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SPA Gauges - UPDATED


mav

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Andy, I was going to point you to the original version of this thread, but It seems to have disappeared. So...

 

This was something that I kicked off with SPA a year or so ago. At the time they did not do a fuel level gauge and had no plans to because of LCD development costs and that unlike oil temp etc, you can't just supply a strandard fuel level sender cos every car is different. However they did have a bash at producing something that would work with simple in-tank resistance-based senders like what are used in Caterhams.

 

What they did was to take a standard Fuel Pressure/Volts gauge and adapt it to the purpose. It works like this. They supply a small box of tricks (size of a matchbox) which has two leads from it. One is a standard connection to the gauge and the other is a single wire that connects directly to the wire from your existing fuel level sender. The box reads the varying resistance from the sender and converts this into a voltage that can be read by the pressure half of the gauge. The software in the gauge has been modified to allow the entry of certain parameters to permit the gauge to display a numerical value between 0 and a maximum capacity (say 36 litres). The only other change to the display is to remove the "PSI" or "BAR" legends that would normally be displayed for a pressure reading.

 

Bear in mind that the accuracy of this digital display is based on linear dimensions ie a box shape tank with 90 deg angles. The Caterham tank is not far off this but it does have a sloping bottom *eek*.

 

Having used this unit for over a year, you get used to the readout and the progression of fuel usage and I would say it is a damn fine product. If I was being picky, I would say it would be nice to have a "ltr" or "gal" legend but hey.....

 

They are talking about modifying the setup software to allow the entry of multiple fill points so that the accuracy can be improved. So instead of just saying "this is the setting for empty and this is the setting for full" you will be able to instruct the gauge what to read at say, 0, 5, 10, 15 ltrs etc. Hope all that makes sense.

 

The cost of the gauge is the same as a standard Fuel Pressure/Volts gauge but the box of tricks did cost me an extra £65. One benfit is that you get a spare pressure sender, these normally retail about £90!!!.

 

One final thing, if you are going to order one of these systems, make sure you tell them what type of fuel level gauge you have at the moment. The reason for this is that the sender for the VDO gauge works in the opposite direction (electrically) than the newer Caterham gauges. One has low resistance when empty and high when full and the other is the reverse.

 

BTW - Tony Taylor is the man to speak to at SPA about this gauge.

 

*arrowright* *arrowright*Harry Flatters *arrowright* *arrowright* *thumbup*

AKA Steve Mell of Su77on Se7ens and Surrey Joint AO

 

Edited by - Harry Flatters on 9 Jul 2004 10:51:02

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Steve - yes, I believe so. Just need two or so more people to sign-up and make the minimum order no. (10).

 

Drop Mav a line on the e-mail address mentioned somewhere above. I think he's a bit busy at the moment, but the BB is still on.

 

Keep BC free and open for ALL. Membership No. 43xx

 

Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻

 

Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com

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