Fuel Sender

[willincalgary]

There are two terminals on the top of the fuel sender. I assume one is power from the ignition and the other ground. Does it matter which is hooked up to which? They are just a resistor so I can't imaging it does.

[yorker]

Is this a diesel? Usually there is a 2nd spade on the diesel senders for a low fuel light.

[ignotus]

One goes to ground and the other(GB) goes to the guage, the other side of the guage is power.

gene

[SafeAirOne]

It actually does make a difference.At least it did in my case--I got some odd readings when I accidentally put them backwards several years ago. Note that poitive earth vehicles probably hook up differently than negative earth vehicles, too.

[TeriAnn]

It actually does make a difference.At least it did in my case--I got some odd readings when I accidentally put them backwards several years ago. Note that poitive earth vehicles probably hook up differently than negative earth vehicles, too.

OK to start with positive earth sending units and negative earth senders are wound in opposite directions and will only work with their respective gauges. The positive earth sender has a metal tower the negative earth one has a flat top.

Next: The replacement senders available for the last decade or so are the diesel type. one insulated terminal goes to the gauge and a second insulated terminal goes to a low fuel warning light which is basically an on off switch. If you see a tab that is braised to metal that is a ground tab. Tabs that appear to be insulated are signal tabs.

A low level warning lamp is easy to ad if you have a petrol engine. 12V to indicator light -> indicator light to low level switch on sender unit.

[SafeAirOne]

OK to start with positive earth sending units and negative earth senders are wound in opposite directions and will only work with their respective gauges. The positive earth sender has a metal tower the negative earth one has a flat top.


Yeah--I figured there was something different about them. The OP wasn't too specific about whether his is a + or- earth (converted), nor whether this is a new sender or his old one. Or whether the 2 terminals are both isolated or whether one of them is the obvious earth terminal for that matter.

[willincalgary]

It is a negative earth, new sender from our hosts. My right side sender is relatively new but purchased from Paddock when I was over in England several yards ago. It has only one terminal so I was a bit surprised to find two when I pulled the newer one from the package. When I initially read the green bible I mixed up the sender and the gauge in the diagram and got confused. I guess that's what happens when you are rushed. All hooked up now with a switch so that I can switch between my left and right front tanks on my single fuel gauge. A bit of plumbing left and I will be the proud owner of two front tanks. I will be able to drive 500 km between fill ups! Can you imagine it?
Thanks for your help everyone.

[milhouse]

So which wire goes to which? I'm going through the exact same thing (same sending unit from our hosts) and I'm still a little confused base on the response (probably due to lack of sleep from working on the Rover). One terminal on the sending unit is labeled "T" and the other "W". The old sending unit only had one wire, so if a ground needs to be connected I need to make the wire and add it myself. Could I just ground directly to the tank then, or I'm guessing the frame would be best?

[yorker]

Diesels have a terminal for the low level warning light. A diesel sender can be used on a petrol - simply leave the terminal unconnected. The terminals are marked with letters - T is the gauge and W is the light

[milhouse]

Thanks for the clarification Yorker, that would explain why I'm getting odd readings depending on which terminal I connect to.

[Partsman]

Go to this link, they do an excellent job explaining the differences and how things work: http://www.series2club.info/forum/index.php/topic,24221.0.html

[willincalgary]

Thanks Partsman that's a great article. I ended up hooking the sender (installed in the tank) up to the gauge and turned the tank over to experiment. Got it right in the end. I don't have a low fuel warning light but may hook one up in the future.