Modern fuel gauge for 6 volt system

[stvaughn]

I want to add a fuel gauge to my REO. I have a 240-33 sending unit and gauge that works on 12 volt but won’t read above 0 on 6 volt. Is there a gauge that will work?

Steve

[joe_padavano]

You can get new 6V fuel level gauges (check vendors of antique tractor parts and early Jeep parts), but I doubt any of them will work with a 240-33 sender. Get the gauge FIRST, then get the sender that matches it.

[Spinneyhill]

Here is a reproduction for you. I hope you are sitting down.

 

http://www.mykmlifestyle.com/King_Seeley_Fuel_Sender.html

 

The problem you have is not the voltage, it is the resistance. The sender is 240-33, but it sounds like the gauge is expecting a different resistance range from the sender.

Edited November 26, 2018 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[m-mman]

FYI - KM Lifestyle, strange name but they do excellent work. They restored the sender on my 29 Cad (old frozen pot metal) and it came back beautiful. 

Certainly not cheap, but they do quality work. Quick turnaround. 

[stvaughn]

I’ve got a perfectly good KS sender, just don’t want to mess with getting the gauge operational. 

 

Thanks Joe, I’ll check with tractor vendors. 

 

Steve

[Curti]

KM Lifestyle is in the process of moving to Connecticut and will not be doing anything for four to six months.

[stvaughn]

On 11/26/2018 at 2:42 PM, Spinneyhill said:

 

The problem you have is not the voltage, it is the resistance. The sender is 240-33, but it sounds like the gauge is expecting a different resistance range from the sender.

Spinneyhill, The problem actually is the voltage. The gauge works correctly on 12 volts. I have located a company that is going to custom build me a 6 volt negative ground gauge accurately calibrated to my sending unit. The only 6 volt gauges I have been able to find are positive ground, and/or have the wrong resistance rating, and are cheaply made. 

[joe_padavano]

17 minutes ago, stvaughn said:

Spinneyhill, The problem actually is the voltage. The gauge works correctly on 12 volts. I have located a company that is going to custom build me a 6 volt negative ground gauge accurately calibrated to my sending unit. The only 6 volt gauges I have been able to find are positive ground, and/or have the wrong resistance rating, and are cheaply made. 

 

The real problem is that you have the wrong gauge AND sender.  Step A, select a 6 volt gauge.  Step B, select a sender that matches the gauge.  There is no other option.

[Rusty_OToole]

You could use a voltage doubler. The circuit is pretty simple if you are handy with electronics. Or just buy one.

https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_nkw=12v+to+6v+voltage+converter&ul_noapp=true

https://www.amazon.ca/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=6v+to+12v+converter&tag=googcana-20&index=aps&hvadid=208427319482&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13642763787446787984&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9000655&hvtargid=kwd-299457010014&ref=pd_sl_2lvi3fk61q_b

[stvaughn]

Thank you Rusty for offering me a solution to the problem I created for myself. 

[JACK M]

The 48 Jeepster that I am fooling around with right now is 6 volt negative ground.

You can buy a sender and/or a gauge from several Willies and/or Kaiser suppliers.

I needed a sender, its a simple one wire system just like later model stuff.

I suspect that other early Jeep products are the same.

[John_Mereness]

I had a hydrostatic gasoline guage on the 1932 Rolls Royce Phantom I and while people can work with them and  get them going, I have been there  on the 1930 Franklin and just not how I prefer to spend my time.  I believe I bought a 6V matched gauge and sending unit from this tractor supply company - it worked fabulous (installed it in the blove box and ....) !  https://antique-tractor-parts.steinertractor.com/tractor/6v-Fuel-Gauge

Edited December 1, 2018 by John_Mereness (see edit history)

[stvaughn]

Thanks Jack, and John. I’ll follow up on all leads. 

 

Steve