Fuel Senders (Van's)

[Build9A]

Upon powering up my panel for the first time, I get a full reading on both fuel tanks and they are both EMPTY. Could the cause be something other than installing the the senders upside down? thanks, jack

[Bryan Wood]

It sounds like you have the wires backwards at the fuel guage. Try reversing them and see if the guage reads empty. Or, disconnect the wires to see if one of them is shorted to ground and driving the meter towards full.

Good luck

[collinsj57@adelphia.net]

I believe the meter will indicate full if the sender wire is open. The sender pulls the indicator to empty; the signal goes to ground through the sender resistor. I you don?t have a good ground at the sender / tank interface it may also read full. If you sealed the sender gasket with pro seal you may have isolated the ground plate. There might be enough proseal under the screws to insolate it. Try using a scrap of wire jumping the sender plate , not the terminal, to bare metal on the wing and see if the indicator drops to empty. If it does all you need is a jumper or putting a star washer under one of the plate screws might work.
Good luck

John

[Build9A]

Thanks for the responses. Can't wait to get to the hanger and fix the problem. After reviewing your posts, I'm sure that it's a grounding problem. I knew I didn't install the senders upside down. thanks again, Jack #90508.