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10-06-2013, 05:57 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Birmingham AL
Posts: 135
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Fuel Gage Inop
I have a 40' and the fuel gage is reading empty all the time. Any trouble shooting ideas? Is there a fuse and if so where is it? Where is the sending unit located?
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Dan, MJ and Tucker Dobbins
2004 Alpine 40 MDTS
2013 Honda CRV
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10-07-2013, 02:56 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Auburn, CA, Havasu, AZ & Mulege, BCS
Posts: 5,385
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Sending unit is visible in a window cut into the frame rail just aft of the LF tire. Sending unit uses a standard 35-240 ohm rheostat type float arm in the tank. You can search on "sending unit" and find the generic part replacement type available on Amazon & discussions of install issues.
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Baja-tested '08 2-slide 36'
Alpine: The Ultimate DIY'er Project
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11-19-2013, 05:17 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Birmingham AL
Posts: 135
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I obtained a new fuel level sending unit from Transfer Flow in California and installed it today. Fuel gage still reads empty, even though I know it has half a tank. Any other trouble shooting ideas?
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Dan, MJ and Tucker Dobbins
2004 Alpine 40 MDTS
2013 Honda CRV
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11-19-2013, 06:11 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Auburn, CA, Havasu, AZ & Mulege, BCS
Posts: 5,385
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The sending unit should read 35ohms at one end (full or empty, I don't recall which) and 240ohms the other extreme. I'd tone it at the sender to make sure the new one is reading OK, then tone it at the back of the gauge. If it tones good at both, its the gauge.
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Baja-tested '08 2-slide 36'
Alpine: The Ultimate DIY'er Project
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11-19-2013, 06:16 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Vintage RV Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Lyons, GA
Posts: 769
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Check to make sure the tank is well grounded. It should have its own ground wire.
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11-19-2013, 06:56 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,396
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EM--I tried a DIY on this issue a few years ago and got caught up in which direction the senor was reading--eg, I found a 35 to 240 ohm tank sensor but it turned out the ranges were reversed such that full read empty and vice versa. Also recall that many of the "stock"' sensors are designed to hang from the top of the tank, not the side as it is with our Alpines.
Perhaps the float arm could have been "rearranged" to work on the side position but I gave up and returned the sensor.
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Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
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11-20-2013, 10:42 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Auburn, CA, Havasu, AZ & Mulege, BCS
Posts: 5,385
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Scout- two separate 05 owners replaced sensors with a generic a while back & they read perfectly but backwards, empty when full & full when empty. Swapping the sender wires fixes the problem & Gauge becomes right reading.
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Baja-tested '08 2-slide 36'
Alpine: The Ultimate DIY'er Project
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11-20-2013, 02:36 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,396
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Gosh--never thought of switching the wires--still had the issue of float arm position [I think] for the sensor I found. Fortunately, my issue with the gauge was a modest inaccuracy while measuring the the top half of the tank--not a dead gauge. Learn some-thin everyday......
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Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
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11-20-2013, 04:52 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Auburn, CA, Havasu, AZ & Mulege, BCS
Posts: 5,385
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Most folks are using this aftermarket 4" to 27" sender by Moeller, sold on AMZN, or google: Moeller part# 35725-10. Currently $23 @ AMZN w/free shipping over $25, gasket included in that part# so you don't need to order a separate one.
The float arm is 2 piece w/a keeper that you set for the correct depth (I'd use some SS safety wire for piece of mind IIWM). I've looked at the head and think you could reassemble the gizmo for correct reading, but its probably easier to make up short pigtails to change "gender" on the wiring and simply insert w/float arm set to correct length & go for it.
One OEM wire has (at least on 05/06's that I've messed with) a ring terminal to connect to sender's center stud & the other a female spade. So make a 2" male spade to ring pigtail, and a 2" ring to female spade, di-electric grease & shrink tube the connections for safety & reliability, and the generic sender should read correctly.
My OEM setup is not neatly proportional for tank level. It hangs out in mid range for the longest time. I'm pretty sure the aftermarket gauge would be about the same.
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Baja-tested '08 2-slide 36'
Alpine: The Ultimate DIY'er Project
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11-20-2013, 09:01 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 442
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Scout
Gosh--never thought of switching the wires--still had the issue of float arm position [I think] for the sensor I found. Fortunately, my issue with the gauge was a modest inaccuracy while measuring the the top half of the tank--not a dead gauge. Learn some-thin everyday......
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Amen! This forum has been the best tutor for self educating myself on my coach and there are a host of folks on this site a person can learn from and they know who they are. I thank them all.
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Jim & Elissa Edmonds
2003 34FDDS Alpine Banks 430hp #74869
Viola, Idaho 3rd Armored Cav & 3rd Infantry Division
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11-21-2013, 07:33 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Charleston, WV
Posts: 3,467
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You may want to look back at this old thread.
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John and Mary Knight
2015 Newmar Ventana 4311 - wheelchair accessible
2015 Cadillac SRX Luxury AWD
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12-17-2013, 07:27 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Birmingham AL
Posts: 135
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The new sending unit is reading 28 and 260 ohms and each end of the travel, so I know it is working properly. I am reading 160 ohms as installed now and I know I have a little over a half tank. I disconnected the connector at the back of the gage and there are four white wires and the black ground. This gage has battery voltage, oil pressure, fuel level and engine temperature. I don't read 160 ohms across any of the four white wires and the black ground, so I think there may be a wiring problem between the sending unit and the connector to the back of the gage. Of course the wires are buried in a wire loom. Any ideas on where to go from here?
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Dan, MJ and Tucker Dobbins
2004 Alpine 40 MDTS
2013 Honda CRV
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12-19-2013, 08:02 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Charleston, WV
Posts: 3,467
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You should be able to eliminate at least one wire by checking for 12v when you turn the ignition on. The other 3 should all have resistance to ground and if they were working you should be able to get readings on 2 more wires leaving you with the one that goes to the fuel sender. BTW do you have a ground wire from the sending unit going to the chassis or are you using the tank to provide ground? If so add the wire and see if that helps.
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John and Mary Knight
2015 Newmar Ventana 4311 - wheelchair accessible
2015 Cadillac SRX Luxury AWD
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12-19-2013, 10:54 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Charleston, WV
Posts: 3,467
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Forget most of what I said above. I think you probably have the Medallion instrument which has a 5 wire connector. This does not connect directly to the senders but via a data concentrator. The only info I can find is for their marine instrument but may be worth your looking at their diagnostic guide on this site.
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John and Mary Knight
2015 Newmar Ventana 4311 - wheelchair accessible
2015 Cadillac SRX Luxury AWD
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