Instrument Woes

[Positraktion]

So went for a drive, when I put my flashers on, the gas gauge and water temp gauge both went to zero. After this, flashers did not work, nor gauges.
Was told it probably was the instrument voltage stabilizer, bought a new one, installed it, ran a fresh wire to a new fuse box for the stabilizer. Everything worked fine, flashers and gauges, tried them at least 5 times.
Went for a drive, first stop, put flasher on, flasher worked, gauges went to zero.
Checked 5A fuse in new fuse box, it was fine.
Flashers work all the time but no gauges.

How the heck are the flashers affecting the instruments????????????????

AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ANY THOUGHTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

Positraktion

 

[Scotty]

What Series and setup are you running?

Do they come on when the flasher is off?

The Stabilizer iirc gets 12V in and ‘drops the voltage’ (my parlance sucks so do correct me) so the gauges can read accurately. The Stabilizer is grounded to the bracket where it screws/bolts onto.

If it was working before your old stabilizer went bad and you got a new one, the new one is defective too.

I’m of the mind that it’s somehow miswired and the flasher is drawing power from the same ‘line’, which would drop the gauges to zero when turned on.

That’s my guess. I’m probably wrong.

 

[Positraktion]

Sounds legitimate to me. I have a feeling to wire gauges and flasher completely separate.
Series IV with 2.8L Ford V6.

 

[Positraktion]

No the gauges do not come on when the flasher is off. They stay off.
Is there a way to test the voltage stabilizer??

Thanks in advance
Posi

 

[hartmandm]

More background on voltage stabilizers and gauges here: http://mhartman.net/files/sunbeam/fuel & temp gauges.pdf

Do you have an original wiring harness or has it been replaced?

Do you have an aftermarket solid state voltage stabilizer or an original thermal cycling stabilizer?

Either way, I'd start by monitoring the voltage coming into the voltage stabilizer. If you have an aftermarket solid state stabilizer, you can also then monitor the voltage being put out by the stabilizer. It should be 10V.

Mike

 

[Positraktion]

Went back under the dash tonight.
There was a loose power wire to the voltage stabilizer.
Secured it and everything started working again.
Sorry for the messages but thanks for the help.

Posi

 

[husky drvr]

Sounds legitimate to me. I have a feeling to wire gauges and flasher completely separate.

Positraktion,

Just to make sure, has your car been changed to negative ground? When you ordered the new stabilizer, did you order it for a series IV (a positive ground) or specify negative ground - if changed?

Alpine basics is to always check grounds and connections on any affected circuits.

One more thought, you are seemingly noticing this issue begin when you are stopped or stopping. You might want to check the brake light circuitry as well. Is it possible one of the signal circuits or brake light circuit is trying to find a ground path through the stabilizer ground? Is the lighting, panel lights, or signal circuit grounded at the same point as the stabilizer?

I once had truck that gave me a problem with several light circuits doing really strange things at different times. I had checked different things for a while and never found the problem. When the time came for its annual inspection, I was checking the lights, getting ready, and noticed all lights were operative but one of the rear lights (dual filament) had the same brightness for any condition. I pulled the bulb and found one of the filaments had broken and welded itself across the other filament. Installed a new bulb and all problems were fixed.

Sometimes it really is something simple.

Just a thought.

 

[puff4]

I won’t re-write it here, but there’s also a very good write-up on how to test the stabilizer here:

Smiths Voltage Stabilizers - REVISED

The following document discusses the operation of the basic Smiths voltage stabilizer as used to operate electrical gauges on British vehicles. Methods of replacement and testing are also discussed.

www.minimania.com

 

[Positraktion]

You know, our Sunbeam website is a fantastic help.
I learned much about the voltage stabilizer, especially how to test it.
The article the fellows did on the stabilizer was very helpful.

A wealth of knowledge available, all you have to do is ask.

THANK YOU all members

Cheers
Posi