Battery gauge

Ross D

Member
Joined
26 Jul 2010
Messages
268
Location
Cornwall
Visit site
Has anyone ever taken a battery gauge apart?

I have just removed the analogue gauge from my boat, it didn't work when we bought the boat so I removed it when replacing the electrical system.

The fault is very simple, the bit of plastic with 0%-100% on it is loose and falls forward against the needle stopping it moving. With a good smack it moves away and the gauge works fine (just tested it on a variable voltage supply).

The unit seems sealed for life but it would be very annoying and wasteful to throw it away for a loose bit of plastic. Just advice on where to cut it open would be helpful.

Ross
 
Joined
25 Feb 2010
Messages
12,982
Visit site
Without pictures or knowing what make it is, it's pretty much impossible to say.
However, if it's not obvious how to do so, odds are that it is a sealed unit which is not intended to be dissmantled.
Try it as a project during cold winter nights but accept the fact that you'll probably have to replace it.
Consider replacing it with a digital unit which will be considerably more accurate/useful.
 

GrahamP

Member
Joined
11 Feb 2005
Messages
154
Location
London
Visit site
To fix the plastic......

while waiting for a sunny day find a large enough magnifying glass.

Use the magnifying glass to focus bright sunlight and spot weld/melt the plastic at the edge.

Graham
 

snooks

Active member
Joined
12 Jun 2001
Messages
5,147
Location
Me: Surrey Pixie: Solent
www.grahamsnook.com
Those type of battery gauges aren't very helpful IMHO. They are nothing more than a voltage gauge, that doesn't tell you the voltage. :)

If you want an example, check the "battery percentage", make a note of it. Then put the engine on, if that's what you use to charges the batteries...then check the battery percentage again, magic they are 100%. Leave the batteries charging for a few minutes, and switch the engine off. Check the percentage again, it will still be around 100%. Leave the batteries with no drain for 10-20 mins and the battery percentage will be back to where it started from.

It only ever shows a snap shot of the battery status, a proper battery gauge will show the full story. If you have a digital battery gauge and do the same test as above they will show no difference in the percentage, because 5 mins of charge is unlikely to effect the percentage of charge in a 12v say 80ah battery.

You'd be better off buying a digital volt meter, at least you can check fuses, bulbs, and other batteries with it :D
 
Top