looking for this unit, it was not in their catalog last time I looked (about 3 years ago).  I had the stock number, so I called Whitney, and they had it available.  It cost $44 in 2011. 

 

The time in the rebuild of my truck has finally come for me to install it, although it won't see gas for some time still.  The unit is a one wire, universal replacement with a 5 screw mount, 78-10 ohms range.  The mount was irrelevant to me because my old tank had to be completely rebuilt and I had a modern, 5 screw mount plate installed. 

 

I am reading the installation directions, and if I follow them, the rheostat will be in the gas at 1/2 tank and completely submerged when the tank is over 1/2 full.  For those of you that have used this sender, or simply know these things, does this sound right (safe) to you - putting the rheostat in the gas?  Won't that keep it from functioning?  And if you have better instructions than they provided on "bending the float arm," that would be appreciated, too.

 

Thanks.

 

BTW, here is all of the ordering info on the sender, in case you are in need of one. 

 

JC Whitney

Fuel level float

Location: K-01-47-A4

Mfg Part number 100437

 

It was made by:

DATCON Instrument Company

PO Box 128

East Petersburg, PA  17520

Phone: 717-569-5713

FAX: 717-569-7247

Edited April 25, 2014 by Bobacuda

[jeffsunzeri]

_{I recently installed a Datcon unit, but slightly different from the one you purchased. The difference is in the length adjustment. The unit I bought allows you to adjust the depth of the unit by the addition/subtraction of a removable piece. I can see where bending the float arm would work just as well in most cases. This is what is done on many aircraft (bend the float arm to suit the depth of tank).}

 

_{The rheostat is submerged all the time, and it works fine.}

[Bobacuda]

Jeff -

Thanks a bunch for the info.  In the back of my mind, I assumed that the submerged rheostat would be fine, but I just wanted to hear someone else say it.