Community Forums

NatureCalls · 05-25-2010, 05:03 PM

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 · 05-25-2010, 06:53 PM

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

NatureCalls · 05-25-2010, 07:18 PM

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

max49 · 05-25-2010, 09:03 PM

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 · 05-28-2010, 12:10 PM

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 · 05-28-2010, 02:37 PM

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 · 05-28-2010, 07:47 PM

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

Full-Timers · 05-28-2010, 09:41 PM

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 · 05-29-2010, 07:01 AM

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 · 05-30-2010, 11:16 AM

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.