Gas Gauge Wiring

[Cold Blue]

This has me baffled. I am a rank amateur at electrical stuff...let's get that straight. I cannot get my gas gauge to work. I bought a new two wire sender, installed it. Two wires from it to the "1"and "2" posts on the gauge. Sent gauge off to be bench tested - tested OK. Bought a Runtz resistor. Hooked up the Runtz to a 12 volt ignition wire. Hooked up other end of Runtz to the "IGN" pole on the gauge. I have 12 volts to the Runtz, but no voltage getting thru. Checked all connections. Still no voltage to the gauge....Surely the Runtz is not bad - it's brand new. Tried grounding the switch mounting plate - nothing. What am I doing wrong??? Please help. Blue. (PS - the pink wire in the background behind the Runtz is NOT connected to anything.. green wire is 12 volts from ignition switch.)

[soth122003]

If your getting 12v to the runtz, then check ign at the gage for 6v or so. if it's not there, runtz is bad, or it is one way and you have it backwards.

 

Joe Lee

[Cold Blue]

3 hours ago, soth122003 said:

If your getting 12v to the runtz, then check ign at the gage for 6v or so. if it's not there, runtz is bad, or it is one way and you have it backwards.

 

Joe Lee

I am getting 12v to the Runtz, but none past the Runtz. I don't think you can wire the Runtz backwards. It has a nut for the ignition 12v to connect to, and a lead with connector for connection to the gauge. The Runtz is new - I guess I got a bad one??? Sure looks like it....

[First P15]

Found this picture that might help

make sure that the wire is not a ground for the reducer. Using a test probe check for voltage at the opposite end of the reducer. You may need to solder a wire to the connection point on the reducer once you find the output site

[greg g]

Some have said if your sender is a two wire that they work on measuring the resistance through the winding on the sender making them voltage dumb.  So no modification of the circuit is necessary.  Can any one verify?

[Cold Blue]

5 hours ago, First P15 said:

Found this picture that might help

make sure that the wire is not a ground for the reducer. Using a test probe check for voltage at the opposite end of the reducer. You may need to solder a wire to the connection point on the reducer once you find the output site

Thanks so much First P15!!!! I had it wired incorrectly...imagine that...but with your picture I wired it correctly and it works!!! Yohoo! That's what I like about these old cars - you try to fix something and think you've got it right; you keep after it, and after much tinkering you finally get it right. What did I have wrong? I had the black ground wire connected to the gauge terminal - with your pic I see that the hole in the end of the Runtz is connected to the gauge hot terminal. And the black wire is a ground. The attached photo shows the correct way to hook it up. The black wire from the Runtz goes to ground (blue wire with wire nut).

[soth122003]

Glad you got it figured out. I was close. Not wired backwards, just incorrectly.

 

I was in your neck of the woods last week. Went to Florence Al. to visit my dad for a few days. If it wasn't for all the rain, I woulda popped bye for a visit since your only about 2-3 hours from him.( After calling to make sure it was all right of course.)

 

Joe Lee

[Cold Blue]

5 hours ago, soth122003 said:

Glad you got it figured out. I was close. Not wired backwards, just incorrectly.

 

I was in your neck of the woods last week. Went to Florence Al. to visit my dad for a few days. If it wasn't for all the rain, I woulda popped bye for a visit since your only about 2-3 hours from him.( After calling to make sure it was all right of course.)

 

Joe Lee

Pop by anytime - would so enjoy talking with another Special Deluxe owner!

[First P15]

9 hours ago, Cold Blue said:

Thanks so much First P15!!!! I had it wired incorrectly...imagine that...but with your picture I wired it correctly and it works!!! Yohoo! That's what I like about these old cars - you try to fix something and think you've got it right; you keep after it, and after much tinkering you finally get it right. What did I have wrong? I had the black ground wire connected to the gauge terminal - with your pic I see that the hole in the end of the Runtz is connected to the gauge hot terminal. And the black wire is a ground. The attached photo shows the correct way to hook it up. The black wire from the Runtz goes to ground (blue wire with wire nut).

Glad to hear you got it working. I’m soon to be doing a 12v upgrade to the 48 Plymouth super deluxe. Was just checking these out this morning. My dad was an automotive electrician so a lot of these old wiring repairs sure bring both good memories. Also glad to have the help from all the members here when I get stumped 

[YukonJack]

I used a Runtz on my gas gauge. It worked for about a day and then quit working. Took the dead Runtz out and have been running 12 volts to my gauge for years now. No problem.

[Merle Coggins]

Good catch and fix. Now just replace that wire nut with a proper connector and all will be good. Wire nuts have no place in vehicle electrical systems. 

[Cold Blue]

8 hours ago, YukonJack said:

I used a Runtz on my gas gauge. It worked for about a day and then quit working. Took the dead Runtz out and have been running 12 volts to my gauge for years now. No problem.

Wow. I thought running 12v to a 6v gauge was a no-no and it would fry it! Guess not - you have been running 12v to it for years with no problem. Thanks Yukon.