"check gages" light's on...

[NatureCalls]

Help! Noticed my voltmeter not working and the "check gages" light on after starting up my mh. Checked all the fuses I can find, but no luck. I recently installed power mirrors and everything still works (all accessories). The batteries read okay at a little over 12v and there's no starting issues. Other than the gage not working, everything's fine. Please tell me it's something I can fix myself.

[max49]

Check to make sure your alternator is charging with the engine running, should have about 14 volts then.

[NatureCalls]

Charging fine. Gage doesn't attempt to move with ignition on, not running. Could there be a grounding issue I'm unaware of?

[max49]

I don't even have a volt meter gauge, just volt reading on the IP, which always says 14.4 volts with the engine running. You could try to reach behind it to see if a wire came loose

[NatureCalls]

Found it!!

Pulled the IP again & found a crack in the flexible circuit board on the back in the voltmeter circuit. My Coleman "Cold Heat" soldering iron finally earned it's keep and saved me a bundle. It's like I tell the wife, "that's cool; let's get it; I can use that someday!".
Hope this helps someone out there.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatureCalls Found it!!..

Congratulations on the repair. It feels great when you can do these things on your own and save money while you're at it.

[NatureCalls]

Thanks DriVer. I'm just glad I didn't have to pay somebody a rediculous amount of money to figure it out.

[Full-Timers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatureCalls Thanks DriVer. I'm just glad I didn't have to pay somebody a rediculous amount of money to figure it out.

And a lot of money it would have cost you. That would probably take the service center forever to find at $100+ an hour and if and when they found the problem they would not repair but replace it.

Kind of makes you wonder how a failure like that could happen. Good Catch!

[NatureCalls]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full-Timers And a lot of money it would have cost you. That would probably take the service center forever to find at $100+ an hour and if and when they found the problem they would not repair but replace it. Kind of makes you wonder how a failure like that could happen. Good Catch!

I've had to get into the dash a number of times for various reasons and the way it was "mounted" (I say lightly), the IP dropped inside a couple of times . I think it landed on a harness just right. Just another thing in need of modification .

[hamguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by max49 I don't even have a volt meter gauge, just volt reading on the IP, which always says 14.4 volts with the engine running. You could try to reach behind it to see if a wire came loose

You can get a usable VOM from Harbor Freight for <$5. You can get a technician quality VOM from Rad. Shk for <$20.